Mato Grosso police target criminal faction in Operação Basalto

The Civil Police of Mato Grosso launched ‘Operação Basalto’ to dismantle a criminal faction involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and the extortion of more than 50 local merchants. The operation included the execution of 34 judicial orders, consisting of 12 preventive arrest warrants and 22 search and seizure warrants across the municipalities of Pedra Preta, Rondonópolis, Itiquira, and Cuiabá, as well as within state prison units.

Investigations conducted by the Pedra Preta Police Station revealed a sophisticated criminal structure with clearly defined roles, including leadership, local managers, financial operators, drug distributors, and members responsible for monitoring security forces. Authorities noted that part of the group’s activities was coordinated from within prisons using clandestine mobile phones to manage finances and illicit operations.

In addition to arrests, the judiciary imposed various precautionary measures on eight suspects, including prohibitions on contacting other involved parties and restrictions on leaving their judicial districts. The court also ordered the freezing of financial assets linked to three individuals and one legal entity, and suspended the economic activities of a company suspected of being used to conceal criminal proceeds.