Source: O Dia - RJ, 30/06/2009

Belo Horizonte - A joint operation by the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP), State Finance Secretariats (SEF) and the Military Police (PM) on Tuesday seeks suspects of forming a gang specialized in document forgery, money laundering and illegal sale of fuels in Minas Gerais and São Paulo. According to the MP of Minas, the suspects sought during Operation Octopus would have caused a loss of approximately R $ 150 million to the Treasury. 27 warrants for temporary arrest and 39 for search and seizure were issued by the courts.

According to the MP, about 100 inspectors, 230 military police officers and two prosecutors participate in the action that takes place 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 and in two municipalities in São Paulo: Catanduva and Paulínia.

The investigations, initiated in November 2007, would have indicated that gas stations had more than what was declared to the tax authorities. The MP began to investigate, then, a supposed illegal alcohol sales network in Belo Horizonte and the metropolitan region.

After 15 months of investigation, the MP stated that a network has been identified that involves industries, distributors, distributors and service station brokers, retailers and pump fraud specialists.

The Public Ministry asked the Justice, in addition to the arrest and search warrants, to kidnap 23 gas stations.

Source: Terra