Operation Turnstile targets million-dollar dismantling scheme in RJ
The Civil Police launched, this Thursday (11), another phase of Operation Tourniquet to dismantle a criminal organization specialized in vehicle theft, dismantling and sale of automotive parts of illicit origin.
The action is carried out by agents from the (Disarmament) Police Station Specialized in Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives, who carry out search and seizure warrants in the municipalities of Rio de Janeiro and Nova Iguaçu.
The investigations, carried out over more than a year, identified a highly organized criminal structure that would have generated more than R$10 million during the period. According to the Civil Police, the group operated in a segmented manner, divided into three main groups: robbers, responsible for stealing vehicles through violence; members responsible for dismantling and transporting parts; and receivers, who financed the scheme through the purchase and resale of automotive components.
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According to investigations, the stolen vehicles were taken to areas dominated by criminals, where they were dismantled. The removed parts were then transported and resold to entrepreneurs linked to the scrap metal sector, who later sold the products to the end consumer.
During the course of the investigation, agents seized a car and a jet ski valued at more than R$200,000 from one of the people under investigation. Since the start of the operation, five members of the organization have already been arrested. Among them is the one identified as the main person responsible for cutting up vehicles for the criminal faction TCP (Terceiro Comando Puro), captured in the act while transporting parts taken from two recently dismantled cars for resale in Nova Iguaçu.
Another prisoner is considered one of the biggest recipients of stolen auto parts in the state. In addition to him, three other suspects of participation in several vehicle thefts also remain in custody.
At this stage of the operation, the objective is to deepen investigations into the financial and operational structure of the gang, gathering new evidence and identifying others involved in the criminal chain. The police seek to expand the mapping of the reception network and hold all participants in the scheme responsible, from those carrying out the robberies to those responsible for selling the pieces.
The offensive is part of the second phase of Operation Tourniquet, created to combat robberies, theft and reception of cargo and vehicles, crimes that, according to authorities, contribute to the financing of criminal factions and their activities. Since September 2024, the operation has resulted in more than 1,050 arrests, in addition to the recovery of cargo and vehicles valued at more than R$56 million. The actions also exceeded R$70 million in requests to block assets and values.
Source: CNN