US embassy cable - 05SAOPAULO1344

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SAO PAULO 001344 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR CA/FPP, DS/IP/WHA, DS/I/VF 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, KFRD, CVIS, CMGT, BR, Domestic Security & Crime 
SUBJECT: BRAZILIAN COPS BUST IMMIGRANT SMUGGLING RING 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY. A year long investigation into immigrant 
smuggling, dubbed Operation America, resulted in 30 arrests 
on November 28 and the breakup of a smuggling network 
responsible for moving 3,500 illegal Brazilians through 
Mexico to the U.S. each year.  The arrests were widely 
reported in the national press.  Gang members were active in 
the states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerias, Rio de Janiero and 
Parana.  The investigation was initiated following meetings 
between the Sao Paulo Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU), the 
Regional Security Office and the Sao Paulo State Prosecutors 
in 2004.  Operation America involved an unprecedented level 
of cooperation between the Civil Police of Sao Paulo, the 
Federal Highway Police, the Public Ministry in the State of 
Sao Paulo - with the assistance of the U.S. Department of 
Homeland Security and the Secret Service. END SUMMARY 
 
2. (U) In September 2004 Sao Paulo FPU and RSO met with Sao 
Paulo state prosecutors to share information learned from 
deported Brazilians who had been victimized by immigration 
smugglers.   Following this meeting, an investigation was 
launched by state prosecutor Fabio Bechara, who is 
responsible for the city of Guarulhos where the Sao Paulo 
International Airport is located.  Mr. Bechara began the 
investigation by interviewing deportees arriving back in 
Brazil.  Over the course of a year, the investigation grew 
to involve the Civil Police of Sao Paulo, the Federal 
Highway Police and the Public Ministry in the State of Sao 
Paulo -- as well as the U.S. Secret Service and Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement. 
 
3. (U) These investigations uncovered a well-organized group 
of smugglers that operated in the four neighboring states of 
Sao Paulo, Minas Gerias, Rio de Janiero and Parana. 
According to Mr. Bechara, people in each state were 
responsible for different aspects of the smuggling 
operation.  Recruitment was handled in Minas Gerais. 
Potential immigrants were enticed by false promises of easy 
employment in the United States.  Most of the immigrants 
originated from the Governador Valadares region of that 
state.  Additionally, gang members within Minas Gerais 
obtained false Brazilian passports for their clients.  In 
Rio de Janeiro and Parana, network members provided airline 
tickets -- often purchased using false or cloned credit 
cards.  Finally, Sao Paulo personnel handled transportation 
and housing around the Guarulhos international airport. 
 
4. (SBU) Immigration and Customs Enforcement cooperated with 
the immigration smuggling aspect of the investigation.  The 
U.S. Secret Service became involved with the discovery of 
the credit card cloning operation.  As part of the overall 
operation, a second ring producing counterfeit credit cards 
was discovered and its printing plant shut down. 
Approximately 330 credit cards, laptops, desktops, and 
encoders were found at one suspect's residence.  These 
credit cards were then sold to others who purchased airline 
tickets to Mexico.  More arrests are pending. 
 
5. (SBU) In November, before the announcement of the 
arrests, FPU and RSO met with Robson Feitosa da Silva from 
the Sao Paulo civil police.  Mr. Feitosa da Silva was a 
primary investigator and traveled under cover to Mexico with 
a group of illegal immigrants.  He claimed immigrants paid 
between U.S.$8,000-12,000 for passage to the U.S. and would 
often have to mortgage their houses or enter into debt- 
peonage arrangements with the smugglers to pay for the 
journey.  He also stated that American Airlines and Air 
France had lost close to $1 million and $3 million 
respectively due to false payment schemes.  For example, a 
travel agency in Parana would make a reservation, payment 
would then be made in Rio with a cloned credit card and the 
ticket would finally be issued out of Sao Paulo. 
 
5. (U) COMMENT: While the investigation began as a result of 
the Consulate's meetings with state prosecutors, the 
discovery of the use of cloned credit cards to buy airline 
tickets led to the creation of the larger investigation that 
resulted in the arrests reported herein.  While it is 
encouraging to see a qualitative success result from 
cooperation among Brazilian police forces, Brazilian 
government agencies across state lines, and U.S. law and 
consular services, it is worthy to note that the Federal 
Police in Governador Valadares have strongly denounced the 
operation.  Mr. Rui Antonio da Silva, the head of the 
Federal Police in Governador Valadares, criticized both the 
Sao Paulo civil police and the Federal Highway police for 
superseding their jurisdiction. 
 
McMullen