Operation Quatro Torres in Bahia: suspect in tourist's 2023 killing arrested in Ilhéus
One of the targets of Operation Quatro Torres, arrested in Ilhéus, is under investigation for the murder of a tourist in Olivença in 2023. The operation froze up to R$ 300 million in assets.
Suspect of heading drug trafficking in Ilhéus linked to murder of tourist in Olivença
According to reporting by g1.globo.com, one of the targets of Operation Quatro Torres — launched on Tuesday (22) against suspects of drug trafficking and murders in southern Bahia — is under investigation for the killing of a tourist that occurred in 2023 at Cai N'Água Beach, in the district of Olivença, in Ilhéus.
Bahia's Civil Police (PC-BA) identified the victim as Maicon Freitas de Oliveira, 24 years old, from Itapetinga. He had travelled with family for year-end festivities when he quarrelled with two men during the journey. Following the incident, those involved called upon other members of a criminal group, including the suspect arrested and two other individuals who also engaged in drug trafficking in Itapetinga. Upon arriving in Olivença, the victim was taken to an abandoned cabin, where he was attacked and murdered.
The suspect, whose name has not been released by police, is identified as one of the heads of drug trafficking in the region. He had been arrested on Monday (21) in execution of a preventive detention warrant related to the homicide. On Tuesday, during the operation, a second warrant was executed against him, this time for temporary detention. A motorcycle and a mobile telephone were seized during the first warrant's execution and will be subjected to forensic examination.
Two other individuals investigated for the same crime did not face justice: Wesley Brito de Andrade, 21 years old, was shot dead in February 2024 in the Vila Isabel neighbourhood, in Itapetinga; and Breno Fiusa de Jesus, 16 years old, died in a confrontation with civil police officers in July of the same year, in the locality of Guaibim, in the municipality of Valença.
Operation executes 18 warrants and freezes up to R$ 300 million
Operation Quatro Torres executed 18 temporary detention warrants — 16 in Bahia, one in Sergipe and one in Espírito Santo. Six of the targets were already imprisoned; the others were captured during the operation. Four other people were detained in flagrante in Ilhéus and in São Paulo.
Police seized weapons, ammunition, vehicles, mobile telephones and more than R$ 8,000 in cash. The courts also determined the freezing of assets and funds from 31 individuals and 11 companies, in an amount that could reach R$ 300 million. Investigations indicate that the organisation moved R$ 698 million over the last four years.
Among those investigated are two military police officers and a lawyer, all from Ilhéus, identified as collaborators of the criminal group — providing information and logistical support to the organisation's activities.
Structure of the organisation: four "Torres" commanded Ilhéus
According to the PC-BA, the organisation was run by four leaders, referred to internally as "Torres", each with influence over different areas of the municipality of Ilhéus. The four maintained constant communication with each other to deliberate on drug sales, acquisition of weapons and execution of murders, according to the investigation.
Lawyer obtains house arrest following custody hearing
The lawyer arrested in the operation underwent a custody hearing on Wednesday (23) and was authorised by the courts to serve house arrest. He remained in custody at Ilhéus Prison until the judicial decision, according to information from TV Santa Cruz, an affiliate of Rede Bahia in the region.
The Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) stated that the conduct attributed to the lawyer will be referred to the competent internal bodies, particularly the Ethics and Discipline Tribunal, responsible for investigating any potential ethical and disciplinary infraction.
Source: Google News BR — São Paulo