In Brazil, 13 men receive up to 54 years for drug trafficking — The Rio Times

A federal court in Porto Alegre, Brazil, convicted 13 men in a case involving international drug trafficking and organized crime. They received prison sentences ranging from five years and seven months to 54 years. The verdict in the case, known as Operation Hinterland, was announced on October 13, The Rio Times reports.

According to Brazil's Federal Prosecutor's Office, the group transported more than 14 tonnes of cocaine to Europe from November 2020 to November 2022. Prosecutors estimated the amount of money that passed through the scheme at more than 3 billion Brazilian reals, or approximately $600 million.

Smuggling through ports

According to investigators, one part of the network transported cocaine from Peru, Bolivia and Colombia, mainly through the border with Paraguay, while another shipped large consignments by sea to Europe. The drugs were concealed in legitimate export cargoes, including a shipment of mimosa extract destined for Germany.

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Prosecutors linked the convicted men to four major drug seizures in Brazil and abroad. In particular, the French Navy intercepted 4.6 tonnes of cocaine on a fishing vessel off the coast of Africa, another 2.7 tonnes were found at a warehouse in Pelotas, and 1.1 tonnes were discovered in a tannin shipment at the port of Rio Grande. Police in Hamburg partially seized a shipment of about 1.7 tonnes.

Appeals and asset confiscation

The court ordered the confiscation of seized assets in favor of the federal government, including real estate, aircraft, company stakes, cars and funds. Most of those convicted will begin serving their sentences in a closed regime, while some defendants were assigned a semi-open regime.

Eight convicted men have already filed appeals with the Federal Regional Court of the Fourth Region, while one man is wanted. According to a witness cooperating with the investigation, the network used port workers, encrypted apps and code names to avoid inspections. A date for hearing the appeals has not yet been set; until a final decision, the defendants retain the presumption of innocence while appealing.