In a significant blow to organized crime, police in São Paulo state have dismantled a major drug trafficking operation, arresting a total of eight suspects and seizing a massive haul of narcotics and weapons. The operation, centered in the rural area of Getulina, culminated in the interception of a small aircraft carrying approximately half a ton of cocaine base paste.
The initial action unfolded on a Tuesday when Military Police units, acting on anonymous tips, raided a farm in Getulina. Upon arrival, officers witnessed a single-engine plane landing on the property's airstrip. Suspects were observed unloading sacks from the aircraft and loading them onto a pickup truck. A swift police response led to a chase, with suspects fleeing into nearby woodland. A coordinated search, including support from the Bauru Police helicopter, resulted in the capture of six individuals at the scene.
The seized cargo was staggering: roughly 500 kilograms of cocaine base paste, along with three high-powered rifles. Investigators also noted that the criminal group had been using drones to monitor the area, indicating a sophisticated level of operation. Two of the six individuals arrested at the farm were identified as Bolivian nationals.
The crackdown continued the following day in the nearby city of Marília. Police intelligence, stemming from the initial arrests, led officers to two more suspects, aged 35 and 41. These men were under surveillance by specialized ROCAM and tactical units after being linked to the group, which included known figures referred to as the "Mineiro brothers."
When police approached their vehicle in the Jardim Santa Antonieta neighborhood, the driver attempted to destroy evidence by smashing three cell phones. A search of the car uncovered approximately R$ 5,000 in cash, a suitcase containing four bags of cocaine, and a brick of marijuana. One of the suspects confessed to earning R$ 3,000 for each drug-laden aircraft he helped monitor during landing operations, and claimed to have met one of the scheme's leaders in Bolivia.
A subsequent search of one suspect's residence yielded further incriminating items: a tablet of crack cocaine, another of marijuana, a firearm with 12 rounds of ammunition, a notebook with suspicious drug-related notes, and three more cell phones. Both men were arrested in flagrante delicto for drug trafficking and association for trafficking, with one also facing charges for illegal possession of a firearm.
Given the gravity of the crimes and the international scope of the aerial drug transport scheme, police have requested that the temporary arrests be converted to preventive detention. All seized drugs and firearms were transferred to the Federal Police station in Bauru for further investigation. This coordinated operation highlights the ongoing efforts by São Paulo authorities to combat large-scale, cross-border narcotrafficking.
Based on reporting from g1.