Suspect of heading PCC bidding scheme in SP city halls is CAC and has three weapons

Businessman Vagner Borges Dias, known as Latrell Brito, suspected of running a criminal scheme involving bids that favored companies linked to the First Command of the Capital (PCC), has a Hunter, Shooter and Collector (CAC) registration and at least three firearms .

According to the complaint offered by the Public Ministry of São Paulo (MPSP), which obtained conversations and images from Latrell’s cell phone, the businessman and pagodeiro used weapons, even if legal, in an illicit manner.

In one of the videos obtained by the investigation and described in the report, Latrell asks an interlocutor whether he should resolve the conflict they were talking about with one of the three “toys”, referring to weapons. The complaint was obtained by Estadão. The suspect is considered a fugitive from justice.

According to investigations by the Public Ministry, there was infiltration by a gang linked to the PCC in city halls and city councils in the interior and Greater São Paulo to take over cleaning and service contracts worth more than R$200 million. Prosecutors noted that the faction’s influence may have reached up to a Subway auction worth R$14.1 million, as indicated in messages found on businessman Vagner Borges Dias’ cell phone.

The interest of organized crime in CAC records

Cases of seizure of arsenals held by members of the criminal faction have been repeated in recent years. With the facilitation of access to weapons by civilians during the government of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), the purchase of legalized firearms, via CACs, became of interest to organized crime as it is easier and cheaper than the old ways. illegal access, such as through smuggling. The phenomenon appears both in police investigations and in studies by public security experts.

As shown by the Estadãothe Army issued CAC licenses to those convicted of crimes such as drug trafficking and homicide, people with outstanding arrest warrants and to citizens who may have been used as organized crime “stingers” between 2019 and 2022.

During this period, registration certificates were granted to 5,235 people serving sentences. Of the total, 1,504 had active criminal enforcement proceedings when they submitted their documentation to the Army, but were not blocked. The Army also released firearms to 2,690 people fleeing justice. The data is part of a report from the Federal Audit Court (TCU).

This Wednesday, the 24th, in yet another attack against the “repeal” proposed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) at the beginning of his term to reverse the easier access to weapons under his predecessor, the Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) of the Chamber approved a bill that delegates to the States the power to legislate on the possession and carrying of firearms.

Permission would be granted by state governments both for personal defense and for sports and control of invasive exotic fauna, which could benefit CACs.

Bidding scheme in São Paulo

Vagner Borges Dias, known as Latrell, is identified as the “head” of the bid fraud scheme under the influence of the PCC, which allegedly infiltrated a gang in city halls and city councils in the interior and Greater São Paulo.

Four councilors – Flávio Batista de Souza (Podemos), from Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Gabriel dos Santos (PSD), from Arujá, Luiz Carlos Alves Dias (MDB), from Santa Isabel and Ricardo de Oliveira (PSD), from Cubatão, are accused of being part of a criminal organization and were denounced by the Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, 25th.

According to prosecutors, the accused are part of a criminal organization that aimed to “advantage assets by maintaining contracts with the Public Administration, at the municipal (legislative and executive) and state (executive) levels.” The group would have been “co-opted” by Latrell, who allegedly paid bribes to parliamentarians to obtain advantages for the criminal faction in bids.

According to the MPSP, Latrell’s actions “are linked to another series of illicit acts, notably to benefit vested interests that go beyond personal benefit and effectively reach the PCC.” The report also mentions that it is possible to notice “violence and dangerousness” as keynotes in the pagodeiro’s conversations, with sharing of massacres, murders and other violent crimes.

He is on the run and the report did not find the suspect’s defense.