“Operation Final Whistle is a watershed moment in Public Security in MT”, says secretary

Operation Final Whistle which, this Tuesday (02.04), dismantled a drug trafficking and money laundering scheme that generated R$ 65 million in two years, represents a watershed in Public Security in Mato Grosso, according to the state secretary of Public Security, César Roveri. The Civil Police action involves the participation of 150 security agents.

“It is a very important operation for public security, but even more important for the citizens of Mato Grosso who see the results of the tax investments they pay being converted into major police actions, dismantling organized crime. Operation Final Whistle is a watershed in Public Security,” he declared.

The operation complies with 54 court warrants, 25 for arrest and 29 for search and seizure; the hijacking of 45 vehicles and blocking of 25 bank accounts belonging to the criminal organization, in Cuiabá, Chapada dos Guimarães, São José dos Quatro Marcos and Maceió (AL).

According to the secretary, the structure of Public Security in Mato Grosso met the needs of the teams of investigators according to the level of complexity required in the investigation, which was conducted by the Management to Combat Organized Crime (GCCO). The work lasted around two years and included the participation of Official Expertise and Technical Identification (Politec).

“It is scientific work carried out by the Civil Police, with expertise carried out by Politec, in short, by all public security. This requires time and in-depth investigations so that we have these seizure results and can really reach the assets of organized crime”, he pointed out.

For Roveri, the dismantling of this criminal organization, which used various means to try to hide the origin of the illegal money of a criminal faction, including investment in football teams, demonstrates that the Government has carried out an effective fight against organized crime.

“The State Government has adopted zero tolerance towards organized crime to remove criminals from circulation so that the population can have more security”, he emphasized.

The operation

The main target of the operation was Paulo Witer Farias Paelo, identified in the investigations as leader of the scheme, and the one who was captured when he participated in a football game, in Maceió, last Friday (29.03) along with three other suspects of being part of the organization.

This Tuesday, Paulo Witer’s lawyer was arrested when he went to Alagoas to defend the accused.

GCCO’s investigations found that Paulo acted as the organization’s treasurer and used several people as ‘ladies’ to acquire properties, buy and sell cars and rent vehicles with the money from crime.