Security services in Ciudad del Este: how to shortlist

To shortlist a security service in Ciudad del Este, start with the non-negotiables: the company must be licensed by Paraguay's National Police and its guards must carry an ID card. Then work out whether you're protecting a shop in the microcentro, a warehouse or a house in a residential area, and ask two or three firms for a written quote on the same list.

How do you know a company is licensed?

Private security is supervised by the National Police (ABC Color, 2023⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠) under Law 5424/15⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠. Each company needs a resolution from Police Command to operate. Requirements cited by the police include being a registered company, psychological and firearms tests for staff, its own premises, life insurance for guards, patrol vehicles and an identifiable uniform (La Nación, 2023⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

• Ask for the number and date of the licensing resolution and the company's RUC (tax ID).
• To check, the police set up (021) 443-126, extension 123 (Hoy⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• Guards must hold a licence card (Hoy⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). According to the police, someone who doesn't belong to a licensed company isn't a security guard (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

Is a concierge or camera company the same thing?

No. A building concierge, cleaning or maintenance firm can staff your front desk, but a security guard must belong to a licensed security company. Selling cameras isn't providing the service either: article 33 of Law 5424/15 says security systems "shall be supplied exclusively by security companies and independent installers (where permitted), licensed and recognised as such in the specialty" (DNCP file⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

With so much electronics retail in central Ciudad del Este (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), it's easy to buy the kit in a shop. If you do, ask who installs it, whether that installer is licensed and who will monitor it.

What does a shop, warehouse or house need?

Security needs differ across the city. The microcentro and the Friendship Bridge (Puente de la Amistad) hold the border trade; border markets close early, around 16:00 in winter and 17:00 in summer (Wikivoyage⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), and the area empties afterwards. Áreas 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 are residential districts planned by Itaipú, Boquerón is one of the best-serviced neighbourhoods, and from km 8 to km 13 the city turns suburban with sparsely populated stretches (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

• Shop in the microcentro: cameras on the door, till and stockroom, monitored alarm at night and phone alerts. Ask what coverage looks like once the centre shuts down.
• Warehouse or moving stock: on 4 October 2026 at 16:00, a commando-style robbery on Avenida San Blas near the km 4 overpass took six boxes of phones worth about US$400,000 (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). If you move goods, ask whether the firm offers escorted transport and how it works.
• House in a residential area: monitored alarm and cameras on the gate and garage, with lighting at night.
• House or shed in the outer km: ask how long a response takes to your address and whether mobile or internet signal is strong enough for monitoring.

What should the quote include?

Have every firm quote on the same list: number and placement of cameras and sensors, equipment priced separately from the monthly fee, and what monitoring covers. Before signing, clarify:

• What the control room does when the alarm goes off: calls you, sends a patrol or alerts the police.
• Whether footage is stored only on site or also in the cloud.
• What happens in a power or internet cut: backup battery and phone alert.
• Whether you own the equipment or it's on loan, the minimum term and the cancellation cost.
• A written equipment warranty stating coverage and duration (Law 1334, art. 11⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

For guard contracts, the contract should state headcount, shifts, who covers days off and what insurance applies.

What should you avoid?

• Hiring a freelance "guard" or a firm that won't show its resolution: per the police, an unlicensed firm offers no guarantee of training or of protecting your data (Hoy⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• Leaving factory passwords on the alarm or recorder. Change them once installation is done.
• Forgetting the police: in an emergency, call 911 with your exact address; the line receives thousands of calls a day, many of them pranks (Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). If you have cameras, keep the footage for your report.

Next step: list every entry point of your shop or home (doors, roller shutters, windows, stockroom, parking), send it to two firms and ask for their licensing resolution along with the quote.