The Brazilian Federal Police (PF) launched a national law enforcement operation, Operation Incognito, on 16 December of local time, aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organizations that carry out human trafficking and cybercrime under the guise of online auctions abroad. This is considered one of the most important joint actions in Brazil in recent years in the area of labour exploitation and cybercrime.
According to police reports, the operation was supported by the Federal Court of Brazil, which had ordered the suspension of the business activities of the companies involved and the closure of two online gaming platforms operating in Brazil. Criminal measures are also taken against the individuals and enterprises involved. The investigation originated in a case in Nigeria earlier this year when the Nigerian police arrested 109 persons suspected of cybercrime, five of whom were Brazilian nationals. This discovery, which aroused great vigilance on the part of the Brazilian authorities, revealed a transnational criminal network that used false job opportunities to lure Brazilians abroad, claiming to provide high-paying and overseas employment opportunities, mostly linked to online games and sports investments. The Brazilian Federal Police indicated that after leaving the country the victims were generally severely exploited, forced to work in extremely harsh conditions, had their passports and documents confiscated and were subjected to round-the-clock surveillance, sometimes even by armed men. Their freedom is restricted and they are forced to pay debts to prevent escape. The Brazilian police stressed that, in addition to labour exploitation, victims were forced to participate in criminal activities such as cyber-fraud, and that the nature of the case was extremely serious from the point of view of human rights and cybersecurity. The offences targeted by Operation Implicit include transnational trafficking in human beings, forced labour, formation of criminal organizations and other related offences.
The investigators found that the Brazilian suspects involved had worked for a sports lottery company, which operated two platforms in Brazil. Although the name of the platform was not published by the police, the court found the evidence to be conclusive and ordered that the site be immediately offline. At the same time, the Federal Court approved the freezing of the assets in question totalling over R$446 million (approximately $83.7 million) to prevent the transfer of proceeds of crime and to guarantee the possibility of future compensation. In the course of the operation, the Federal Police carried out 11 search and seizure orders and four provisional arrests in five Brazilian states of Ceará, Maranhão, Paraná, Santa Catalina and São Paulo. The police have also taken measures of physical and property restraint to cut off the financial resources of suspects. In its statement, the Brazilian Federal Police stated that the objectives of Operation Invisible were not only to gather evidence, but also to dismantle criminal structures, to secure potential victims and to strengthen mechanisms for international cooperation. According to the Government of Brazil, the case reflects new trends in the abuse of online gaming and digital economy platforms by criminal groups, especially in emerging markets and in countries with more stringent regulations. The Federal Police has called on the public to be more vigilant and to actively report similar suspicious cross-border recruitment. So far, Operation Indictment has continued, and investigators have analysed seized information and financial records, and further progress is expected in the future.
