A man suspected of being part of a group that grew marijuana on a large scale in Minas Gerais was arrested in Itamaraju, Bahia, this Tuesday (8). During investigations, around seven tons of the drug were found in five locations and 12 people were arrested.
According to the Civil Police of Minas Gerais (PCMG), the man is identified as one of the operators of the business. The preventive arrest warrant was issued by the District of Araçuaí, in Vale do Jequitinhonha.
The investigation by PCMG began after the discovery of a plantation with 30 thousand marijuana plants in Virgem da Lapa, in May this year. Next, other locations were identified in Francisco Sá, Porteirinha, Unaí and Cachoeira de Pajeú. In total, 11 people have already been arrested and more than five tons of drugs have been seized.
“The evidence of his participation in the business was collected after judicially authorized steps that demonstrated a series of financial transactions, as well as the purchase of high-value inputs, to make Cannabis plantations viable", detailed PCMG.
PCMG also reported that the person being investigated acquired inputs through a company, a strategy used to try to hide his participation in the scheme.
The man was located at home. Two cell phones and two radio communicators were seized from him. The police reported that he must face charges of drug trafficking, trafficking association and criminal organization.
The investigations are conducted by the Araçuaí Police Station. The arrest had the support of the Pedra Azul Regional Police Station and the Intelligence Agency of the Military Police of the State of Bahia.
On May 26, a plantation with 30,000 marijuana plants was found between the municipalities of Virgem da Lapa and Coronel Murta, when police were searching for a mother and daughter who were kidnapped.
On June 4, 1.8 tons of the drug were seized in the rural area of Francisco Sá during Operation Erva Daninha. The site had an irrigation system, satellite internet, generators, solar panels and specific machinery.
On June 10, police officers found 100 kg of marijuana and inputs used in the planting and production of the drug in Porteirinha.
On June 17, the Civil Police found a large amount of inputs, materials and tools used in the cultivation of drugs in Unaí. There was also an extensive area prepared for planting, which was in its initial stages and had a sophisticated irrigation system.
On July 9, more than 80 civil police officers participated in Operation Primeira Poda, which took place simultaneously in Minas Gerais, Bahia and Mato Grosso. Five people were arrested.
On July 13, a man investigated for being part of the criminal group was preventively arrested in Eunápolis (BA). In addition to the arrest, two vehicles, valued at approximately R$300,000, were seized.
On August 20, an area with 60,000 marijuana plants was discovered in Cachoeira de Pajeú. The action took place through the sharing of information by the PF in Juazeiro (BA) with the Araçuaí Police Station and the Pedra Azul Regional Police Station.
A plantation with approximately 30 thousand marijuana plants was discovered during a joint action by the Civil and Military police in the rural area of Virgem da Lapa, on May 26th.
According to the Civil Police, the teams were carrying out surveys related to the kidnapping of a mother and daughter, which occurred in Coronel Murta, when they found a makeshift property on a farm. Upon noticing the presence of the police, one of the men tried to flee, which raised suspicions about the location.
During the searches, the police found marijuana plants planted in a forested area where there were tents used by those involved. There was also an improvised structure used for drying and preparing the drug at the site.
In addition to the planted seedlings, the police found the drug ready for sale, demonstrating that the structure was designed so that all steps could be carried out in place.
PCMG also found inputs used in planting, such as fertilizers, and seized a machine used to process marijuana after harvest. The equipment costs around US$40,000.
For delegate Paulo Sobrinho, some characteristics attracted the group to the region, such as the fertile soil and nearby access roads.
Following legislation and with support from the Fire Department, PCMG teams destroyed the seized material through incineration. The structure found at the site was also destroyed.
On July 9, the Civil Police of Minas Gerais carried out Operation Primeira Poda, which targets a criminal organization being investigated for cultivating, processing and selling marijuana on a large scale.
At this stage of the investigation, the Court issued seven preventive arrest warrants and more than eight search and seizure warrants. Property measures were also determined, such as blocking bank accounts, kidnapping and restricting the assets of those being investigated, in addition to the seizure of a high-value vehicle which, according to the police, had been purchased with proceeds from crime.
The warrants were served in Contagem and Vespasiano, in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte, in addition to the cities of Teixeira de Freitas and Itamaraju, in Bahia, and Primavera do Leste, in Mato Grosso.
