Montevideo police seized an assault rifle, a modified pistol, and high-capacity drum magazines during raids in the Villa Sarandí neighborhood on Wednesday, according to reports from Subrayado and El País. The operation stemmed from an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of 21-year-old Robert Mijael Duarte Da Silva, who has been missing since August 29 after going to purchase a motorcycle.
The Villa Sarandí Raids and Seized Arsenal
The Jefatura de Policía de Montevideo executed search warrants at a residential property near the intersection of Romeo Gavioli and Arturo Senes streets in Villa Sarandí. Inside the home, officers recovered an AR-15 assault rifle, a Glock pistol modified with a Kit Roni, and three double drum magazines, each possessing a 100-round capacity, as confirmed by El País through police sources.
Operational Zone 4 personnel conducted the raids as part of active efforts to locate Duarte Da Silva. While four individuals were detained during Wednesday’s police action, authorities noted that the arrests were executed strictly on the possession of the illegal firearms and ammunition, as investigators have not yet established a direct link between the occupants and the missing person case.
Disappearance of Robert Mijael Duarte Da Silva
The police investigation began after Duarte Da Silva’s mother filed a formal missing person report. According to the Ministry of the Interior’s Portal de Personas Ausentes alert, the 21-year-old is of slim build, stands 1.67 meters tall, and has brown eyes, brown straight hair, and dark-toned skin with multiple tattoos. Family members reported that he walked with a limp and used crutches at the time of his disappearance.
A cousin who accompanied Duarte Da Silva to the Villa Sarandí address to negotiate the motorcycle purchase told investigators that the young man entered the house alone. The relative reported hearing gunshots from inside the property shortly afterward. Moments later, individuals emerged from the dwelling and shot the cousin in the leg before he managed to escape the scene.
Speaking with Telemundo (Canal 12), Duarte Da Silva’s mother stated that police officers arrived at the location hours after she filed her initial report but found no trace of her son. Subsequent searches by law enforcement, including the deployment of police tracking dogs, have yielded no major indications of his whereabouts.
Investigation Status and Next Steps
Authorities continue to scour the Villa Sarandí sector as the search for Robert Mijael Duarte Da Silva enters its next phase. Police have urged anyone with relevant information regarding his disappearance or the activities at the raided property to contact the Ministry of the Interior’s designated reporting channels.
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