Seized illicit wealth of Brazilian criminal organizations augmented by 70% in 2024
Explosive Surge in Asset Seizures by Brazil's Federal Police!
Brace yourself, folks! Brazil's Federal Police is making a colossal impact on organized crime, knocking off-balance their ill-gotten fortune to the tune of a staggering 5.6 billion reals (around $955 million) in 2024 — that's a whopping 70% increase from the year before!
This mind-boggling figure includes the cold hard cash and swanky buildings snatched up during police raids, with the final tally expected to rise once the agents wrap up their investigations in the coming months.
The Justice Minister, Ricardo Lewandowski, ain't mincing words, stating that this surge demonstrates a "direct impact on reducing the operational capacity of criminal gangs."
But wait, there's more! In the same announouncement of their annual report, the Federal Police revealed that they seized 74.5 tons of cocaine (a 2.8% increase from the year prior) and a whopping 479 tons of marijuana (a 15% increase). Add to that, they torched a whopping 737,950 marijuana plants — that's a 76% increase!
Moreover, they managed to confiscate 2,741 weapons, a 41% decrease from 2023, an accomplishment that General Director Andrei Rodrigues credits to the smashing of a gang that had been sneaking arms from Europe through Paraguay.
Now, here's where it gets even more interesting. The issuance of permits for personal firearm carry decreased by a whopping 30% compared to the previous year — all part of the government's plan to tighten up on access.
The Federal Police also opened more investigations in 2024 than any previous year, with an increase of 9%. Furthermore, the number of suspects also jumped by 14%.
Rodrigues also announced a plan to intensify the fight against environmental crimes in the Amazon. Part of this initiative includes the purchase of helicopters and boats and the founding of an International Police Cooperation Center in the city of Manaus.
While the exact figures for 2024 are still under wraps, some jaw-dropping investigations in 2025 have uncovered a $1.05 billion fraud scheme and a $175.8 million seizure through a pension fraud probe.
Undoubtedly, Brazil's Federal Police is making some serious dents in the criminal world, but challenges remain in ensuring long-term deterrence in the face of Brazil's ever-evolving cybercrime and corruption landscape.
You might also like:
- Unraveling the Pension Fraud Triangle: A deeper dive into the pension fraud probe that unmasked a massive $1.05 billion fraud scheme.
- Catch me if you can: Cybercrime vs. Brazil's Federal Police: An exploration of the cat-and-mouse game between cybercriminals and the Federal Police as they race to outsmart one another.
- Combat in the Rainforest: The Fight to Protect the Amazon from Environmental Crimes: A look at the escalating conflict between those seeking to exploit the Amazon and the Federal Police working tirelessly to preserve this vital ecosystem.
Related Topics:
- Organized Crime
- Brazil
- Ricardo Lewandowski
- Andrei Rodrigues
- Federal Police
- Brasilia
- Manaus
- Confiscated Assets
- Narco-trafficking
- Justice
- EFE
- Cybercrime
- Corruption
- Pension Fraud
- Brazil's Federal Audit Office (CGU)
- Interagency Coordination
- Enforcement
- Firearm Permits
- Government Policy
- Environmental Crimes
- Amazon
- Helicopters
- Boats
- International Police Cooperation Center.
- The seizure of illicit assets worth a billion dollars in Brasilia, as reported by EFE sports, highlights a 70% increase in asset seizures by Brazil's Federal Police, making a significant dent in organized crime finances.
- As part of their recent operations, the Federal Police seized a colossal 74.5 tons of cocaine and 479 tons of marijuana, signals of their determination to combat narco-trafficking in Brazil.
- In addition, General Director Andrei Rodrigues announced the formation of an International Police Cooperation Center in the city of Manaus, an essential step in strengthening Brazil's fight against environmental crimes, such as deforestation in the Amazon.
