Federal Police Raid Camelódromo and Seize R$ 40 Million in Smuggling Scheme
- Mar 18
- 2 min read
A joint operation by the Federal Police and the Federal Revenue Service, launched on Wednesday morning (18), dismantled a criminal organization suspected of engaging in smuggling, embezzlement, money laundering, and corruption involving public security officials. The operation was named Operation Iscariotes.
The investigations are being conducted by Delegfaz (the Mato Grosso do Sul Police Department for the Suppression of Tax Crimes) and indicate that the group was involved in the illegal importation of high-value electronics, which entered the country without tax documentation and without passing through customs inspection.
After being smuggled into the country, the products were distributed mainly in Campo Grande and also in cities in Minas Gerais, often hidden among legitimate cargo.
According to the Federal Police, those under investigation used vehicles with hidden compartments to transport the goods. The group also employed strategies to conceal the origin of the money obtained from illegal activities, constituting money laundering.
The investigation also revealed the involvement of police officers, both active-duty and retired. According to the findings, they allegedly accessed and passed on confidential information from police systems and, in some cases, were directly involved in transporting the illegal cargo.
During the investigation, evidence was uncovered confirming the direct involvement of police officers in the scheme. In the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul, teams are operating at the Camelódromo, in the Bairro Universitário neighborhood, and at the Alphaville condominium.
By order of the Federal Court, approximately 90 court orders were executed in cities across Mato Grosso do Sul and Minas Gerais, including Dourados, Belo Horizonte, Vespasiano, and Montes Claros.
The measures include: 31 search and seizure warrants, 4 preventive arrest warrants, 1 electronic monitoring order, 2 removals from public office, 6 suspensions of firearm permits, and the freezing of assets belonging to 12 individuals and entities, totaling approximately R$ 40 million.
Among the assets seized are at least 10 properties, 12 vehicles, and six companies whose operations have been suspended.
In total, more than 200 police officers participated in the operation, which also received support from the internal affairs units of the Federal Highway Police, the Military Police, the Civil Police, and the Military Fire Department of Mato Grosso do Sul.
Investigations are ongoing to identify others involved and uncover the full extent of the criminal scheme.
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