The criminal organization behind the public coup was the target of a civilian police operation this Monday (29) in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, where arrest warrants were served as well as search and seizure warrants. In the state of Santa Catarina, the warrants were executed in the Ingleses and Carianos neighborhoods of Florianopolis, where two men and two women were arrested.
Four people were arrested in Florianopolis – Photo: Civil Police RS/Disclosure/NDOther warrants were issued in the state of Rio Grande do Sul: in Porto Alegre, Canoas, Cachoeirinha, Gravatai, Alvorada, Viamana, Tramandai and Imba. As of Monday morning, 33 people have been detained.
According to the police of Rio Grande do Sul, the criminal organization, which used scams on victims in several states, committed crimes of money laundering, drug trafficking, illegal possession of ammunition and firearms, extortion and corruption of minors.
The operation involved 150 civilian police officers from the states, supported by a civilian police helicopter.
Investigation
MP Raphael Liedtke stressed that the investigation began eleven months ago after the red-handed arrest in Cachoeirinha (RS). The arrested man was detained with a gun and a Mercedes-Benz car worth 160,000 reais.
From the detention, the police determined that there was a well-structured criminal organization specializing in the commission of crimes. The group, which was based in the eastern and southern zones of the capital Rio Grande do Sul, also had branches in the state of Santa Catarina.
Since the investigation began, police have confirmed that the group has at least 80 victims across 12 states. The criminals had to move about 450,000 reais along with the crime.
how it worked
The perpetrators came into contact with middle/upper class men. The contact was made through fake social media profiles of the young women, where they obtained nude photos of the victims. With this material, they embarked on a series of serious extortions. In some cases, the perpetrators even posed as Rio Grande do Sul policemen in an attempt to extract money from the victims.
“The scheme was perfectly designed, with a lot of material that helped to deceive the victims and circulated among the perpetrators. For the production of material, the defendants even recruited teenagers who sent photographs, audio and video materials for rewards and even threats,” Liedtke said.
After receiving money for extortion, the amounts were distributed among the oranges rewarded by the criminal group until the money was returned to those guilty of extortion.
According to police, the amount returned to the leaders was used to provide for their luxuries and their families. Some were even distributed to other criminals, mostly prisoners, who used the money to get benefits in prison canteens. The group continued to use its involvement in the drug and arms trade.
Operation carried out this Monday – Video: Civil Police RS/Disclosure/ND
Source: Ndmais