Ivan Bliznyuk, a local police officer and the son of Russian immigrants, was detained at Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina after arriving from Rome with an acquaintance on February 21. He is suspected of involvement in the creation of a cocaine supply chain to Russia. This was reported by the local publication Clarin.

Thanks to his knowledge of the language, he acted as the "connecting link" between Argentine police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. In his social networks, Bliznyuk spoke of his ties to diplomatic circles, including with Russia.

The investigation began in December 2016, after Russian ambassador to Argentina Viktor Koronelli told the Ministry of Security that twelve suspicious suitcases processed as diplomatic cargo had been registered at a school in the embassy​​. This information only just became known because it was previously classified.

Special Services carried out a controlled delivery during the investigation, replacing the drugs with flour, installing GPS systems on the suitcases, and sending them in a dispatch to Russia. Four suspects, whose names have not yet been disclosed, were detained there.

The Russian news agency TASS asserts that the operation to suppress of drug trafficking was conducted jointly by the Special Services of Russia and Argentina. "We are talking about a joint operation between Russian and Argentine special services to curb drug trafficking," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. "The details of the special operation have not been made public in the interests of joint operative actions."

  Argentina, Russia

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