RIO DE JANEIRO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's federal police have launched an operation to bring down a criminal ring specialized in money laundering and tax evasion, operating in at least five countries.
A police statement said Wednesday that "Operation Perfidy" (due to the disloyal way in which the ring acts), the action is backed by around 200 police officers and is backed by arrest warrants for 55 people.
Actions are being taken across Brazil, mostly in the Federal District of Brasilia, but also in the states of Bahía, Maranhao, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, Pará, Piauí, Paraná, Río de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Tocantins.
According to the statement, the investigation into this ring began in August 2016 when one person involved was arrested at Brasilia's Juscelino Kubitschek international airport.
The crimes being investigated include illegal foreign currency exchanges, the hidden purchases of high-value buildings and tax evasion.
The members of the organization allegedly used business fronts and falsified public records, including fake notarized Brazilian birth certificates.
The police also said that the assets were laundered through petrol stations, travel agencies, lottery tickets and other means. The ring apparently had the help of lawyers, accountants, notaries, public officials and even one person within the police.
