PF takes action to recover rare books and other stolen goods

Federal police carried out five search and seizure warrants, this Tuesday morning (10), to recover rare books, sacred images and other stolen cultural assets.

The warrants were issued by the 5th Federal Criminal Court of Rio de Janeiro and are being served at residential and commercial addresses in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Diadema (SP).

Operation Hidden Page also aims to seize documents, sales records, payment receipts and electronic devices from those being investigated.

The action is an offshoot of the Trinca de Papel operation, which investigated the activities of a criminal group specializing in the theft of cultural assets belonging to public and private institutions, including the Real Cabinet Português de Leitura, from Rio de Janeiro.

The investigations revealed the existence of a network of traders and buyers of these stolen objects. There was also an attempt to co-opt an employee of the Royal Cabinet to facilitate access to the library's collection.

According to the PF, those being investigated may be held liable for the crimes of reception (including in its qualified form), attempted theft qualified by a group of people and criminal association, among others.