Media: Russian who smuggled cocaine from Argentina turned out to be a Colonel in the Russian Special Services
The alleged organizer of the cocaine supply chain from Argentina to Europe, Andrei Kovalchuk, has never worked for the German company Golden Mile, the company’s head, Konstantin Loskutnikov, told RTVD OstWest TV.
The entrepreneur said that the alleged drug baron was introduced to him a few years ago by an employee of Gazprom Germany. "He introduced himself as a Colonel, the head of Special Services, who oversees or deals with embassies and consulates in Europe, Asia, and Latin America," Loskutnikov said.
Kovalchuk sampled the company's products, including cigars and cognac, and then "repeatedly appeared in the office asking to provide him with one sample or another," the businessman said. The man said that he traveled the world a lot and would try to organize a sale, "but not a single transaction was made, not a single contract was signed."
On February 27th, Leonardo Golovanov, former chairman of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots of Argentina, told RBC news agency that Kovalchuk represented the German company, Bossner Cigars. The trademark for that brand belongs to Golden Mile.
Earlier it was reported that in December 2016 in the school at the Russian Embassy in Buenos Aires, 12 suitcases containing 389 kg of cocaine were found. According to the reporting that followed, Argentine policemen were told about the suitcases by Ambassador Victor Koronelli. The cocaine was replaced with flour and the suitcases were allowed to be taken to Russia, where as a result of a joint operation, the suspects, who were going to receive this cargo, were detained. The Russian Foreign Ministry and the FSB stated that it was a joint law enforcement operation to suppress the drug trafficking channel.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also denied any involvement by Russian diplomats in the transfer of drugs, although it acknowledged the involvement of the former technical employee of the embassy in Argentina.
RBC news agency, referring to a photo taken by police in Argentina and the data of websites monitoring flights, reportedthat, judging by the aircraft’s number, the suitcases with flour that replaced the cocaine were delivered to Russia by Il-96 of the Russia Special Flight Squad. This aircraft fleet transports the first persons of the state and is managed by the Directorate of Presidential Affairs. The Directorate rejected the possibility that this was transported by this plane and suggested that the media used falsified images of the aircraft and its number. Police in Argentina have confirmed the authenticity of the images.