Source: DCI, 22/04/2009

SÃO PAULO - The person responsible for Interpol's Intellectual Property Crimes Unit, John Newton, praised the work that the Brazilian government is doing against piracy. According to him, the country is consolidating itself as a leader in this segment and Interpol wishes to continue maintaining a dialogue with the government to further expand the fight against crimes of this modality.

The compliment came after the seizure of smuggled and pirated goods worth a total of $ 131 million that were seized in a series of operations across South America, coordinated by Interpol and the World Customs Organization (OMA). Of this total, Brazil was responsible for approximately US $ 63 million, that is, approximately 47% of the seizures.

Brazil was also highlighted in the number of suspects arrested during the operation: 161 out of a total of 311.

The operation, which was named Jupiter, brought together police and customs agents from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, carrying out 299 coordinated operations that recovered a range of dangerous products, which can even cause life-threatening drugs and fake foods, as well as electrical and agrochemical products.

More than 34 kilograms of cocaine and derivatives and about 1.500 kilograms of marijuana were also seized during the three months of operations carried out between July and September 2008. But their results have only just been released.

"The success of the operation clearly demonstrates that coordinating police and customs cooperation efforts in terms of a better exchange of information and combined law enforcement interventions, mainly by Brazil," said Newton to the DCI.

Interpol and OMA worked together with participating countries to identify organized international criminal groups that work with piracy and, in general, are also involved in trafficking. "These operations have been successful because of the active support of police forces in each of the seven countries and a willingness to devote significant resources to investigations," said Newton.

Since the first phase of Operation Jupiter, which took place in 2005 - which involved only three countries: Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay - operations across the region have so far resulted in almost 700 arrests and seizures of goods worth an estimated US $ 290 million.