Operation Stratus: Federal Police arrest nine and freeze R$ 180 million in cocaine trafficking in western São Paulo
The Federal Police arrested nine people and froze R$ 180 million in assets belonging to those involved in international cocaine trafficking in five cities in the interior of São Paulo state.
Operation Stratus dismantles trafficking network that moved more than 10 tonnes of cocaine
The Federal Police arrested nine people and froze R$ 180 million in assets belonging to individuals and companies during Operation Stratus, launched on Tuesday (16th) in five municipalities in western São Paulo state. According to g1.globo.com, the operation executed ten arrest warrants and 16 search-and-seizure warrants issued by the 2nd Federal Court of Presidente Prudente.
Among those detained are two brothers who own a hangar in Martinópolis (SP), identified as part of the organisation's logistics hub. "These two targets were part of this logistics hub of the criminal organisation. We identified there that they received economic advantage and one of them even piloted for the trafficking operation. So, with this evidence, we requested the arrest of both," said delegate Daniel Coraça to TV TEM.
Of the nine arrested, eight were men — including the group's leader. The only woman detained is the leader's wife and was part of the team responsible for the clandestine landing strip. A tenth suspect remained at large as of the last report update.
Aircraft, clandestine landing strips and more than ten tonnes of cocaine
The investigations, which began in October 2025, revealed that the gang used aircraft and clandestine landing strips to introduce cocaine into Brazil from abroad. According to the Federal Police, more than ten tonnes of the drug were moved by the group, with the main destination being São Paulo's capital and partial distribution throughout western São Paulo state itself. During the investigation, officers seized more than two tonnes of the substance.
The operations covered the municipalities of Presidente Prudente, Regente Feijó, Martinópolis, Álvares Machado and Mirante do Paranapanema.
Structure of the criminal organisation
The operation identified clearly defined roles within the group. The operational team was responsible for receiving and transporting the drug, for securing the location, for monitoring highways and for monitoring possible police movements that could compromise the scheme.
In addition to the brothers who owned the hangar, members directly linked to distribution logistics were arrested. At the investigated addresses, the Federal Police also found illegal firearms.
Freezing of R$ 180 million and financial strangulation
The Federal Court authorised the freezing of R$ 180 million in assets belonging to individuals and companies linked to the organisation, after police identified transactions incompatible with the activities declared by those investigated. Officers also seized vehicles and R$ 200,000 in cash during the execution of the search warrants.
Delegate Coraça highlighted the centrality of asset measures for the effectiveness of the investigation. "Financial strangulation is a central hub there in the investigation of drug trafficking, which is an investigation that moves a lot of money. Without this work focused on the economic benefit of trafficking, the work of just making arrests and conducting searches becomes pointless," he said.
The freezes aim to prevent the organisation from operating on other fronts whilst investigations continue.
Crimes charged and next steps
The suspects will face charges of international drug trafficking, association for trafficking and money laundering. The Federal Police reported that investigations continue to locate those who have fled and to identify possible new people involved through analysis of the seized material — documents, mobile phones and computers.
"The work now is to strengthen the evidence against these arrested people, but we also think about reaching people who are involved in criminal activity and were not identified at first. This is done through analysis of this material," added delegate Coraça.
The lawyers for the businessmen who own the hangar had not responded to contacts from TV TEM and g1 as of the report's deadline.
Source: Google News BR — São Paulo