27 police officers arrested over links with organized crime in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro Police on Friday announced the arrest of 35 people, including 27 police officers, suspected of involvement with organized crime in Rio de Janeiro, the state-run Agencia Brasil reported.

The "Operation Guillotine" consisted in 380 agents of the federal police and 200 military police officers serving 45 arrest warrants and 47 search warrants. As a result, 35 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in drug and arms trafficking and illegal gambling.

One arrest warrant targeted Carlos Alberto de Oliveira, the former head of Rio de Janeiro Civil Police. De Oliveira surrendered to authorities on Friday afternoon. He is accused of accepting bribes from drug traffickers.

The arrests follow a long investigation by Brazil's federal police involving informants and phone taps. The probe was opened one year and a half ago. The operation discovered 32 police officers involved and arrests warrants were requested.

A Criminal Court issued the warrants for the all the police officers targeted in the investigation. The warrants accused the law enforcement agents of drug and gun trafficking, providing information and protection to gang members, supporting militia groups, and robbing residents of marginal communities where they worked.

In December 2010, 13 police officers were arrested on arms trafficking and extortion charges in a neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. The law agents were suspected of belonging to a criminal gang.

Rio de Janeiro's military police are on the front line of the fight against drugs gangs which operate in the city's marginal neighborhoods or favelas. In recent months, some of the most notorious gangs had been controlled with the army's help.

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