Sep 13, 2011

Six Arrested in Drug Trafficking Probe

Lawyer among those detained in operation

SAO PAULO - Six people, including a lawyer, were arrested by Civil Police (PC) in Aracatuba early on Tuesday, accused of belonging to a drug trafficking group operated by the First Capitol Command (PCC) gang.

The operation, performed jointly by the PC and the Prosecutor, seized seven cars, two motorcycles, guns and drugs. The PC arrested five men accused of coordinating the scheme to distribute drugs to dealers controlled by the faction in Aracatuba and neighboring towns. An attorney accused of supporting the gang of traffickers was also arrested.

The police served a search warrant on the home of the attorney east of Aracatuba. The warrant authorized the seizure of computers and cell phones. While searching the home, police found a police scanner tuned into the Military Police (PM) frequency and some marijuana. The man was arrested in flagrante delicto for monitoring the police frequency.

According to one investigator, who declined to be identified, this was the second time the lawyer had been caught monitoring police radio.

In total, the officers served 23 search & seizure and arrest warrants. The vehicles were seized as the ill-gotten proceeds of drug trafficking and money laundering. The investigation had been ongoing for at least five months and included court-authorized wiretaps.

According to police, the trafficking was centralized in Aracatuba, where the gang organized and controlled the distribution of marijuana, cocaine and crack to both the city and surrounding towns.

Aracatuba is city of 200,000 in the northwest part of the State of Sao Paulo about 330 miles from the capitol.

Brazilian online news source: terra.com.br

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