Losses avoided through Federal Police probes total $910 million

The work of Brazil's Federal Police (PF) last year has prevented public funds from losing as much as $910 million. Also, goods and amounts seized as part of the operations add up to $1.07 billion. Data were released in Brasília on Wednesday (Apr 8) by Justice Minister José Eduardo Cardozo. According to PF figures, crimes committed have brought nearly $2.2 billion in losses to public coffers.

The minister praised the outcome achieved and argued for PF's autonomy. “Our police have played a decisive role in the fight against corruption and drug trafficking. This is made possible by a guarantee that has been given by the government to the Federal Police over autonomy, which is in the Constitution. The police should be autonomous, and the minister should make sure it happens,” Cardozo said.

According to Oslaim Santana, head of the PF's Combat Against Organized Crime, the results show, in addition to police training, how  investigations have focused on the embezzlement of public funds, financial crimes, and frontier crimes—especially drug dealing and gunrunning. In 2014, 390 operations were launched by the police, 87 more than in 2013.

As for financial crimes alone, operations amounted to 31. Money embezzlement schemes motivated the launch of 54 operations. Santana announced that contracts currently being probed total over $6 billion. However, the calculation does not take into account Operation Car Wash, considered an investigation into financial crimes.

Santana further mentioned the importance of the Service for Repression of the Embezzlement of Public Funds, created in 2011, which has enhanced the performance of the Federal Police against crimes of that sort. “The service was created to meet a commitment taken on by Brazil at the UN convention on corruption,” he explained.

PF Director-General Leandro Coimbra also applauded the figures and reiterated the line of work adopted. “The Federal Police is to continue its work against organized crime, especially against corruption, financial crimes, and drug trafficking. We won't stop; we'll make improvements; we'll bulk up our armaments. We'll carry on, with responsibility.”

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira