President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva highlighted on Thursday (28) the outbreak of a series of police operations investigating the performance of criminal groups in the fuel production chain for money laundering from drug trafficking factions.
“The population across the country has watched today the largest response of the Brazilian state in the organized crime of our history so far. In coordinated performances that involved Federal Police, Federal Revenue and State Public Ministries, three simultaneous operations were triggered in the financial and fuel sectors, involving 10 states,” the president enumerated in a post on social networks.
Lula praised the integrated workstarted with the creation, at the Ministry of Justice, of the Nucleus to Combat Organized Crime. “It allowed to follow the entire chain and reach the financial core that supports these practices,” noted the president.
“Our commitment is to protect citizens and consumers: cut the flow of illicit money, recover resources for public coffers and ensure a fair and transparent fuel market, with quality and loyal competition. We will continue to coordinate and seriously to give people security and stability to the economy,” the president continued.
>> Follow the channel of Brazil agency on WhatsApp
Operations ongoing
According to the PF, Police actions in at least two operations, although distinct, aim to dismantle “money laundering schemes with great financial impact”. Investigations investigated a sophisticated scheme that used investment funds to hide assets of illicit origin, with indications of connection with criminal factions.
Under Operation Quasar, 12 search and seizure warrants in the state of São Paulo are being fulfilled: in the state capital and in the cities of Campinas and Ribeirão Preto.
The Federal Court authorized the kidnapping of investment funds of the investigated, in addition to the blocking of assets and values up to the limit of about R $ 1.2 billion, amount corresponding to the tax assessments already made. It was also determined the removal of the banking and fiscal confidentials of individuals and legal entities investigated.
FEDERAL POLICIES ALSO HELD COMMITTEE JUDICIAL WORLD AGAINST MEMBERS OF ONE OF THE “BIGGEST MONEY LANK NETWORKS ALREADY IDENTIFIED IN THE STATE OF PARANÁ”. According to PF, criminal organization investigated in Operation Tank has been working since 2019 and may have washed at least R $ 600 million. “Moving more than $ 23 billion through a network composed of hundreds of companies, including gas stations, distributors, holdingscollection companies and payment institutions authorized by the Central Bank. “
The criminals used various devices to hide the origin of resources. According to the investigations, they made use of fractional deposits, which exceeded R $ 594 million. This was done through “oranges, cross transactions, transfers without fiscal ballast, accounting frauds and simulation of acquisition of goods and services”.
The investigative work also found fraud in the commercialization of fuels, including “gasoline tampering and the so -called” low pump “, where the volume is lower than the indicated. At least 46 gas stations in Curitiba were involved in these practices.”
The agents fulfill 14 arrest warrants and 42 search and seizure in the states of Paraná, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. “Goods and values of 41 individuals and 255 legal persons were blocked, totaling a property constriction of over R $ 1 billion.”
