Operation warrants are being carried out in Brasília and in the Bahian cities of Salvador, Lauro de Freitas and Vitória da Conquista
This Monday morning (23), the (PF) carries out the second phase of Operation Overclean, which investigates the involvement of politicians and public servants in an alleged scheme of bidding and embezzlement. In total, 10 search and seizure warrants, four preventive arrest warrants and a precautionary removal order against a public servant are being executed.
There is also the determination of the kidnapping of approximately R$4.7 million in assets, an amount that the PF claims to have been obtained by the criminal organization through crimes, in addition to luxury vehicles. Among those arrested is a Federal Police agent. The operation warrants are being carried out in Brasília and in the Bahian cities of Salvador, Lauro de Freitas and Vitória da Conquista. Until the 10th, the task force, made up of the corporation with the Federal Public Ministry, the Revenue and the Comptroller General of the Union, arrested 15 people and removed eight public servants due to their alleged involvement in the scheme.
According to the PF, the criminal organization would have generated around R$1.4 billion, including R$825 million in contracts with public bodies in 2024 alone. 17 preventive arrest warrants and 43 search and seizure warrants were served in five states: Bahia, Tocantins, São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Goiás. Alleged crimes of active and passive corruption, embezzlement, fraud in tenders and contracts and money laundering are being investigated.
Bribe on jet from Salvador to Brasília
As part of the same investigation, at the beginning of the month the PF caught an attempt to pay bribes with funds transported on a jet that departed Salvador and was destined for the federal capital. The agents followed businessman Alex Rezende Parente and the former coordinator of the National Department of Works Against Drought (Dnocs) in Bahia, Lucas Maciel Lobão Vieira.
The entire route was monitored by agents, who caught the value of R$1.5 million in cash being transported, destined for the payment of bribes in Brasília. According to the PF, the flight was organized by Salvador businessman José Marcos Moura, known in the capital of Bahia as “Rei do Lixo” for winning several urban cleaning contracts in the State of Bahia. He was also arrested on Tuesday, the 10th, when the operation was launched.
According to the corporation, Alex was responsible for coordinating bid fraud and negotiating the payment of bribes with public servants. His brother, Fábio Rezende Parente, would act as the group’s financial arm, taking care of the transfer of resources. Meanwhile, Lucas Lobão acted within DNOCS to favor the hiring of the company Allpha Pavimentações, owned by Alex and Fábio, as shown by the investigation.
Published by Luisa Cardoso
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
