Criminals used divers to place drugs on vessels in the Port of Paranaguá

One of the main ways of sending drugs from the Port of Paranaguá to other countries is the action called “rip-on, rip-off” when the drug is placed in containers without the exporter’s knowledge.

However, a different form of sneaking in the drug caught the attention of the Federal Police and the Federal Revenue Service of Brasil in two operations launched to combat international drug trafficking.

This Thursday (24), 17 arrest warrants and 86 search and seizure warrants were executed to dismantle these criminal organizations.

During the investigation, the police discovered the involvement of Port of Paranaguá employees in the gang, which facilitated the entry of the drug, primarily cocaine.

The action took place in Paraná in the cities of Paranaguá, Curitiba, Matinhos, Morretes, São José dos Pinhais and Pontal do Paraná.

In Santa Catarina, with warrants fulfilled in Balneário Camboriú, Itapoá and Garuva.

And in São Paulo, with warrants in Santos, Barueri, Bertioga, Guarujá, Itapeva, Ribeirão Pires and São Paulo.

Federal Police deputy Eduardo Verza explained that the international drug trafficking gangs that operate in the Port of Paranaguá are involved with the Italian mafia and even share connections in France.

As a result of these investigations, which began in 2019, 80 seizures totaling approximately 21 tons of cocaine were carried out in Brazil and abroad.

TCP, the company that manages the Container Terminal of Paranaguá, informed that it has been collaborating with due organizations through providing information for the investigations. The company also reinforced that Brazil’s Federal Revenue deems its extensive security cargo scanning system a national reference.

The Port Administrations of Paranaguá and Antonina submitted an official statement claiming that the criminal activities took place in a leased area where a private terminal is located. In response to allegations that “port employees” were involved in illegal activities, Portos do Paraná emphasized that no public company employee or contractors were formally charged. As a result, the information must be incorrect.

Finally, the note states that the port authority conducts preventive actions to control the access of people and vehicles, as well as joint operations at sea with the assistance of scent dogs so that the Federal Police and the Federal Revenue Service of Brazil can focus on international trafficking.

Source: CBN

To read the full original article, please go to:

https://cbncuritiba.com.br/materias/quadrilhas-usavam-mergulhadores-para-colocar-drogas-em-navios-no-porto-de-paranagua/

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