The sheer barbarity of the torture and murder of three young women, one of them still a teenager, was already deeply disturbing. However, what truly horrified Argentina was the revelation that the alleged drug traffickers responsible for these heinous acts brazenly live-streamed their crime across various social media platforms, according to official reports.
Last Friday, these young women were reportedly lured to a secluded house on the fringes of Buenos Aires. There, their horrific ordeal, including their torture and subsequent killings, was streamed on private Instagram and TikTok accounts. A spokesperson from the Buenos Aires Province Ministry of Security confirmed these details, identifying the victims as Brenda del Castillo (20), Morena Verdi (20), and Lara Gutiérrez (15).
Investigators suspect a powerful international drug organization orchestrated this brutal act. Authorities suggest the crime was a chilling message, allegedly in retaliation for the theft of a small drug package, purportedly taken by one of the victims.
“Every piece of evidence points towards a drug-related revenge operation,” stated Javier Alonso, the Minister of Security for the Province of Buenos Aires, during a Wednesday news conference. He added, “We can unequivocally describe this as a settling of scores.”
These murders have sent shockwaves throughout Argentina, a nation generally spared the extreme drug-gang violence seen in countries like Mexico and other parts of Latin America. This incident also tragically highlights a disturbing trend: criminal groups increasingly use social media platforms to broadcast their atrocities, aiming to terrorize rivals, silence journalists, and instill fear in the general public.
The final known sighting of the three victims was on September 19th, around 9:30 p.m., when they entered a white van in a peripheral neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Police reports indicate they were then enticed to a house approximately 18 miles away under false pretenses of sex work.
“They were meticulously tricked into this horrific event,” Mr. Alonso emphasized, explaining that an elaborate scheme by an international criminal network was behind the women’s abduction.
Later that same night, the women were subjected to torture and murder, with their agonizing ordeal shockingly broadcast to an audience of 45 individuals on social media, Mr. Alonso confirmed. A ministry spokesperson declined to offer additional details on Friday, stating that the investigation remains active and ongoing.
While TikTok has yet to comment on the matter, a representative for Meta, Instagram’s parent company, stated that they have “found no evidence of the livestream occurring on Instagram.” Meta’s team affirmed their continued cooperation with law enforcement in the investigation of this horrific crime.
This week, a significant breakthrough occurred as investigators successfully located the victims’ bodies, discovered buried in plastic bags within a garden. To date, four individuals have been apprehended in connection with the case, though authorities suspect that additional perpetrators remain at large.
According to authorities, criminal organizations are expanding their operations in Argentina, which has unfortunately transformed into a crucial transit point for drug smugglers moving narcotics from Bolivia and Peru en route to Europe. This lucrative illicit trade has intensified rivalries, leading to heightened violence as criminal factions fiercely contend for control over territory and profits.
Argentinian President Javier Milei, known for his law-and-order libertarian stance, has adopted a firm position against cartel violence, publicly vowing to prosecute gang members with the full force reserved for terrorists.