Five people have been arrested in Colombia for alleged involvement in the murder last month of a Paraguayan prosecutor known for his fight against organized crime, Colombian President Ivan Duque said today, BTA reported.

Prosecutor Marcelo Pesi, 45, was shot dead on the island of Baru near the Caribbean city of Cartagena on May 10 while on a honeymoon with his wife.

Shortly afterwards, Colombian police said Pesi's murder may have been linked to his professional activities in Paraguay, which often focused on anti-money laundering and anti-drug cases.

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"We have captured all those suspected of involvement in the assassination of prosecutor Marcelo Pesi," Duke, who is visiting the United States, said in a video message.

"This is an intelligence operation, a meticulous work that has allowed us to reach this criminal structure," he added.

More details about the arrests will be announced after the detainees appear before a judge, Duque added.

The five defendants were arrested in Medellin, Chief Prosecutor Francisco Barbosa added in another video message, adding that the arrests were the result of coordinated work by the authorities in Colombia and Paraguay.

Pesi and his wife, Paraguayan journalist Claudia Aguilera, announced on Instagram that she was pregnant shortly before they were approached by two men on a private beach near their hotel.

The journalist later told authorities that one of the men shot Pesi.

"We are grateful for the commitment of the Colombian state," Paraguayan President Mario Abdo wrote on Twitter.

"The investigation into the tragic death of prosecutor Marcelo Pesi, in which police and prosecutors from both countries co-operated in seeking justice, is progressing with the arrest of suspects in his murder," he added.

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