Jamil was linked to several murders, but largely kept a lid on border violence, said Santos de Melo. The PCC soon afterwards declared war on Comando Vermelho (CV), another Brazilian cartel, emerging victorious as the largest player in the transport of drugs into Brazil – and on to Europe, where the ’Ndrangheta Calabrian mafia handles distribution. About 40 of his associates were subsequently murdered. In June 2016, Jorge Rafaat – a powerful drug trafficker and sometime Jamil ally – was shot dead in Pedro Juan Caballero. Jamil’s downfall follows the relentless elimination of the PCC’s other rivals.
Since “The Turk” surrendered, “the PCC have taken over completely,” said Lt Col Ozevaldo Santos de Melo, a military police officer in Ponta Porã.
The bloodletting has fuelled fears that international drug cartels in league with corrupt officials are turning comparatively tranquil Paraguay into a violent narcostate.
