This Thursday at noon the prosecutor of Río Segundo, Patricia Baulies, finished taking investigative statements from the 58 Boca fans accused of having transported four firearms and 58 ammunition in a bus in the run-up to the League Cup semi-final, which was held in Córdoba on April 30.
The accused approached the Río Segundo Courts in groups of 15 fans, for several days. At the beginning of the investigation, it was speculated that the bars would testify from Buenos Aires via the Zoom digital platform, but the prosecutor made them all travel to Río Segundo.
The first to appear were the leader of the Boca brava group, Rafael Di Zeo, and his second, Fernando Maciel.. It was May 13. As it turned out, they did not make any statements. Once the procedural act was over, they began their return to Buenos Aires.
The other defendants arrived in groups of 15 fans. The last group appeared on Thursday. It was reported that, like Di Zeo, they had refused to testify.
There was one fact that caught the attention of the prosecution: 56 of the 58 defendants used the official defender. Instead, Di Zeo and Maciel appointed lawyer Diego Storto.
Court sources indicated that with this the prosecution concluded the investigative measures, so if new evidence is not obtained the case may be brought to trial soon.
Since no defendant took charge of the weapons in court, all were accused as co-authors of possession of a firearm within the framework of the sports law, which provides for a penalty of 1 to 6 years in prison. There are no arrests.
On the day of the procedure, the right of admission for that match was applied to everyone. A few days later, the Minister of National Security, Patricia Bullrich, extended the ban indefinitely for all national and international competitions. No one can enter a football stadium.
It is not the first time that Di Zeo has been banned from entering stadiums. In fact, a measure similar to this had ceased in April 2023. In addition, several of the 58 who fell into the requisition had already had the right of admission at other times.
Four weapons and 58 ammunition
The case dates back to the run-up to the League Cup semi-final, on April 30. La Doce was traveling to Córdoba to watch their team’s match against Estudiantes. In a search on the highway, near the Toledo toll, four firearms were found in one of the caravan buses (one nine millimeters from the Argentine Federal Police with filed numbers, another nine millimeters Browning brand also with the suppressed numbering, a 22 Bersa pistol and a 32 long revolver) plus 58 ammunition.
For Justice, Di Zeo was traveling in that bus, but during the operation he got into a van and went to Buenos Aires, as indicated at that time by the Minister of Security of Córdoba Juan Pablo Quinteros. The other fans were taken to the Río Segundo judicial unit. There they were booked and charged with possession of a firearm within the framework of the sports law. After this they returned to the bus and began the return to Buenos Aires.
The revolvers were found under the seats, in the light panels of the bus, another in an air conditioning duct and on the floor. The guns were wrapped in socks or clothing.
The operation included the control of another 60 groups, with fans of both teams. In a similar procedure a week earlier they had arrested 78 River fans, who also had weapons, in this case white ones.
