A joint operation triggered on the morning of Thursday (22) aimed in a criminal organization that had been working for at least five years in the traditional Uruguaiana Camelodrome in the center of Rio de Janeiro.
The action, named Free Fair II, was conducted by the Specialized Action Group in Combating Organized Crime (GAECO/MPRJ), police officers of the Organized Criminal Actions (Draco-Ie) and General Civil Police and specialized criminal actions.
The operation seeks to comply with 11 pre -trial detention warrants and 9 search and seizure at addresses in Barra da Tijuca, Baixada Fluminense and Uruguaiana’s own popular market. Among the targets are a retired civil police officer and a criminal police officer which collaborated with the illicit activities of the group. In all, nine people were arrested.
The investigations revealed that the criminals took over the administration of the Uruguaiana Commercial Association and began to extort local traders under the pretext of collecting an “associative fee”, as well as requiring arbitrary payments for electricity consumption. In case of default, the boxes had the energy cut, being restored only for payment. The charges were made under armed threats to intimidate retailers.
In addition to extortions, the group also promoted the sale and irregular lease of pits, charging between R $ 60 thousand and R $ 80 thousand per space – illegal practice, because the camelodrome is a public space, and its assignment depends exclusively on the authorization of the City of Rio.
Another criminal front identified was money laundering. The values obtained with the extortions were passed on to oranges accounts, reinvested in new pits or disguised through facade companies, including a laundry room.
During the operation, vehicles were seized, high value goods and bank account blocking actions were carried out. The searches occurred in the homes of the suspects and at the headquarters of the Popular Market Association.
The 14 reported by the Public Prosecution Service will be responsible for crimes of armed criminal organization, extortion, public function usurpation and money laundering before the 1st Criminal Court specializing in criminal organizations of the capital.
This content was originally published in Operation Mira Group that extorts traders in the Uruguaiana camelodrome on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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