Federal Police seize millions in cash and R$40,000 worth of wine in operation at Rio Port; 17,000 import declarations show irregularities

The Federal Police (PF), the Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal), and the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) found 54 bottles of wine valued at R$700 each at the home of a customs broker, one of the targets of Operation Mare Liberum, launched this Tuesday (28).

At the homes of tax auditors, authorities seized “millions of reais” and half a million U.S. dollars in cash — the exact total was still being counted at the time of the latest update.

A Federal Revenue Service analyst was arrested in the act for illegal possession of a firearm.

Operation Mare Liberum is investigating a bribery scheme at the Port of Rio de Janeiro. Estimated losses to public coffers amount to R$500 million due to irregular container clearance.

According to *g1*, nearly 17,000 import declarations were identified as “potentially tainted” by irregularities, representing approximately R$86.6 billion in goods between July 2021 and March 2026.

The operation

Authorities carried out 45 search and seizure warrants targeting importers, customs brokers, and public officials. Federal police officers, inspectors, and prosecutors conducted operations in Rio de Janeiro and in the cities of Niterói, Nilópolis, Nova Friburgo, and Vitória (ES).

The locations included customs offices at the Port of Rio and Galeão International Airport, as well as the Federal Revenue Service’s regional headquarters in Rio.

Courts also ordered the suspension of 17 tax auditors and 8 tax analysts, along with the freezing of up to R$102 million in assets belonging to those under investigation. Nine customs brokers were banned from operating at the Port of Rio.

Smuggling and tax evasion

The investigation — carried out with support from the Federal Revenue Service’s Internal Affairs Office and the MPF’s Organized Crime Task Force (Gaeco) — began after a tip-off about a scheme involving customs officials, importers, and brokers to facilitate smuggling and tax evasion in exchange for bribes.

Authorities identified evidence of containers being cleared without proper inspection. In many cases, the goods released did not match the import declarations submitted by companies, resulting in tax evasion and losses to the Treasury.

Those under investigation may face charges including aggravated fraud, criminal association, false statements, active and passive corruption, tax evasion, smuggling, facilitation of smuggling or tax evasion, tax fraud, crimes against the tax system, misconduct in public office, and money laundering.

PortosRio statement

“The operation carried out today by the Federal Police, in coordination with the Federal Revenue Service and the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, took place in areas under the responsibility of federal agencies operating at the Port of Rio de Janeiro.

The company clarifies that it is not a target of the investigation and has no connection to the facts under review, which relate exclusively to procedures within the scope of customs inspection.

PortosRio’s Port Guard is monitoring the operation, providing support for order and security within the port area, in line with its institutional duties.

PortosRio reiterates that it is cooperating with the competent authorities and remains available to assist as needed.

Port operations continue as normal, with no impact on activities at the Port of Rio de Janeiro.”

Source:  G1

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