In Pará, PF seizes R$ 242 thousand hidden in boxes in travel agencies

Rômulo D’Castro – from Cenarium Magazine

ALTAMIRA (PA) – The Federal Police (PF) of Pará, Brazil, opened in Altamira, southwest of the state, on the morning of Wednesday, 23, the Operation “Free Flight”, which investigates whether the previous municipal management facilitated bids for travel agencies. The operation was authorized by the 4th Federal Criminal Court of Pará and the targets were two agencies, and three people, all from Altamira. No one was arrested.

Two travel agencies were inspected by agents who carried out search and seizure warrants. In one of the agencies, the federal police found R$ 242,000 in cash. The amount was distributed in “packages” of smaller amounts hidden in cardboard boxes, as recorded in the video released by the PF team.

According to the Federal Police, the operation was launched in 2020, the year of the end of the term of the then mayor Domingos Juvenil (MDB). The investigations show that during Juvenil’s administration, the public machine was used to finance a fraudulent scheme involving the two travel agencies inspected.

How the scheme worked

During the two years of investigation, the Federal Police discovered evidence of falsification of invoices in agreements signed between the city government and two travel agencies in Altamira.

The scheme, according to the Federal Police, had as its “heads” public employees linked to the city government’s top management. These officials, possibly with the approval of Mayor Domingos Juvenil, facilitated bidding processes in order to benefit only the agencies mentioned in the complaint, located in downtown Altamira.

Those involved in the possible fraudulent scheme may be held liable for crimes of bidding, active corruption and passive corruption, according to the Criminal Code. Investigations continue.

Defense of Domingos Juvenil

Domingos Juvenil’s counsel said, in a note to the press, that he had no knowledge of the Federal Police operation. The note also states that the former mayor never participated, directly or indirectly, in crimes and that his administration has always been available to clarify questions from authorities.