Bolsonaro military escort arrested in Spain on possession of 39kg of cocaine

A military officer travelling with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was detained in Spain on Wednesday. He was carrying 39 kilograms of cocaine, authorities reported.

The man was travelling with the advanced guard of Bolsonaro's entourage, which was en route to the G20 in Japan, when he was arrested at Seville airport.

"There were 37 tablets of cocaine weighing 39 kilograms", a Seville Guardia Civil spokesperson told AFP. "There was nothing but drugs in the suitcase", he added.

A spokesperson for the Andalucía High Court indicated that the officer was in police custody on Wednesday and that a court had ordered his preventative arrest for "alleged criminality committed against public health".

The officer was travelling in an advanced guard flight, ahead of the Brazilian head of state. Bolsonaro travelled to Osaka, Japan on Wednesday morning for the G20 summit.

It was Bolsonaro himself who confirmed the news on Tuesday night via Twitter, describing the "arrest in Seville of an Army officer in possession of drugs".

"In the event the officer's participation in this crime is proven, he will be judged and sentenced according to the law", he added.

-AFP, with Times translation