Source: ABSO - SP, 30/06/2009

A gang accused of adulterating fuels, suspected of causing a loss of about R $ 150 million to the Treasury, was dismantled this Tuesday during Octopus operation, carried out in partnership between the Public Ministry (MP), the State Secretariat of Finance (SEF ) and the Military Police (PM). The action was triggered simultaneously in 15 cities in Minas Gerais and two in São Paulo, with 39 search and seizure warrants and 27 temporary arrest warrants fulfilled.

According to the MP, the gang, investigated for at least 15 months, was specialized in the forgery of public documents and qualified reception. She is accused of the crimes of acting against the regular functioning of the fuel market and money laundering.

According to the agency, during inspections carried out by SEF at fuel reseller stations in Belo Horizonte and Contagem, it was identified that the respective establishments declared to the tax authorities a sale lower than that made, and in many cases the actual sales exceeded double those declared. The MP was called and, in turn, found the existence of clandestine trade in ethyl alcohol in Belo Horizonte and the Metropolitan Region, in addition to several other frauds.

In the course of the investigations, the agency identified industries, distributors, distributors and service station brokers, retailers and specialists in defrauding bombs involved in the criminal scheme.

Most of the distributors involved in the scheme are located in São Paulo, but according to the MP, irregular trade existed directly between distilleries and gas stations. Brokers would act as intermediaries and the transportation of the fuel was carried out without the proper tax document or, still, with false documents. In addition, real documents were used more than once.

Fraud was also exercised by manipulating volume totalizers to hide the amount of alcohol traded and cover up illegal sales.

The operation was named Octopus in reference to the term “octopus” which means octopus / tentacular organization. It was held in the mining towns of Belo Horizonte, Nova Lima, Contagem, Betim, Além Paraíba, Bocaiúva, Canápolis, Capinópolis, Montes Claros, Ouro Branco, Passos, Urucânia, Monte Belo, João Pinheiro and Jaíba. In São Paulo, it was held in the cities of Catanduva and Paulínia. At least 100 inspectors, 230 military police officers and two prosecutors participated in it.

ABS