The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro launched, this Tuesday, (16) another phase of Operation Containment against the money laundering scheme of Comando Vermelho, the main criminal faction in the state, which operates in different regions of the country.
The action included a request for judicial blocking of around R$600 million, in addition to the execution of search warrants, seizure of assets and blocking of bank accounts linked to the faction. According to the police, the operation takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso, focusing on individuals, companies and assets used to hide and move criminal money.
According to the Civil Police, the faction maintained a structured network to move illegal resources in the formal financial system. The money was used to pay for weapons, drugs, real estate, vehicles and maintain control of territories.
Investigations indicate that Edgar Alves de Andrade, known as Doca, one of the leaders of Comando Vermelho, and Carlos da Costa Neves, known as Gardenal, responsible for the group’s financial side, coordinated the scheme with the support of third parties and front companies.
The investigations identified financial movements well above the declared income, with accounts that functioned as the faction’s coffers. These values were blocked by court decision.
Hard cash
The scheme also used people recruited by crime to make cash deposits, in small amounts and in different banks, on the same day, in an attempt to make it difficult to trace the origin of the funds.
Part of the money was concentrated in the municipality of Pontes e Lacerda, in Mato Grosso, chosen precisely because it is far from the most visible drug trafficking areas, reducing the exposure of criminal leaders, according to investigations.
In addition to the bank blockade, the Court ordered the seizure of assets, including real estate, vehicles and a rural property in Mato Grosso. According to the Civil Police, investigations continue with analysis of documents, electronic equipment and other seized materials.
Red Command
The action has the support of the civil police of Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso, and is part of Operation Containment, an offensive launched to weaken the Red Command. According to the state government, since the beginning of the operation, more than 250 people have been arrested, 136 killed in clashes and hundreds of weapons and ammunition removed from circulation.
THE first stage of Operation Containmentheld on October 28th, in the Penha and Alemão complexes, was the deadliest in the state’s history, with 122 dead, of which five were police officers.
In total, 113 arrests were made. The main target, Edgar Alves de Andrade, known as Doca, is on the run. He is considered the main leader of the Red Command.
