The Federal Police seized R$1.8 billion in goods and valuables from drug trafficking in Brazil this year in the fight against organized crime. The data comes from the General Coordination for the Repression of Drugs, Weapons, Crimes against Property and Criminal Factions.
There was a significant increase compared to last year’s seizures, when R$445 million was withheld from criminal factions. The increase is 304% from 2023 to 2022.
In an interview with CNN , delegates Júlio Danilo Souza and Milton Neves, responsible for coordinating the fight against trafficking, attribute the increase to the special operations carried out. There were 249 actions compared to 176 last year, in the period from January to October.
“This value of goods and values was a great highlight. This is thanks to special operations, with a greater focus on disarticulation. Compared to previous years, the number of special operations has greatly increased. There was more forceful action, with the arrest of leaders and the dismantling of organizations”, said delegate Milton Neves.
The investigator explains that special operations seek to dismantle large organizations. “International trafficking, which involves more investigation, requires a specific group of police officers, with specific technologies to be able to reach these organizations,” commented Neves.
“There are specific investigation techniques, intelligence means, focusing on the seizure of assets”, added Júlio Danilo.
During this period of record seizures, the Federal Police also indicted 4,716 people for drug trafficking. Last year there were 3,969 indicted.
Last week, the Federal Police carried out, in Rio de Janeiro, the second phase of operation Tamoios II, against a gang that operates in laundering money from international drug trafficking. The repressive action resulted in the blocking of bank accounts and the seizure of movable and immovable assets worth up to R$126 million. Fifty agents carried out eight search and seizure warrants and seven warrants with precautionary measures other than arrest.
Also last week, in a special operation, the PF seized three tons of hashish on a sailboat off the coast of Bahia. The drug found inside the boat left Portugal bound for Salvador. According to the suspects’ statements to the police, the capital of Bahia would be the final destination of the three tons of hashish. Four people were arrested.
At the beginning of this month, the PF and the Federal Revenue Service seized 1.5 tons of cocaine on a ship docked at the Port of Vitória, in Espírito Santo. The agents arrived at the drug after receiving information that the vessel would be used to smuggle drugs to Europe. The cocaine was hidden in 52 bales, ready to be thrown into the sea.
Video: Understand how criminals exchange luggage tags for suitcases containing drugs at the airport
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.
