5 Things to Know About the Capture of Sebastián Marset

On March 13, authorities in Bolivia captured the elusive Uruguayan drug trafficker Sebastián Marset during a security operation carried out by the Andean nation’s anti-drug police and supported by the US’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Marset managed to avoid capture during years on the run using a web of powerful connections that spanned South America, Europe, and even Dubai. InSight Crime has maintained a detailed profile on Marset and his criminal career for years, and below we lay out what you need to know about his capture.

Who is Sebastián Marset?

Marset is alleged to be a major cocaine broker and money launderer, reportedly coordinating multi-ton shipments of the drug to Europe and laundering millions of dollars in illicit profits. Originally from Uruguay, he served a prison sentence for marijuana trafficking in his home country from 2013 to 2018 before moving around Bolivia and later Paraguay, Europe, and Dubai. Prior to his capture, he built an international criminal network that led US authorities to place a $2 million bounty on his head.

SEE ALSO: Sebastián Marset Criminal Profile

Where Was Marset Captured?

Marset was arrested on March 13, 2026, in the Santa Cruz department of eastern Bolivia during a security operation involving the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Marset is believed to have originally traveled to Bolivia shortly after his release from prison in Uruguay in 2018, but then moved to set up a home base in Paraguay. After authorities there launched a massive anti-drug trafficking push, Marset went underground again. His whereabouts were unknown until Bolivian authorities launched a raid in July 2023, from which he narrowly escaped, later claiming he received a tipoff from Bolivian police. 

Who Were Marset’s Key Criminal Allies?

Marset is wanted by the US government for allegedly laundering money through its banking system with his business partner, Federico Ezequiel Santoro Vassallo, who was sentenced to 15 years in a US prison in 2025. 

He started out as a small-time drug dealer in the nightclubs of his native Montevideo, Uruguay, according to a TV interview he gave in 2023. He later moved into trafficking marijuana from Paraguay before Uruguay created a legal market for the drug. Marset was eventually arrested and sentenced to prison in 2013 after he was caught receiving a marijuana shipment flown to Uruguay by the uncle of Paraguay’s then-president. 
After his release from prison, Marset allegedly became a key broker in the cocaine trade from Bolivia to Europe, laundering the money through football clubs, cryptocurrencies, luxury car shops, and other fronts primarily in Paraguay.

Why Marset Matters

Marset is a mover and a shaker. He is accused of being a key broker in the international cocaine trade and coordinating massive trafficking deals that connected cocaine producers in Bolivia to European mafias. He organized logistics, managed relationships, and processed the payments. His role differed from that of more traditional capos such as Joaquín Guzmán Loera, alias “El Chapo,” and organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel, which focuses on controlling territory and trafficking routes.

What’s Next for Marset?

Marset’s alleged criminal network is believed to have been significantly damaged following a massive anti-drug operation in Paraguay called A Ultranza PY. It dismantled several businesses that were used to launder money and arrested key players, including a sitting senator who was convicted of money laundering and criminal association for his ties to Marset. With the DEA participation in his arrest, Marset was put on a plane to the United States, where he will face money laundering charges. Santoro Vassallo, his primary associate, has already been sentenced for money laundering in the United States. Paraguayan officials stated they will request Marset’s extradition.

Featured image: InSight Crime collage with images courtesy of Interpol and authorities.