“A protection network nourished by corruption of public agents” would be the pillar of the criminal organization for the exploitation of gambling, target of Operation Caligula, launched by the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro this Tuesday (10).
“The data produced give a fair suspicion that acts of corruption involving public agents are not episodic and occasional, but systemic, ingrained in public institutions, especially in the Military Police and Civil Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro”, pointed out the judge. Bruno Monteiro Rulière, in the decision that authorized the operation.
Among the suspects listed by the Public Ministry are two delegates, in addition to other civil and military police, in a network that, according to the investigation, would be led by Rogério de Andrade, nephew of the famous bookie Castor de Andrade, who died in 1997.
One of the prisoners this Tuesday is the delegate Marcos Cipriano. Investigations point out that he had an operational role and would have been responsible for intermediating a meeting between delegate Adriana Belém and Ronnie Lessa, accused of killing councilor Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes. After the meeting, bingo machines seized in Adriana’s area of operation were reportedly released.
The MP also reports that, between July 24, 2018 and October 17, 2018, the delegate would have received promises of undue advantages, as well as the inspector of the unit where she worked, civil police officer Jorge Luiz Camillo Alves. This Tuesday, agents seized R$ 1.2 million in cash at Adriana Belém’s house.
Within the organization of the group would still be the retired civil police officer Amaury Lopes, responsible for dealings with public agents and bribes. The complaint also cites the involvement of inspector Vinicius de Lima Gomez, who would have accepted undue advantages.
Military police officers would be part of the criminal organization’s security summit. Márcio Araújo de Souza would be known as “general commander”, taking care of the security of the points of gambling and also the disputes of power and territory. Below him would be military police officer Daniel Rodrigues Pinheiro, who would be responsible for the personal security of the group’s leaders.
As the judge points out, the complaints offered describe a “complex and structured criminal organization that would be led by the denounced Rogério de Andrade, of exceptionally enlarged dimensions, with a business structure linked to the ‘misdemeanor’ activity, with mechanisms willing to enhance and ensure the enjoyment of the financial advantages deriving from the exploitation of games of chance, safety net nourished by corruption of public servants, acts of violence and demonstration of exacerbated force and power, including the commission of homicides to eliminate those who are against the interests of the group, in connection with criminal factions and militias, all aimed at achieving illicit ends.”
Among the crimes investigated are active corruption, extortion, serious bodily harm, murder and money laundering.
What do the aforementioned say?
THE CNN still tries the defenses of the aforementioned police officers.
In a statement, the Civil Police stated that both delegates targeted by the operation do not currently have positions. “Adriana Belém is on leave and Cipriano is working at another institution. The Corregedoria will request access to the investigations to proceed with the necessary administrative processes”, he disclosed.
Marcos Cipriano is a member of the State Energy and Sanitation Regulatory Agency (Agenersa). In a note, Agenersa said that it “does not comment on the Court’s decision and clarifies that the facts are not related to the agency’s activities.”
Adriana Belém, who was a delegate of the 16th DP, currently works at the Municipal Department of Sport and Leisure in the capital of Rio de Janeiro. In a statement, the ministry said that “licensed delegate Adriana Belém is assigned to the Municipal Sports Department, in the position of advisor, and will be exonerated this Tuesday, after the outbreak of Operation Caligula.”
Accused of being the leader of the organization, Rogério Andrade expressed himself, through his defense, in a note. “This operation, in addition to not demonstrating the need for the precautionary arrest of Rogério, is clearly an affront to the STF, which has just granted the suspension of a criminal case against him”, says the statement by lawyer Ary Bergher.
Ronnie Lessa’s defense said he learned from the press of what happened. “We are yet to find out what is happening. Know if there is any accusation, which accusation and what elements support it. For now, we have no way of positioning ourselves. We are in the dark,” he stated.
Source: CNN Brasil
