The Federal Police seized, on the morning of this Wednesday (20), luxury cars and watches, as well as US$ 6 thousand and an Australian lizard during the Operation Janus searches, which aimed to dismantle a group suspected of rigging tenders emergencies related to the purchase of equipment to combat Covid-19.
The animal was at the residence of one of the targets of the operation, in Tijuca, north of Rio de Janeiro. Because of the irregularity, the suspect's daughter was taken to the PF Superintendence and will be responsible for possession of the animal, which would not be part of the Brazilian fauna.
In the action, around 50 federal police officers and 12 auditors from the General Comptroller of the Union carry out 10 search and seizure warrants, issued by the 4th Federal Court of São João de Meriti/RJ, in homes, companies and offices linked to the criminal organization, in the capital fluminense, in Duque de Caxias, in Baixada Fluminense, and in Bom Jardim, in the mountainous region.
Furthermore, the Federal Court ordered the seizure of assets and valuables totaling more than R$5 million.
The PF investigation, which began in 2020, revealed irregularities in bidding exemption processes, which dealt with emergency purchases of equipment to combat Covid-19. Among the frauds investigated, the overpricing of contracts with the City of Duque de Caxias through front companies, using outsiders, interposed people who would also serve to hide the origin and destination of the amounts obtained illicitly, stands out.
Federal police officers are looking for new evidence, compliance with court orders and the decapitalization of the organization, aiming to expropriate illegally accumulated assets, assets and values, as well as preventing the restructuring of the criminal group.
In addition to the crime of bidding fraud, those investigated will be charged with criminal association, embezzlement and money laundering.
The operation was named Janus in reference to a figure from Roman mythology often represented with two faces.
Source: CNN Brasil
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