Task force carries out 151 temporary arrests and 169 searches and investigates trafficking, homicides and illegal possession of weapons
The (Special Action Group to Combat Criminal Organizations) launched operation Coluna Sul this Wednesday (Jul 1st 2026). According to the MPSC, this is the largest action in the history of the task force. In total, 320 court orders were served against members of a criminal faction in 6 states.
The operation is conducted by the 39th District Attorney’s Office of the Capital District and investigates the activities of a criminal organization inside and outside prisons. The targets are suspected of involvement in drug trafficking, drug trafficking association, homicides and illegal possession of firearms.
Of the 320 orders issued by the State Court of Criminal Organizations of Santa Catarina, 151 are temporary arrest warrants and 169 are search and seizure warrants. The targets are in Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul and Minas Gerais.
Operation South Column is an offshoot of Operation Maserati. According to the Public Ministry, the name refers to the term used by the faction itself to designate the region formed by Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, considered strategic for the group’s expansion in the South and Central-West regions.
In Santa Catarina, the operation mobilized 103 Gaeco members and around 552 public security agents. 198 vehicles and 2 helicopters were also used. Five operational bases were installed in the State: Florianópolis, Joinville, Lages, Chapecó and São Miguel do Oeste.
While executing the warrants in Paraná, Gaeco agents were shot at. According to the Public Ministry, the suspects shot at the team upon noticing the arrival of the agents. There was a confrontation, and one of the suspects died. According to the MPSC, he was carrying a pistol with a burst selector.
The seized materials will be sent to the Scientific Police of Santa Catarina for examination. After preparing the reports, the evidence will be analyzed by Gaeco to continue the investigations.
