On March 15, Brazilian Federal Police launched, together with the Federal Public Ministry, the operation Florida Heat, with the objective of dismantling a criminal organization dedicated to the international trafficking of U.S. weapons to Brazil.
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In today's actions, around 50 federal police officers, members of the GAECO/MPF and American agents are serving seven preventive arrest warrants and five search and seizure warrants, issued by the 1st Federal Criminal Court of Rio de Janeiro, in the capital of Rio de Janeiro, in Campo Grande/MS and in Miami, USA, with support from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) of the US Embassy.
The investigations, which have lasted about two years, revealed the existence of a group responsible for the acquisition of firearms, parts, accessories and ammunition in the US and, later, shipment to Brazil.
The internalization of armaments in Brazil took place through sea (containers) and air routes (postal order) through the states of Amazonas, São Paulo and Santa Catarina, and their final destination was a residence in Vila Isabel, in Rio de Janeiro.
Most of the time, the material was packed inside equipment such as welding machines and printers, shipped along with other items such as telephones, electronic equipment, food supplements, clothes and shoes.
From this residence, the pieces were removed by the members of the cell in Rio de Janeiro - responsible for machining and assembling the weapons, with the help of 3D printers (Ghost Gunner) -, which were later distributed to drug dealers, militiamen and hired assassins.
The money for the purchase of weapons was sent from Brazil to the USA through money changers. A Brazilian, owner of steakhouses in Boston, was identified, who received part of this money and passed it on to the targets residing in the USA.
The gang invested the money acquired from the arms trade in residential real estate, cryptocurrencies, stocks, luxury vehicles and vessels. In addition to the aforementioned judicial measures, the confiscation of assets was decreed, valued at around R$ 10 million.
During the investigation, thousands of weapons, parts, accessories and ammunition of different calibers were seized, both in Brazil and in the USA.
In the international field, with the participation of the Homeland Security Investigations Agency (HSI) of the United States Embassy, ​​the Brazilian and American authorities acted in frank police cooperation, optimizing the results achieved against the criminal group, which will answer for the crimes of international arms trafficking, criminal organization and money laundering.
The name of the operation FLORIDA HEAT refers to the American state from where the weapons were sent to Brazil by the criminal group. ■