MS Federal Prison receives prisoners suspected of leading attacks in RN – Cities

The Federal Prison of Mato Grosso do Sul, located in Campo Grande, received prisoners suspected of leading attacks in Rio Grande do Norte, which began on Tuesday (14). So far, 259 attacks on public buildings, businesses and vehicles have been confirmed in 48 cities. A criminal police officer ended up dead.

The transfer of nine prisoners from the Rogério Coutinho Prison, located in the Alcaçuz Complex, took place on Friday night (17). They were sent to the five federal units located in: Catanduvas (PR), Campo Grande (MS), Mossoró (RN), Porto Velho (RO) and Brasília (DF).

“In the SPF (Federal Penitentiary System), prisoners will be isolated in individual cells, with monitored visits and only by parlor and with strict security procedures”, says the National Secretariat of Penal Policies (Senappen). The folder informs that the transfer is a “response to the criminal attacks in Rio Grande do Norte”.

With this transfer, 10 state custodians have been included in federal penitentiaries since the beginning of the crisis. Prisoners are accused of commanding crimes such as homicides and drug trafficking, in addition to being involved in escape plans and attacks on public and private property in RN.

The transfer was at the request of the Public Ministry of the State of Rio Grande do Norte and the local government, authorized by the judge of the Penal Execution Court.

Attacks – According to police investigation, attacks on public buildings, businesses and vehicles in Rio Grande do Norte are led by prisoners of the penitentiary system, linked to criminal factions, and began on Tuesday, March 14.

Messages circulating on social networks attributed to the Crime Syndicate – the dominant faction in the state – about an alleged union with the PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital) to protest against conditions in prison units. One of the motivations would be the inmates’ dissatisfaction with the lack of perks in prisons, including intimate visits, suspended since the Alcaçuz massacre in 2017.

A criminal police officer who was off duty in a business died of gunshot wounds. In another attack, a merchant was also wounded and did not resist. A balance sheet was not disclosed, but preliminary information is that a suspect died in a confrontation with the police.

So far, around 100 suspects have been arrested since the beginning of the attacks in the state, which received reinforcements in public security, including the National Force. The investigation into the motivation of the attacks is being carried out in secrecy.