Rio de Janeiro police dismantle child sexual exploitation ring

The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro have dismantled a criminal network specialized in the sexual exploitation and violence against adolescents. The operation resulted in the arrest of eight suspects across the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, including Niterói, São Gonçalo, and Maricá.

Among those detained are Carlos Bittencourt, a parliamentary advisor to a federal deputy, and Maurício Douglas Souza Chagas, a sergeant in the Military Police. Investigations revealed that the group used explicit recordings of sexual violence to blackmail victims, using psychological extortion and threats of internet distribution to coerce adolescents into further forced sexual encounters.

The investigation was initiated after the family of a 16-year-old girl noticed sudden behavioral changes and physical injuries. Two suspects remain at large, including a motorcycle taxi driver suspected of approaching the first victim near an educational institution.