Author: Luciara Schneid

Source: Correio do Povo - Porto Alegre / RS - 07/10/2010

The Federal Police (PF) of Pelotas launched, in the early hours of Thursday, the operation Sete de Ouros that seeks to combat the crimes of cigarette smuggling and piracy in the municipality and in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre. Twenty-one people were arrested in the act and 18 vehicles were seized. Seizures during six months of investigation totaled about R $ 2 million between furniture and real estate

On the morning of this Thursday, another 50 packs of cigarettes were seized in the Pelotas region alone, in addition to five cars, two high-capacity motorcycles and 10 blank media. Three people have already been arrested
and another 19 arrest warrants are being served, 15 in Pelotas and seven in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre (Sentinela do Sul, Tapes and Guaíba).

The police did not reveal the names of those involved. As a result of the investigations, assets acquired with the benefit of the crime by gang leaders were also blocked by court order. Among them, 11 properties (residences, warehouses and rural properties), 28 vehicles (trucks, vans, automobiles and motorcycles) and
current accounts. Investigations are expected to continue throughout the month, when 44 people will be questioned and all seized material analyzed. The operation is commanded by delegate Alexandre Pauli.

The investigation originated in reports of tobacco shipment to Paraguay in exchange for manufactured cigarettes. The name of the operation is allusive to the game of truco in which the card seven of diamonds is called pica-smoke.

Source: Luciara Schneid / Correio do Povo