Civil Police arrest man who supplied rifles to drug dealers in Rocinha

Civil police officers from the Division of Captures and Interstate Police (Polinter), in joint action with the Civil Police of Bahia, arrested, this Monday (9), Felipe de Souza dos Santos, Paquito, aged 32, in the municipality of Camamu (BA), involved in supplying rifles to drug traffickers in the community of Rocinha, in the south zone of Rio de Janeiro.

The prisoner was part of a criminal organization specializing in the acquisition, financing and transportation of weapons between states. He worked in the gang's logistics sector, participating in the transport of large-caliber weapons intended for drug trafficking for the criminal faction Comando Vermelho.

The investigations were initiated after a seizure by the Federal Highway Police (PRF), in April 2024, in Seropédica, metropolitan region of Rio. In the action, two rifles, a shotgun, magazines and ammunition were found that had been transported from Rio Grande do Sul and would be delivered to criminals in Rocinha.

Through intelligence work, with analysis of telephone data, financial transactions and digital communications, investigations showed that the gang had an organized structure, with division of tasks between financiers, intermediaries and transporters. The group used third-party accounts, split payments and adapted vehicles to hide weapons during transport.

In August of this year, another member of the organization, Alexandre Albara, appointed as responsible for financial and logistical activities, had already been arrested in a joint action with the Civil Police of Rio Grande do Sul.

After further investigations, Polinter police officers identified the criminal's whereabouts in Bahia and shared the information with teams from that state, who made the arrest in the district of Travessão, in Camamu.

A preventive arrest warrant was served against Paquito for the crimes of armed criminal organization and illegal firearms trade.