São Paulo Police Launch Fourth Phase of Liquor Counterfeit Crackdown, Execute 17 Raids in SP and Paraná

Overview

• Search-and-seizure warrants were served in São Paulo city, Americana, Marília, Taquaritinga, Sertãozinho, Matão, and in Londrina, Paraná.
• Two suspects were detained in flagrante during Thursday’s actions, with identities not disclosed by police.
• Investigators describe a structured, multimillion-real scheme that bottled inferior liquor in branded containers to profit from illegal sales.
• Earlier phases since January brought key arrests, including distributor Alerrandro Adriano de Andrade Araujo, known as the “king of whiskey,” and bottle supplier Anderson Alex da Silva, with about 3,000 bottles seized.
• The operation, called “Parece, mas não é,” is led by Delegate Alexandre Bento as cross-state warrants extend the investigation.