Brazilian man orders kidnapping of man in Lisbon to avenge theft of 150,000 euros from safe
A Brazilian drug trafficker who presents himself as an influencer hired three men to kidnap and assault a victim in Lisbon. The four detained individuals were released by the court.
Kidnapping in Lisbon: Brazilian influencer orders abduction of man he met on Instagram
A Brazilian drug trafficker, who identifies himself as an influencer, ordered the kidnapping and violent assault of a man in Lisbon after suspecting him of stealing 150,000 euros kept in a safe at his home. The crime dates back to December 2024, according to Correio da Manhã.
The victim had met the alleged mastermind of the kidnapping through a contact on Instagram. The two had socialised, and the victim visited his residence on more than one occasion. It was after one of these visits that the Brazilian influencer noticed the money missing from the safe — a sum of 150,000 euros.
Kidnapping with fake police badge
The revenge was organised with three accomplices, among them Pedro França Alemão, an individual with a criminal record and previously sentenced to effective prison sentences in two separate proceedings — one for violent crime at night and another for drug trafficking. One of the group's members presented himself to the victim with a fake police badge to gain access.
The victim was handcuffed and forced to enter an isolated house, where he was brutally beaten. He was eventually released, but when he returned home he found inspectors from the Judicial Police at his door.
Operation Rodizio of the National Counter-terrorism Unit
The investigation was conducted by the National Counter-terrorism Unit of the Judicial Police, within the framework of an internal operation called 'Operation Rodizio'. In addition to the kidnapping, the proceedings revealed evidence of an alleged drug trafficking network with links to the group.
The arrests of the four individuals involved — the Brazilian mastermind and the three accomplices — occurred during the current month. Brought before the court, all were released with a signed undertaking regarding identity and residence, awaiting any formal charges that may be brought by the Public Prosecutor's Office.
Source: Correio da Manhã