The president of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj), Rodrigo Bacellar (União Brasil), was preventively arrested, this Wednesday morning (3), during Operation Nail and Flesh, launched by the Federal Police to investigate the leak of confidential information about Operation Zargun.
Police agents were in Alerj early in the morning and carried out search warrants in the presidential office. The action took place while Bacellar was giving a statement at the Federal Police headquarters, in Rio.
Minutes after the testimony, the parliamentarian was preventively detained. He is suspected of being involved in passing on information that would have anticipated details of the operation targeting state deputy TH Joias.
According to the PF, the leak compromised the progress of the investigations that resulted in the arrest of TH Joias. The goal of the new investigation is to identify those responsible for the illegal transfer of information and clarify the connection with public agents.
Today’s operation fulfills a preventive arrest warrant, eight search and seizure warrants and a subpoena warrant. All were issued by the Federal Supreme Court (STF), in Brasília.
According to the note released by the Federal Police, Operation Unha e Carne seeks to “combat the actions of public agents involved in the leakage of confidential information, which culminated in the obstruction of the investigation carried out within the scope of Operation Zargun”.
The action is part of the determination of the Federal Supreme Court in the judgment of Claim of Non-compliance with Fundamental Precept (ADPF 635 das Favelas), which delegated to the Federal Police the investigation of the activities of violent criminal groups in the state of Rio and their connections with public agents.
Purchase and sales of weapons
On September 3, 2025, state deputy Tiego Raimundo dos Santos Silva, known as TH Jewelswas arrested on suspicion of intermediating the purchase and sale of weapons for the Red Command.
According to investigations, he acted as an intermediary between suppliers and members of the criminal faction.
The Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro has not yet been officially informed about today’s operation. Once you have access to all the information, you will take the appropriate measures.
The report sought out Alerj to comment on Rodrigo Bacellar’s arrest and the steps taken, but there has been no response so far.
*With information from TV Brasil
