Civil police officers in Rio de Janeiro carry out, this Monday (14), an operation to investigate the suspicion of issuing false reports made by the PCS Saleme laboratory. He is being investigated for his responsibility in the transplantation of HIV-infected organs to six people.
Agents from the General Department of Specialized Police today carried out 11 search and seizure warrants and four arrest warrants in Rio de Janeiro and Nova Iguaçu, where the laboratory is based.
According to the state government, one of the laboratory’s partners, Walter Vieira, was arrested in this Monday’s action. The laboratory had a contract signed with the Health Foundation, linked to the State Department of Health, to carry out clinical analysis and pathological anatomy exams in all units of the network.
The contract was signed in December 2023, but was suspended by the secretariat after the release of information about the contamination of transplant patients.
Falsification
THE Consumer Police also investigates whether the laboratory falsified reports in other cases. “I immediately ordered the opening of an investigation, following the governor’s order that the facts be investigated more rigorously and quickly. We obtained elements to represent the precautionary measures before the Court in record time, so that the culprits are punished as quickly as possible”, stated the state secretary of Civil Police, Felipe Curi, in a statement.
In a note, the defenses of Walter and Mateus Vieira, partners at PCS Lab Saleme, “vehemently repudiated the alleged existence of a criminal scheme to forge reports within the laboratory, a company that has been operating in the market for more than 50 years. Both will provide all clarifications to the Court,” they said.
*Article changed at 9:01 am to add information.
