A Federal Police (PF) operation launched on Thursday morning (26) dismantled a criminal organization focused on human trafficking. The group also practiced money laundering using cryptocurrencies.
Preliminary data indicates that agents blocked up to R$26 million in crypto.
PF seizes cryptocurrencies from criminal organization
The operation was named Operation Rapax. It carried out search and seizure warrants in São Paulo, Goiás, Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul.
In addition, the agents executed a preventive arrest warrant that resulted in the freezing of funds in the form of fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies. The PF estimates that, in total, these funds total around R$26 million.
Read more: How to identify and evaluate the potential of a memecoin?
The suspects received different precautionary measures, which included imprisonment. According to the PF, they operated in Brazil and several European countries, such as Croatia and Belgium.
The group worked by recruiting, enticing and recruiting Brazilian women. The aim was to use them for sexual exploitation and forced labor in Europe.
Source: Federal Police
The Federal Police also stated that it is investigating what it called a “complex financial plot to internalize and distribute the proceeds of crime.” This process involved cryptocurrencies and financial fraud, such as shell companies and intermediaries.
The investigation into the group was supported by Europol and officers from Belgium and Croatia. The officers cooperated to identify the European core of the organization.
The expectation, therefore, is that it will continue to analyze the seized material to make decisions about future measures.
This is the second PF action involving cryptocurrencies this week. On Wednesday (26), for example, agents launched Operation Tebas, which seized crypto funds from a group that smuggled grains on the border between Rio Grande do Sul and Argentina.
On that occasion, the PF carried out 14 search warrants, blocking R$80.8 million and seizing properties, automobiles and cryptocurrencies.
The article PF operation seizes cryptocurrencies from criminal organization was first seen on BeInCrypto Brasil.