Operation Eredità: Seven arrested in cocaine trafficking linked to 'Ndrangheta in Brazil
Federal Police and Public Prosecutors' Office dismantle group that exported cocaine through Paranaguá Port to Europe. Seven arrest warrants carried out in SP and SC.
Network linked to Italian mafia trafficked cocaine from Brazil to Europe through Paranaguá Port
The Federal Police and Italian authorities launched an operation on Thursday (17/9) against a criminal organisation focused on trafficking cocaine from South America to Europe. According to mpf.mp.br, the action dubbed Operation Eredità — "inheritance" in Italian — was conducted on the basis of evidence gathered by a joint investigation team (ECI) formed by the Federal Public Prosecutors' Office (MPF) and the National Anti-Mafia and Counter-Terrorism Prosecution Authority of Italy.
Seven preventative arrest warrants were carried out against Brazilians and Italians involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. Five search and seizure warrants were executed in the state of São Paulo and Santa Catarina, accompanied by measures blocking assets and funds of those investigated. The requests were presented to the Justice system by the Federal Police with a favourable opinion from the MPF.
The investigations indicate that the group maintained the flow of drugs from Brazil to Europe through Paranaguá Port in Paraná, even after the arrest of members of the 'Ndrangheta mafia in 2019. Relatives of the convicted criminals continued to operate the route and sustained a financial structure designed to move, conceal and disguise resources from international trafficking, as the MPF points out.
Also participating in the operation were the Public Prosecutors' Office of Turin and the Anti-Crime Department of Turin of the Special Operations Grouping (ROS) of the Carabinieri. The seized materials will support investigations into international drug trafficking, association for trafficking, criminal organisation and money laundering.
Continuation of previous operations
Operation Eredità is a continuation of operations Retis and Spiderweb, which identified the connection between Brazilian criminal organisations and the 'Ndrangheta to enable the transport of cocaine to countries such as Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, France and Portugal. Between 2019 and 2020, large shipments were seized at ports in Paraná and São Paulo.
The investigations pointed to approximately 2.2 tonnes of cocaine stored in Brazil and destined for export. Part of this shipment was intercepted, but those investigated obtained new batches, making the total volume monitored by the authorities exceed 4.6 tonnes by mid-2025.
International cooperation
Joint investigation teams allow authorities from different countries to work in an integrated manner against transnational criminal organisations. The joint work with Italy made it possible to carry out arrest warrants in both Brazil and Europe against people with links to the Italian mafia and Brazilian organised crime, according to the MPF.
Source: Google News BR — Crime