Palace of Justice / Court of Justice of Paraná
The judges consider that it has not been proven that the money, found in the drug dealer’s mother’s house, had criminal origins.
The Porto Court of Justice determined the return of more than 580 thousand euros seized from a man convicted of drug trafficking, as the illicit origin of the money had not been proven.
The decision refers to Bruce Teixeira, 38, known as “Ferrari dealer” or “Bruce de Francos”, whose sentence was also reduced by two months, now fixed at five years and four months of effective imprisonment, says the .
The defendant had initially been sentenced, in November 2025, by the São João Novo Court, to five and a half years in prison. The trial court also ruled the loss to the State of 581 thousand euros found at Bruce’s mother’s house, in Maia, and 17 thousand euros that the accused had in his possession when arrested.
However, upon appeal, the disembarking judges considered there is not enough evidence that the money originated from drug trafficking. Although they found it strange that the mother never claimed ownership of the amount, they accepted that no direct link between the amounts and criminal activity had been demonstrated.
The judges also highlighted the lack of evidence regarding the duration of the alleged criminal activity and the lack of concrete actions prior to the seizure that would prove trafficking. In this context, they understood that it was not possible, “without a doubt”, to declare the loss of the money, determining its return to the owners.
The seizure of high-value goods was also reviewed. The Ferrari 488 GTB, valued at around 275 thousand euros and which was used by the PSP, will be returned to its owneran entrepreneur in the automotive sector. The court concluded that the vehicle was not used for illicit activities and that Bruce only had it in his possession to show it to a potential client.
