President Lula seeks to improve investigations into organized crime and illegal arms trafficking.

On Wednesday, Brazilian Justice and Public Security Minister Wellington Lima informed that his country’s newly launched anti-crime strategy seeks to cut off funding for organized crime.

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“We will produce a real financial strangulation, cutting off the oxygen supply to organized crime,” Lima said in an interview on the program “Good Morning, Minister.”

Previously, on Tuesday, President Lula da Silva unveiled the four-pronged Brazil Against Organized Crime strategy — financial strangulation, strengthening of the prison system, improvement of investigation, and combating illegal arms trafficking.

“We are going to undertake a collaborative effort involving all financial intelligence agencies to identify the targets, establish a diagnosis, and adopt immediate measures necessary to combat this practice,” Lima emphasized.

The “Brazil Against Organized Crime Program” will mobilize about US$2.2 billion to dismantle the economic and operational structures of criminal organizations.

Among the main initiatives is the implementation of a maximum-security standard in 138 prison units across the country, including the deployment of drones, body scanners, cellphone signal jammers and the creation of a specific area aimed at preventing gang leaders from continuing to operate from inside prisons.

During the launch ceremony for the program, President Lula said the project is a “signal” to tell organized crime that “in a short time they will no longer own any territory,” and conditioned the success of the initiative on greater coordination with other branches of government.

“There are complaints that the Federal Police arrest criminals and a week later they are free,” he said, urging the judiciary to work “in harmony” with the other forces involved in the project.

The progressive leader said organized crime is not present only in the country’s poorest neighborhoods, but also “in companies, in all sectors and at the international level.” “Those responsible are often upstairs, wearing ties and drinking whiskey; and we will get there,” Lula emphasized.

The new anti-organized crime program comes just months before the October presidential election, in which public security has emerged as one of the central issues in the political dispute.

In this context, the Brazilian Congress approved the Anti-Gang Law, a bill originally introduced by Lula’s administration that underwent significant changes before its final approval.

It includes regulations to combat “ultraviolent” criminal organizations, militias and paramilitary groups, with prison sentences ranging from 20 to 40 years — which can reach 66 years for leaders — for crimes such as territorial domination, attacks using explosives, road blockades and the recruitment of minors.

The Anti-Gang Law also classifies the offenses covered by the legislation as non-bailable crimes, increasing the severity of sentences and reducing the possibility of prison benefits for those convicted.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua – EFE

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