Police officers and former military police officers investigated for selling rifles to drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro also negotiated clandestine investigations to make money and used confidential information from the security forces to help criminals, according to an investigation by the Federal Police and the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ).
According to the investigation, the group even tried to obtain images from state security cameras to benefit a militia member accused of murder.
The findings are part of an investigation by the PF and the Specialized Action Group for the Defense of Integrity and Suppression of Tax Evasion (Gaesf), of the MPRJ, against a criminal organization accused of supplying weapons to drug trafficker Álvaro Malaquias Santa Rosa, known as Peixão, head of the Third Pure Command (TCP) in Complexo de Israel, in the North Zone of Rio.
Conversations obtained by investigators show that the suspects discussed carrying out private investigations, for a fee, and sought information in police systems to serve the interests of third parties.
The seven investigated have already been denounced by the Public Ministry and have become defendants. Among them are active police officers and former PMs who, even after being expelled from the corporation and arrested for other crimes, obtained commissioned positions in the Legislative Assembly of Rio (Alerj) and at Detran.
Selling investigation 'on the outside' to criminals
One of the conversations identified by the Public Ministry involves former PM Vitor Hugo Marinho Garcia, known as Batata, identified as one of the leaders of the criminal organization, and civil police officer Carlos Barnabé Souza.
In the exchange of messages, Vitor Hugo talks about the possibility of carrying out a private investigation into a businessman who had suffered an attempted kidnapping. According to the report, the businessman's wife and son were tied up by the criminals.
"Suddenly there will be a job for us to earn money. A businessman suffered an attempted kidnapping. They tied up his wife, tied up his son. He wants to carry out an investigation from the outside", says the message.
For investigators, the conversation is one of the signs that the group exploited the experience and contacts of police officers to offer clandestine investigation services.
The Public Ministry states that, in addition to selling weapons, members of the organization also carried out extortion against criminals.
Carlos Barnabé, an active civil police officer, is accused of providing confidential information to the gang and using the Civil Police investigation apparatus for the benefit of the criminal organization.
He was reported for breach of functional secrecy and is on the run.
Attempt to help militia accused of murder
Another episode identified in the investigations involves militia member Gilson Ingrácio de Souza Júnior, known as Juninho Varão.
According to the Public Ministry, Vitor Hugo sought out a military police officer who had access to the Security Secretariat's camera systems to try to obtain images that could help the militia member defend himself against a murder charge.
The intention was to obtain records that showed Juninho Varão in a restaurant, on a certain day, and not in the place where the crime would have occurred.
The episode is pointed out by investigators as yet another example of the use of contacts within the security forces to serve the interests of criminals.
Expelled ex-PMs got positions at Alerj and Detran
The investigation also revealed that members of the group managed to occupy public positions even after being expelled from the Military Police and arrested red-handed for crimes such as extortion and loan sharking.
One of them is Eduardo Thales Lopes Pires, a former PM who was expelled from the corporation and later appointed to a commissioned position at Alerj.
He was located by agents in a condominium in Barra da Tijuca, in the Southwest Zone of Rio.
Former PM Vitor Hugo Marinho Garcia, identified as one of the leaders of the gang, also held a public position. He worked as president of Detran until May of this year, when he was dismissed by the current management.
Vitor Hugo was arrested in Nova Iguaçu, in Baixada Fluminense. At his house, agents found a rifle, R$67,000 in cash and 14 cell phones.
The history of those investigated caught the attention of the Public Ministry.
“The diversion of formal members of the State into organized crime draws the attention of the Public Ministry,” stated prosecutor Bruno Humelino, from Gaesf.
The prosecutor also highlighted that former PMs expelled for serious crimes were arrested again for extortion and loan sharking and, even so, were appointed to commissioned positions in the Legislature and in a state agency.
Rifles for Peixão and millionaire movement
According to investigations, the criminal organization negotiated at least 22 weapons with drug dealer Peixão, including 13 5.56 caliber rifles. The group would also have supplied grenades and uniforms to the Civil and Military police.
Another person under investigation, Marcel Rodrigues Fernandes, was arrested in a high-end hotel on the edge of Barra da Tijuca. In the room where he was staying, the agents found a 7.62 caliber rifle.
At his residence, in Angra dos Reis, Costa Verde, the police seized another rifle.
Marcel was not charged with the weapons because he registered with the PF as a collector, sports shooter and hunter (CAC).
He held a commissioned position at Alerj until October last year, with an average salary of R$8,000 per month. RJ2 found that Marcel was working in the office of deputy Felipinho Ravis (PP), who is not being investigated.
Rifle was seized in a luxury hotel in Barra — Photo: Disclosure/PF
Marcel also had a position at Detran, from which he was dismissed in May.
According to the investigation, he generated more than R$33 million in five years, an amount considered incompatible with his income.
Military police officer Johan Borja Portela, assigned to the Environmental Battalion, is also identified as a member of the scheme.
The court ordered the seizure of almost 30 vehicles and the freezing of more than R$250 million in assets and values in the accounts of those being investigated.
The defendants respond, according to the charges assigned to each one, for crimes such as drug and weapons trafficking, extortion, loan sharking, violation of functional secrecy, criminal organization and money laundering.
Civil police officer Carlos Barnabé and drug dealer Peixão remain at large.
Target of Operation Magen was arrested in a hotel in Barra da Tijuca — Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo
What those mentioned say
The Military Police reported that the corporation's Internal Affairs Department participated in the operation and that it will initiate an administrative procedure to investigate the conduct of the investigated police officer. The PM also stated that she maintains her commitment to the integrity of the troops.
The Civil Police Inspectorate reported that it has already initiated an administrative process to investigate the conduct of the agent mentioned in the investigation.
The Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj) stated that it does not comment on police and judicial actions that are not related to Parliament.
The report was unable to contact the defenses of the other people being investigated.
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