The fifth phase of Operation Mute, carried out in all prisons and penitentiaries in the country, seized 4,757 cell phones used for illicit communication inside Brazilian prisons. The action, coordinated by the National Secretariat for Penal Policies (Senappen) of the Ministry of Justice, occurred simultaneously throughout Brazil and mobilized 3,463 prison police officers, who inspected more than 3,000 cells, where more than 300,000 people deprived of liberty are housed.
In addition to the cell phones, 348 sharp objects were seized, such as knives and scissors, a thousand chargers, 397 chips, 314 headphones, 29 routers and 19 pen drives, as well as four explosive devices and three firearms.
The National Secretary of Penal Policies, André Garcia, emphasizes that this is an operation that results from the integration of the penal police forces of all the states of the federation with the Federal Penal Police, in a work strongly aimed at impacting the communication between organized crime and the criminal market outside the walls of the prison units. “This collaboration is decisive for the national strategy to combat organized crime and will contribute to the reduction of criminal indicators, especially intentional lethal crimes that affect the Brazilian population”, assessed Garcia.
The main purpose of searches in prison cells and pavilions is to remove cell phones, essential tools for organized crime that facilitate the perpetration of crimes and the escalation of violence on the streets. The clandestine use of these devices is a serious national problem, with significant impacts on the social, psychological and economic spheres. To address this challenge, the Directorate of Penitentiary Intelligence (Dipen) is implementing new routines and procedures in penal establishments and collaborating with other forces to combat prohibited communications within the prison system.
