Officials in Mozambique have announced the arrest of a top Brazilian cocaine trafficker in the country’s capital Maputo.
Gilberto Aparecido dos Santos, aka “Fuminho was arrested in Mozambique after collaborative efforts between officials of both countries.
Gilberto Aparecido dos Santos belongs to the First Capital Command (PCC) gang which is Brazil’s most powerful criminal organization.
The PPC was formed as prison gang in Sao Paulo, but has footprints now across Brazil. It is also now into movement of cocaine to Europe and Africa.
He has been on the run for more than 20 years until his arrest on Monday. The cocaine trafficker was one of Brazil’s “most-wanted” fugitives.
Dos Santos is accused of financing a rescue plan for PCC boss Marcos Willians Camacho, or “Marcola,” who is in a federal jail in Brasilia.
He is being held in Mozambique on charges of drug possession and using a false passport.
Brazil’s federal police said in a statement that “The prisoner was considered the largest supplier of cocaine to a gang operating throughout Brazil, as well as being responsible for sending tonnes of the drug to several countries.”
Leonardo Simbine who speaks for Mozambique’s Criminal Investigations Services was quoted by Reuters as saying that local police were tipped off by Interpol that dos Santos was in Mozambique in mid-March.
“We did our investigations and found him at a luxury hotel in Maputo. We arrested him with two accomplices, two Nigerian citizens,” Simbine said.
For dos Santos to be extradited to Brazil, it would have to make such a request within 40 days, Simbine said.
Brazilian official say the operation to catch dos Santos was supported by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Mozambique police.
Source: Africafeeds.com
