Brazil Ends Operation Fronteira With R$160 Million in Seizures

Overview

• The two-week campaign ran from October 20 to 31 across 20 states and 60 municipalities, with roughly 1,800 approaches at land, sea and air checkpoints.
• Authorities reported 3.5 tonnes of drugs seized, including about 600 kg of cocaine, plus 215,000 liters of adulterated spirits, 220 vehicles, and an aircraft carrying more than 500 high-value smartphones.
• Operations disrupted criminal logistics as a 20-floor building in Belo Horizonte was interdicted, a clandestine slimming-pen lab disguised as a phone store was shut down, and a planned theft of 1,000 pistols in a customs area was foiled.
• The Receita cited 27 arrests in flagrante and said the R$160 million valuation of illegal goods may increase after revaluation as follow-up investigations proceed.
• Secretary Robinson Barreirinhas announced a new delegacia in Brasília and 10 regional units, a rule requiring identification of final beneficiaries in investment funds, and plans to advance crypto oversight to constrain laundering channels.