Civil Police dismantle criminal organization that diverted medicines and hospital products from Amazonas

The Civil Police of Amazonas (PC-AM), with the support of the Deputy Executive Secretariat of Intelligence (Seai), Public Security Secretariat (SSP-AM) and State Health Secretariat (SES-AM), launched Operation Corsário and dismantled a criminal organization responsible for the diversion of medicines and hospital products from health units in Amazonas. Three people were arrested on Tuesday (04/30).

The investigations, carried out through the 1st Integrated Police District (DIP), began about a month ago, after the State Department of Health identified, through its internal control mechanisms, inconsistencies in the quantity of inputs, and activate the Security Forces. The details of the operation were presented this Wednesday morning (1/05), at the General Police Station, located in the Dom Pedro neighborhood, central-west zone of Manaus.

The police identified that a 51-year-old driver, who worked at the hospital unit, was responsible for diverting medicines, supplies and medical instruments with the help of a 54-year-old businessman, who clandestinely resold the products for prices below those applied on the conventional market.

PHOTOGRAPH: Antonio Lima/ Secom

“We were also able to collect some complaints and information from popular residents in the area where one of the targets (of the investigations) lived, about the constant presence of a State ambulance at the suspect’s residence and, with support from the State Intelligence Secretariat, the We were able to monitor the property for approximately 30 days, carrying out bells and electronic monitoring”, explained delegate Cícero Túlio, holder of the 1st DIP, who led the operation.

During the investigations, the police identified those involved transporting materials in ambulances to the driver’s residence, where the products were stored until the businessman found buyers for the products.

According to the investigation, the businessman had already been sentenced on March 25, 2024, to 11 years and 8 months in prison for the crime of intentional embezzlement, due to having joined a criminal organization in 2016, responsible for at least the crime of diversion of medications.

PHOTOGRAPH: Antonio Lima/ Secom

The Secretary of State for Health, Nayara Maksoud, reinforced that SES-AM has been implementing tools that monitor and advance control of the pharmaceutical assistance cycle so that medicines and inputs reach their final destination correctly, which made it possible to identify quickly that the deviations were occurring.

“When we observed that there was an imbalance between the acquisition, storage, supply of the units and this product to the user, we contacted the Public Security Secretariat, for which I once again thank you”, stated the secretary.

PHOTOGRAPH: Antonio Lima/ Secom

Operation

During the operation on Tuesday morning (30/04), the police also managed to arrest a third suspect, also a businessman, 47, in possession of several boxes of saline solution taken from a hospital in the capital.

“It is important for us to reiterate the heinousness of the crime, the turpitude that these people had with the diversion of medicines, supplies used within the hospital, even electrocardiogram papers were diverted, including saline solutions, surgical gloves”, added the general delegate of PC, Bruno Fraga.

According to investigations, the second businessman involved in the criminal scheme purchased the products with the aim of selling them to the interior of the State. Investigations will continue to identify whether more people are involved.

“This investigation will continue to identify the possibility of action in other units. We will not allow elements like these to do such harm. This affects children, the elderly, sick people, regardless of age. It is appalling to see a crime like this”, said Secretary of Public Security Cel. Vinícius Almeida.

The perpetrators were found guilty of the crimes of criminal organization, qualified theft, intentional embezzlement and qualified reception. They will undergo a custody hearing and will be available to the Court.