An operation by the 76th DP (Niterói) and the Specialized Action Group for Combating Organized Crime (GAECO) of the Public Ministry of Rio arrested, this Tuesday (14), 16 people who manufactured and sold clandestine anabolic steroids. 15 arrest warrants were served in the capital Fluminense and in Niterói, São Gonçalo and Maricá, in the Metropolitan region of Rio, in addition to a warrant served in the Federal District. One person was also arrested red handed.
According to investigations, the leader of the gang is Miguel Barbosa de Souza Costa Júnior. He was arrested at home, in Colubandê, in São Gonçalo, in the Metropolitan Region of Rio. The man lived in a high-end property. At the gate, police found signs warning potential trespassers. One of them said “Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.”
In addition to Miguel, two other men are considered the most important in the structure of the criminal organization, considered one of the largest when it comes to anabolic steroids: Cristiano Cardoso Casaca, who was arrested by the Federal Police on a cruise, and Itamar Andrade Duarte Júnior.
According to the Civil Police, the substances were manufactured homemade and without supervision by the health authorities. The formulas also contained toxic and harmful substances for humans, such as insecticides.
The products were sold online at prices below market prices. The gang also sponsored major bodybuilding and athlete events and advertised through digital influencers, who earned around R$10,000 per month. Furthermore, a movement of R$80 million was identified in the bank accounts of some of those investigated.
The investigations began in June last year through a partnership with the Post Office, when large shipments of anabolic steroids sent to 26 Brazilian states were identified. Since July, the police have seized more than two thousand illicit substances that would be sent by post.
The suspects will be charged with crimes of criminal association, forgery, corruption, adulteration or alteration of products intended for therapeutic or medicinal purposes and crimes against consumer relations.
