In a case that reads like a high-stakes thriller, Brazilian drug lord Sergio Roberto de Carvalho, sometimes called Major Carvalho and often described as a Latin American Pablo Escobar, faced arrest in Budapest this week. Reports indicate he traveled under an alias and carried a fraudulent Mexican ID while moving through the Hungarian capital. He remains listed on Interpol’s most wanted roster, and prosecutors warn that his death during a Spain-led operation, with help from the Portuguese Judicial Police, could complicate lawsuits in Galicia where his supposed execution threatened to slow the legal process. A cargo believed to contain 1,700 kilograms of cocaine was linked to a vessel named Titan III. The escape and a possible dead man switch anchor ongoing investigations.
Earlier, during a November 2020 escape from Portugal, authorities uncovered a 12 million euro van tied to Carvalho and his network.
Wouter’s apparent death
Law enforcement agencies worldwide have tracked Carvalho while focusing on his alias Paul Wouter. Investigators say Wouter staged a funeral to hide his true identity, and Galicia now weighs charges connected to a cocaine seizure in the Atlantic. A death certificate presented in Marbella claimed COVID-19 as the cause of death, a document the Pontevedra Court is reviewing amid questions about its authenticity. Marbella City Council has denied knowledge of the funeral details.
Official records state that Paul Wouter died of COVID-19 on August 29, 2020, at 10:50 a.m. in an apartment on Calle San Juan Bosco in Marbella. The death, at age 54, paused the Galicia case for a period. The 1,700 kilos of cocaine tied to Titan III were seized by the National Police in Atlantic-ward operations years earlier. Wouter had previously been detained in Marbella, staying at an exclusive residence in the Benahavís region, and prosecutors had sought a lengthy prison term in connection with the case. The defense cited the death certificate and funeral documents in Pontevedra Court as part of the official record, with these papers under scrutiny by authorities.
As lawsuits questioned the propriety of testimony after a death, Brazilian authorities alerted Spanish counterparts that Wouter’s fingerprints and facial features matched those of Carvalho, a major Brazilian drug trafficker known for moving large quantities of cocaine into Europe. The credible intelligence prompted renewed scrutiny across multiple jurisdictions.
The National Police confirmed that Carvalho, described as of Dutch Surinamese origin, moved freely in Europe for years using a legal passport held by a man believed to be dead in Marbella. Investigators remained vigilant for a fresh operation involving roughly fifty detainees across several countries, including Spain.
In a dramatic turn, the notorious narcotics figure seemed to reappear briefly before allegedly slipping away again under a new identity after boarding a flight to Lisbon. Major Carvalho, who had long been on authorities’ radar since a prior expulsion from the Military Police in 2008, spent time across Europe and left traces extending as far as Russia. Just before the Hungary arrest, sources from organized crime coverage indicated the lead originated in Dubai.
Questions linger about how the death could have been faked and who aided the ruse. Was a body found to cross as the decedent? The death certificate lists the deceased and two witnesses, including the doctor who confirmed the death. The Marbella doctor is reported to be involved in aesthetics and anti-aging work and is registered with a Malaga medical association. The Marbella diary group is alleged to be linked to the same network that published the diary notes.
Beyond the death certificate, standard procedures would typically include updating civil records, arranging burial or cremation licenses, and transferring remains to a cemetery. Funeral homes often handle these steps in sequence. Some sources in this sector emphasize a preference for anonymity, described as the most effective way to preserve the broader objective. Once the death certificate is accepted, the coffin is sealed and rarely opened again, especially during a period marked by strict COVID burial protocols. When incineration is chosen, evidence can be reduced to ash.
The Pontevedra Court had not yet moved to a trial when word of Wouter’s death circulated. Forensic sources have suggested that the death may have been processed legally with available documentation and little objection from involved parties.
As the case evolves, investigators across Europe continue to examine the methods used to stage a death, the identities involved, and how the elaborate deception may have shaped ongoing prosecutions. The evolving narrative highlights the ongoing challenge of tracing transnational drug networks that span continents and legal systems.