Source: O Globo Online, 07/06/2011

SÃO PAULO - The Federal Police is conducting a mega operation this Tuesday to combat smuggling in the southern region of the country. There are forty arrest warrants that will be carried out in the morning in all states in the region. Thirty-eight people have already been arrested. Among the suspects are seven military police officers. They would be part of a scheme that moves, per month, about R $ 10 million.

According to the police, the gang operated in the three southern states, Paraguay and Uruguay. In addition to the military police, two municipal civil servants and a health inspector from Santa Catarina are part of the scheme,

The police received bribes to facilitate the passage of smuggling in the Southwest of Paraná and West of Santa Catarina. They also warned smugglers of the presence of the Federal Police and the National Force in operations on the region's highways.

The action covered the cities of Foz do Iguaçu, Santa Terezinha do Itaiup, Céu Azul and Cascavel, in Paraná; Campo Erê, Saltinho and São Miguel do Oeste in Santa Catarina. In Rio Grande do Sul, the gang had tentacles in Frederico Westphalen, Palmeira das Missões, Cruz Alta, Santa Maria, Rosário do Sul, Bagé, Santana do Livramento, Rio Grande, Cachoeirinha, Canoas and Porto Alegre. Smuggled cigarettes from Paraguay were also taken to Uruguay.

According to the PF, 36.500 cigarettes were seized, 1.025.600 blank media (blank CDs and DVDs used for piracy), 1.240 bottles of alcoholic beverages, five trucks and 20 cars. Goods and goods are valued at R $ 2,3 million.

This is the second stage of two previous PF operations, named Commodore and Loki, when 41 arrest warrants and 52 search warrants were carried out.

During the execution of the court orders this Tuesday, 224 federal police officers and 36 police officers from the National Public Security Force participated, using 66 vehicles.