Two operations conducted by the Federal Police (PF), together with the Federal Revenue Service and the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE), dismantled a scheme for manufacturing and selling counterfeit cigarettes. More than 170 federal police officers carry out two arrest warrants, 41 search and seizure warrants and blocking and kidnapping of suspects’ assets. Almost R$1.5 billion would have already been moved by criminals.
Operations Sinal de Fumaça, in Uberaba; and False Nicotine, in the Federal District, began following reports of the sale of counterfeit or smuggled cigarettes in the municipalities of Valparaíso de Goiás, a city surrounding the Federal District, and Uberaba/MG. The police are also investigating the exploitation of Paraguayan workers, kept in conditions similar to slavery for the production of counterfeit cigarettes.
“The police investigation indicates that those investigated had started their work by selling legitimate cigarettes, but began to want bigger profits and started selling cigarettes from a clandestine factory, probably located in Minas Gerais,” stated the Federal Police. The group used false documents and invoices to move cigarettes across the country.
Despite the modest appearance of the distribution sites in the surrounding area, the PF detailed, investigations showed the movement of R$1.47 billion in the scheme. Those involved may be liable for crimes related to falsifying cigarettes, tax documents, selling products unfit for consumption, slave labor and money laundering.
