The PF (Federal Police) seized, this Friday (19), around R$400 thousand in cash at the house of the PL leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Sóstenes Cavalcante (RJ). The parliamentarian is the target of an operation that investigates the deviation of quotas. The PF has sophisticated methods to track the origin of money seized in operations, even when criminals try to hinder investigations using cash.
The National Institute of Criminalistics, located in Brasília, houses a specialized team that can determine the origin of banknotes through serial numbers and other identification elements present on the banknotes. The process involves detailed analysis and consultations with the Central Bank to establish the path taken by the money since its issuance.
How ballot tracking works
The Federal Police’s criminal expertise can determine when the note was issued and its point of origin, crucial information for investigations. Each banknote has unique characteristics that allow it to be identified and tracked back to its starting point. However, after notes enter circulation and pass from hand to hand, tracking becomes more complex, which explains why criminals often choose to use .
Expert work goes beyond simply identifying the origin of the money. Experts also determine the exact quantity seized and produce technical reports that complement the criminal investigation. This combination of criminal investigation and technical forensic analysis represents an important arm in Federal Police operations, allowing physical evidence to be converted into concrete evidence.
The operation that resulted in the seizure of money from Sóstenes’ house also targeted . Both are being investigated for alleged misappropriation of public resources from parliamentary quotas. The Federal Police’s ability to track the origin of cash represents a challenge for those trying to hide illicit transactions through the use of physical banknotes, a common practice to avoid the digital tracking that occurs in bank transactions.
