During a search of the property, authorities discovered more than 60 weapons, including 43 rifles adorned with Nazi eagle insignias, 15 pistols, five bayonets, and a machine gun. The raid also revealed Nazi flags, military uniforms, hats, helmets, and statues of Adolf Hitler, all of which were seized by police.
The operation, known as Operation Nevada, was conducted with assistance from the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum. Police had been monitoring the suspect, who had recently traveled abroad. Surveillance, coordinated with Argentine authorities by organized crime prosecutor Santiago Marquevich, revealed the suspect’s involvement in a larger international network trafficking in weapons and Nazi symbols. The operation originated from an investigation by Bosnia and Herzegovina's Border Police.
The raid took place in Quilmes, a suburb south of Buenos Aires, after weeks of surveillance showed the suspect returning to Argentina from Europe. Authorities traced his movements from Ezeiza International Airport to his home in Bernal, where weapons smuggling activities were suspected. In addition to the weapons and Nazi memorabilia, police also uncovered taxidermied heads of Indian antelopes, which violated environmental protection laws, prompting involvement from the environmental crime unit.
The Holocaust Museum team confirmed the authenticity of the Nazi-related items, which violate Argentina's anti-discrimination laws that prohibit the promotion of totalitarian regimes. Argentina's Security Minister, Patricia Bullrich, shared a video of the confiscated items on social media, stating, "We uncovered an international network trading weapons and Nazi symbols. All of this was found in the home of a criminal arrested in Quilmes."
The operation highlights the continuing issue of Nazi war criminals and sympathizers who sought refuge in Argentina after World War II. Many, including notorious figures like Adolf Eichmann, who was captured by Israeli agents and executed in Israel, fled to the country to evade prosecution.
