Among the assets seized by the Federal Police in the 8th phase of Operation Nail and Flesh is a Cadillac Escalade, a luxury car valued at R$2.3 million in the newest models. Investigations show that the vehicle belongs to civil police officer José Carlos Alves de Souza Júnior and was taken to the courtyard of the PF headquarters, in the Port Zone of Rio de Janeiro.
According to investigations, Júnior, as he is known, did not appear formally as a partner or administrator of most of the companies involved in the scheme that used 96 gas stations in Grande Rio and the Lakes Region to launder money. Despite this, investigators claim that he exercised de facto control over part of the group's economic structure.
The investigation also points out that the police officer used the woman as an orange and participated in the distribution of resources between members of the group and public agents.
Júnior is also accused by investigators of threatening a former partner who charged invested amounts.
Earlier, Federal Police agents found money inside a cellar in the officer's apartment.
In addition to José Carlos, five other people were arrested in the operation, including Márcio Canella, elected state deputy and former mayor of Belford Roxo, and Marcus Amim, former Civil Police secretary. Investigations point to the participation of public agents and the existence of political articulation in the scheme.
Three other Civil Police inspectors were also arrested: Christiano Gaspar Fernandes, who is also municipal secretary of the Urban Order of Belford Roxo; Giovanni Gaspar Fernandes; and Pablo Jukia Felix Ferreira, known as Pablo Russo.
The Civil Police Internal Affairs Department monitored the execution of the warrants against the investigated police officers.
“I trust in God and Justice and I am sure that everything will be clarified”, declared Márcio Canella about the operation.
Amim's defense informed that it will not comment until it has access to the records. TV Globo is trying to contact the other people being investigated.
The arrests were ordered by Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), as part of the sixth phase of the operation, carried out in July.
At that stage, Canella and Amim were searched in an investigation into 96 gas stations. According to the investigation, the group turned over R$7.6 billion in six years. The investigations began following an intelligence report from the Financial Activities Control Council (Coaf).
Canella is appointed by the PF as the coordinator of the criminal group. He and Amim are being investigated on suspicion of money laundering, active and passive corruption and cartel formation, among other crimes.
This Thursday, the PF went out to execute the six arrest warrants and another 16 search and seizure warrants in seven municipalities: Rio de Janeiro, Nova Iguaçu, Niterói, São Gonçalo, Petrópolis, Angra dos Reis and Armação dos Búzios.
Moraes also ordered the seizure of goods and valuables and the suspension of economic activities of 112 investigated companies — the majority, gas stations.
What is Operation Nail and Flesh
The operation began in December 2025 to investigate connections between public agents and criminal groups in Rio. Initially, the focus was the alleged leak of confidential information from police actions against Comando Vermelho.
Throughout the eight phases, investigations began to include suspicions of corruption, fraud in public contracts and money laundering.
This Thursday's action is part of the context of the STF's decision in the ADPF das Favelas, which determined, among other measures, that the PF investigate relations between public agents and criminal factions.
