PCC member arrested in Santa Cruz to be expelled from Bolivia
Bolivian police arrested Marco de Oliveira Ferreira, identified as a senior member of the PCC, following a domestic incident in Santa Cruz.
Senior PCC member captured in Santa Cruz following domestic incident
Bolivian police detained Marco de Oliveira Ferreira, identified as a senior member of the First Command of the Capital (PCC), one of Brazil's most dangerous criminal organisations, according to El Deber. The arrest took place in the Pampa de la Isla area of Santa Cruz after officers responded to a call regarding a "domestic incident".
Bolivian police commander Adrián Álvarez confirmed that Ferreira was in the country illegally and under a false identity. According to Álvarez, the Brazilian left his country carrying "an extensive criminal record for drug trafficking offences, contract killings and criminal organisation", with three outstanding conviction orders against him.
The Intelligence unit had Ferreira under surveillance. When officers arrived at the scene of the domestic incident, they recognised the subject they were seeking. Álvarez indicated that all current protocols were followed and an expulsion order was issued to be executed in the following hours.
The capture takes place within the framework of the 'Secure Borders Plan', recently launched by the Government of Rodrigo Paz following a series of violent incidents recorded in Santa Cruz in recent months. Among these episodes is the shooting death of four civilians and an intelligence officer in the locality of San Matías in August.
Bolivian authorities maintain that several of these crimes are linked to a dispute between the PCC and the Comando Vermelho (CV) for control of drug trafficking routes on the Bolivia-Brazil border. This conflict has increased violence in the Bolivian areas of the Chiquitania and the Amazon.
In response to the escalation, the Government announced some weeks ago that Brazil's Federal Police will soon open a permanent office in Bolivia to strengthen cooperation against criminal organisations and facilitate information sharing. Last week, Government Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo announced the creation of two elite units in border areas with Brazil, with support from the United States, aimed at combating violence attributed to networks linked to drug trafficking.
Source: El Deber