Operation launched this Tuesday (10) against a gang involved in cargo theft in Baixada Fluminense, in Rio de Janeiro, one of the targets is Luiz Fernando da Costa, aka Fernandinho Beira-Mar, who has been in prison since 2002. Search and seizure warrant is being carried out at the Federal Prison of Catanduvas, in Paraná.
“Within federal prison units there is a process of constant monitoring of prisoners. Among them, joint surveillance work, which usually alerts the Public Ministry and the police about suspicious movements. These measures and, consequently, this Tuesday’s operation, show the health of the Penitentiary System. In this specific case, visits from the detainee’s family were suspended. The intelligence team of the Federal Penitentiary System identified suspicious movements that the prisoner was using family members to pass on information and messages outside the unit”, says a note from the Ministry of Justice.
The operation was carried out by civil police officers from the 60th DP (Campos Elíseos) and agents from the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco) of the Public Ministry, with support from the Military Police. The measures aim to comply with search and seizure warrants against those being investigated for committing crimes that caused estimated losses of around R$4 million.
The action is part of the second phase of Operation Tourniquet, which aims to repress robberies, theft and reception of cargo and vehicles, crimes that finance the activities of criminal factions, their territorial disputes and also guarantee payments to their members’ families, whether whether they are detained or released. Since September, there have been more than 240 prisoners, in addition to vehicles and cargo recovered.
According to the state government, investigations proved that members of a criminal organization, combined with suspects with privileged information, were responsible for committing dozens of cargo thefts on expressways. The group – coming from the communities c, Rua Sete, Jardim Ana Clara and Parque das Missões – operates on Avenida Brasil, Rodovia Washington Luis and Rio-Magé.
From the investigation, it was possible to delimit the entire hierarchical structure of the gang, which uses weapons and signal blocking devices provided by the faction. In return, 50% of the income earned from the robberies was passed on to the criminal organization.
“Other local drug leaders act in logistical support relays, freeing up the use of space within the communities they operate for the transshipment of cargo”, says the note.
