Revista Voto and the National Movement in Defense of the Brazilian Legal Market, coordinated by the Brazilian Institute of Ethics in Competition (ETCO) and the National Forum Against Piracy and Illegality (FNCP), together with more than 70 business entities and society organizations affected by illegal smuggling practices, held, on 01/08, in Rio de Janeiro, the Brazil Meeting of Ideas: Avante Brasil to discuss the riddle of insecurity that oppresses Brazil.

In order to foster dialogue between civil society, the public and private sectors in search of measures to end crime, increase security and contain the illegal market, the event was attended by TCU Minister João Augusto Ribeiro Nardes, the Chief Minister of the Institutional Security Office, Sérgio Westphalen Etchegoyen, and the Minister of Social Development, Osmar Terra, in addition to other authorities, political leaders and business entities.

For the chief minister of the Institutional Security Office, Sérgio Westphalen Etchegoyen, organized crime, responsible for drug trafficking, weapons and money laundering, is the greatest threat to Brazilian society today. "Brazil is experiencing an extraordinary situation, so it needs extraordinary solutions, such as the tightening of laws, to fight crime", guarantees Etchegoyen.

The Minister of the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), José Augusto Nardes, also agrees that the fight against violence involves taking care of borders, where weapons, drugs and smuggling enter. “Brazil has 16 thousand kilometers of borders and there is no integrated policy. It is known that 68% of states do not share information. There needs to be a change and cooperation between the state departments to fight organized crime ”. In addition, sporadic security policies, such as the effective presence of the armed forces, are necessary, but not sufficient. Nardes also commented on the need for proper integration of the Federal Highway Police, the Federal Police and other bodies for effective border control.

According to the Minister of Social Development, Osmar Terra, measures to combat violence will only have effects if accompanied by social actions. "We need to show the youth that there is another possible world and rescue the citizenship of the population in these risk areas", comments Minister Terra, stressing that it is necessary to present a possibility for a future outside of organized crime. In addressing the destination of the extra budget for social actions, Terra states that he intends to reorganize basic health services, professional training and sports practice, with the aim of fostering dialogue between civil society, the public and private sectors in search of measures to ending crime, increasing security and containing the illegal market, the event was attended by TCU Minister João Augusto Ribeiro Nardes, Chief Minister of the Institutional Security Office, Sérgio Westphalen Etchegoyen, and Minister for Social Development , Osmar Terra, in addition to other authorities, political leaders and business entities.

According to Edson Vismona, coordinator of the Movement for the Defense of the Brazilian Legal Market, smuggling is the main source of financing for organized crime and a promoter of violence throughout the national territory. "Brazil is a large legal and illegal market and, to combat crime, it is essential that the State occupy the spaces before organized crime takes over".

In 2016, this criminal activity generated losses for the country in the order of R $ 130 billion, added to the losses of the productive sectors - tobacco, clothing, fuel, cosmetics, medicines, among others - and tax evasion, according to a FNCP survey.

The state of São Paulo is the largest consumer of illegal products and an important distribution center for these goods to the rest of the country. Rio de Janeiro, in addition to receiving these products, also faces the problem of cargo theft. There are more than 30 trucks stolen a day in Rio.

“In Rio de Janeiro, the illegal cigarette market corresponds to 36%, that is, the products are sold based on cargo theft, the result of smuggling and evading companies”, concludes Vismona.