Criminal organization suspected of running drug trafficking from prison and punishing 'traitors' is target of operation in Paraná

A criminal organization "without borders", suspected of running drug trafficking from within prisons, was the target of an operation launched by the Civil Police of Paraná this Wednesday (14). The investigations began with the seizure of three cell phones in the Clevelândia penitentiary, in the southwest of Paraná.

The group is being investigated for drug trafficking, money laundering and violent crimes, including torture and false imprisonment of victims accused of 'treason' by the suspects.

Around 500 police officers were mobilized in Paraná, Santa Catarina and São Paulo, to execute 215 court orders. The court issued 95 arrest warrants and 120 search and seizure warrants.

According to the Civil Police, as of Wednesday morning, 92 people had already been arrested in compliance with the arrest warrants and another nine were detained in the act. Some of the warrants were carried out with the help of Deppen, from people who were already arrested for other crimes.

Cell phones, weapons, ammunition and drugs were seized. A greenhouse with dozens of marijuana plants was located during the investigation.

Delegate Alini Simadon detailed, in a press conference, that one of the suspects even broke his own cell phone so that the team would not have access to the content. Another highlight of the execution of the warrants was the arrest of a criminal lawyer, in Realeza, who would be the wife of one of the suspects of being part of a faction.

The court orders were complied with in 20 cities in Paraná, one in Santa Catarina and two in São Paulo: Clevelândia, Pato Branco, Francisco Beltrão, Palmas, Coronel Vivida, Realeza, Santa Izabel do Oeste, Dois Vizinhos, Cascavel, Curitiba, Piraquara, Guarapuava, Laranjeiras do Sul, Capanema, Salto do Lontra, Santo Antônio do Sudoeste, Itaipulândia, Santa Helena, Barracão and Cruzeiro do Oeste, in Paraná, in addition to Abelardo Luz (SC), São Carlos and Cotia (SP).

Drug trafficking operation run from prison

The police found that the group controlled drug sales points remotely, from penitentiaries, transported drugs between cities and used warehouses to store the drugs. The faction's leaders, detained in prison, negotiated the purchase and distribution of large quantities of cocaine, crack and marijuana for resale in various regions at fixed prices.

“With the data obtained, it was possible to reveal a structured criminal organization without borders, as the command came from within the prison system and the orders reached the streets of dozens of cities in Paraná, Santa Catarina and São Paulo", explained delegate Alini Simadon.

According to the delegate, the group was organized with defined positions and functions within the prisons. The police point out that there was a separate sector to monitor whether the criminal faction's rules were being followed, which judged prisoners as "offenders" and applied physical punishment as punishment.

Still, other members of the organization circulated cell phones and routers between cells, so that leaders could communicate with the outside world. Family members and other group collaborators carried drugs hidden on their bodies during visits.

The amounts obtained from drug trafficking were transferred via PIX to accounts in the names of third parties, who had no relationship with the criminals. A shell company also received payments for drug shipments and everything was recorded in financial control spreadsheets.