Rio: Gang sold illegal land for construction of condominiums

Three members of a criminal organization that sells clandestine land in Campo Grande, in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro, were arrested today (13) during an operation carried out by the state Public Prosecutor’s Office in partnership with the Police Station for Repression of Organized Criminal Actions (Draco) of the Civil Police. The action also fulfilled 12 search and seizure warrants at addresses linked to the group. Warrants for preventive arrest and search and seizure were issued by the 1st Specialized Criminal Court of the Capital. With the sale of clandestine lots, the gang profited almost R$ 6 million. The investigations, carried out by the Specialized Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco/MPRJ), demonstrated that the group maintains connections with militia organizations active in the region and built, without any authorization from the public authorities, four condominiums located in clandestine lots in the neighborhood from Campo Grande: “Vivendas da Serra”, “Chácaras do Mendanha”, “Vivendas do Mendanha” and “Grand Park”. To build the four illegal undertakings, the organization practiced environmental crimes, such as vegetation suppression, including vegetation of the Atlantic Forest, slope cutting, irregular soil movement, earthworks and intervention in Permanent Preservation Areas (APPs), with alteration, burial and even damming of a watercourse. The crimes were committed to make it possible to cut the land, necessary for the allotment works and the opening of internal roads. To attract buyers, the ads for the lots were published on social networks and other internet tools, and brokers were present at the sites. The denounced Fabio Roberto de Oliveira de Alencar and Carlos Alberto da Souza Cruz, who had their preventive detention decreed, lead the criminal organization, as financiers of illegal activities. They also used the companies “Construindo Alencar” and “Jessica Empreendimentos Imobiliários”, which had their economic activities suspended, to carry out the works and give the appearance of legality to the projects. They were denounced by the MPRJ to Justice for the crimes of criminal organization, irregular subdivision of land and environmental crime. The defendants Marcio Cesar de Souza Ribeiro, who also had preventive detention decreed for having a previous conviction, and Victor Emanuel Coutinho da Silva Rodrigues, acted in the negotiation of the lots, acting as real estate agents. They will answer for criminal organization and irregular subdivision of land.

Agência Brasil