The head of the largest parapolice group in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, Luis Antônio da Silva Braga, reached an agreement with authorities to turn himself in and was transferred to a high-security prison, official sources said.
The top leader of a powerful militia that controls the western region of Rio de Janeiro, known as Zinho, is already imprisoned in the high-security prison known as Bangu 1, located in the area of influence where his gang operates, according to sources from the Secretariat of the Rio penitentiary administration.
The 44-year-old Zinho, described by Rio de Janeiro Governor Cláudio Castro as “enemy number 1”, had been on the run from justice since 2018 and turned himself in to the Chief Inspector of the Federal Police of Rio.
Twelve warrants were issued for his arrest, but the decision to hand himself over to justice and subsequently be arrested was the result of “negotiations between the leaders of the fugitive militiaman with the Federal Police and the Secretariat of Public Security of Rio” , the police said. Federal Police.
Brazilian Justice Minister Flávio Dino, who will take office in February as the new judge of the Federal Supreme Court, celebrated on social media this Sunday the “serious and planned work being done in Rio de Janeiro and other states to fight against criminal factions “.
Parapolice groups – which carry out illegal acts and functions outside the police – such as those led by Zinho, are made up of corrupt officers and former officers and have gained ground in some Rio de Janeiro neighborhoods in recent years.
These groups impose a regime of terror in which they commit murders and rob neighbors and traders by imposing ‘taxes’ on services such as transport, the purchase of gas bottles or even internet access.
They have also become distributors of illegal drugs and firearms and have ties to the regional and municipal political class.
In the case of Zinho, authorities recently intensified operations to capture him, albeit without success.
In October, a police operation took the life of Matheus da Silva Rezende, 25, known as Faustão, lieutenant and cousin of Zinho.
Faustão was the third member of his family to die in clashes with police in the past six years.
Carlos Alexandre da Silva Braga died during another operation in 2017 and Wellington da Silva Braga during a gunfight in 2021.
After the death of his two brothers, Zinho took command of the largest militia in Rio de Janeiro.
Source: DN
