Source: Jornal Minuano - RS, 08/07/2009

The Pentateuch operation resulted in the arrest of eight suspects. Yesterday morning, federal agents seized 160 boxes, containing 80 packs of cigarettes, in a warehouse on Rua Tiradentes, 583, near Praça das Carretas, west of Bagé.

Last Monday, federal police caught five men unloading 60 packages, three thousand packs. About a month ago, the PF seized 70 boxes. Altogether, in 60 days 290 boxes were collected, 145 thousand packs of smuggled cigarettes. The product was brought from the Paraná border in Baú trucks, usually mixed with other food products.

According to the PF delegate, Mauro Lima Silveira, the two groups controlled about 90% of the contraband cigarette trade. Shipments were ordered every 15 days. The investigation estimates that 15 boxes per month circulated in the region, something around 300 thousand packs of cigarettes. “This product is not subject to any of the health inspection rules. Cigarette smuggling is considered by the Federal Police as a public health problem ”, points out Silveira.

The police believe that the 80 thousand packs would yield values ​​close to R $ 96 thousand. The packages were passed on to street vendors, who resold them for R $ 1,20. The delegate does not confirm whether there is money laundering, or a link to another type of crime, but said he considered all possibilities. "It was found that one of those investigated had a significant increase in assets," he said.

Silveira explained why he classified the groups as organizations. According to the delegate, there were two competitors. The researchers drew the attention of the way the boxes of cigarettes were transported, being mixed with loads of salt and other foods to evade the inspection. There was also a hierarchy among the members, in the opinion of the delegate, everything was very planned. Transportation was contracted in Paraná, in some cases, autonomous truck drivers made the trips.
Shortly after being questioned at the Federal Police Station, the three suspects, two aged 38 and one aged 32, were indicted for smuggling and sent to the Regional Prison in Bagé. Some of the accused have a history of the same crime since 2002.