Police carry out operation to dismantle gang that infiltrated drivers in transport companies in RJ and diverted cargo

Nine people were arrested — two of them in the act — during an operation by the Robbery and Cargo Theft Police Station (DRFC), of the Rio Civil Police, launched this Wednesday. They are all suspected of being part of a gang specializing in the diversion of cargo from transport companies, which infiltrated drivers into transport companies so that they could divert cargo. A suspect is still wanted. He is considered a fugitive.

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The teams all seven preventive arrest warrants issued by the Court. The police also carried out another ten search and seizure warrants.

The investigation into the group, which embezzled around R$2 million, began in January this year, after an injured transport company reported that one of its drivers had removed a high-value load from the company and not delivered it to recipients. An internal audit was carried out at the company and it was found that the driver and others had acted in the same way.

According to delegate Fábio Asty, from DRFC, the criminal organization was made up of a boss, drivers, helpers, recruiters and receivers, who defrauded companies to send the merchandise to small businesses and, mainly, fairs located in the North Zone of the capital. — such as those in Acari, Honório Gurgel, São Cristóvão and Jardim América. Criminals forge stubs, stamps and signatures. The preferred products were foodstuffs in general, with a focus on dairy products, meats and drinks, which sell quickly.

The diverted products were generally of low market value. This is because this type of cargo does not have a tracker, which makes it easier to distribute.

Some receivers, according to Asty, “pre-ordered” the stolen goods: they paid for the goods in advance. DRFA will now investigate who these people are who resold the diverted products.

Fake telephone numbers and proof of residence

The members of the gang were hiding in the municipalities of São João de Meriti and Belford Roxo, in Baixada Fluminense, according to the investigation. They took advantage of weaknesses in hiring partner drivers, registering these people using fake telephone numbers and proof of residence. After the registration was approved, the criminals’ action began. The driver removed the loads from the carriers, but did not deliver them to their destination locations, but rather to the locations predetermined by the group.

The driver would then return to the company with delivery receipts for the goods. But, after some time, the recipients of the goods contacted the carriers claiming not to have received the products. When questioned, the drivers claimed that the orders had been delivered and then no longer answered the calls. Upon further checking what had happened, the companies discovered that the stamps and signatures on the receipts were forged.

On carriers where there were no pre-made stamps, drivers claimed they had been robbed. On some occasions, they made false records of incidents at district police stations. For each diverted load, a driver received between R$500 and R$1,000, depending on the quantity of products.