An operation seeks to arrest seven suspects for land grabbing in Búzios, Rio de Janeiro, this Tuesday morning (10).
7 preventive arrest warrants and 12 search and seizure warrants were served against members of a criminal organization responsible for the practice of land grabbing .
Former state deputy Natalino José Guimarães , was arrested this morning. He is a former civil police officer, was elected deputy in 2006 and is appointed as founder of the first militia in Rio de Janeiro the Justice League.
In all, 12 people were reported for environmental crimes , irregular subdivision of urban land and other illicit acts in Operation Nova Gralagem. Agents from the Public Ministry of the State of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ) and the Civil and Military police participate in the operation.
The investigations began with crime reports that reported land invasions by armed groups on several plots of land, in the Estrada da Fazendinha region, in Búzios.
According to the MPRJ complaint, the criminal group has been active since 2020, using violent and fraudulent practices to occupy and sell land in the region.
The ministry points out that the organization used armed security guards to intimidate residents and owners deforested protected areas and promoted fires.
According to the complaint, the group used legal actions without favorable decisions as an argument to justify the invasion and commercialization of land. Leaders promoted violent invasion of lands and placed 24-hour security guards in the invaded areas.
After the invasions, they deforested the invaded areas with backhoes and chainsaws, re-allotted the area and started selling the land.
The MPRJ also highlights that the criminal group teamed up with a company, based in Campo Grande, to subdivide the invaded area and sell the land. Furthermore, granted lots to figures known for involvement with the militia in exchange for the provision of security services for the invasions carried out.
The warrants served this morning were issued by the Specialized Court in Criminal Organization of the Capital. Court orders are complied with at various addresses in Búzios, Cabo Frio, Rio das Ostras and the capital of Rio de Janeiro.
THE CNN tries to contact Natalino Guimarães’ defense for positioning.
With information from Agência Brasil
This content was originally published in Former state deputy arrested in anti-grabbing operation in RJ on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil

I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.