Brazil police operations uncover electricity theft in industry and agriculture

Police operations in Brazil have uncovered separate instances of electricity theft involving industrial and agricultural properties. In Guarulhos, authorities identified energy theft at a plastics factory where the meter had been tampered with to underreport consumption, resulting in an estimated loss of R$ 10,000 to the distributor EDP.

In Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, a joint operation involving the Civil Police and Energisa Mato Grosso led to the arrest of an individual at a stud farm. Investigators found a direct connection to the distribution network without a meter, bypassing registration for high-demand equipment such as climate control and lighting.

Authorities noted that such illegal connections increase the risk of electrical overloads and fires. In Mato Grosso, more than 210 people have been arrested for energy theft in 2026. Under recent legal frameworks, penalties for electricity theft have increased, with maximum sentences reaching up to six years of imprisonment.