São Paulo police delegate released from detention

A Brazilian court has revoked the preventive detention of Layla Lima Ayub, a newly sworn-in police delegate for the São Paulo Civil Police. Ayub was arrested in January during Operation Serpens, an investigation conducted by the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco) and the Civil Police Internal Affairs department.

Prosecutors allege that Ayub maintained personal and professional ties with members of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) criminal organization. Specifically, the Public Ministry claims she irregularly acted as a lawyer in custody hearings for gang members even after assuming her role as a delegate. The investigation also highlighted a controversial incident where she reportedly brought her partner, Jardel Neto Pereira da Cruz (known as Dedel), to her inauguration ceremony. Cruz is identified by authorities as a leader within the PCC, particularly in the northern region of Brazil.

While prosecutors described the situation as a demonstration of audacity and an infiltration of state structures, the defense maintains that the arrest was illegal and asserts Ayub's innocence. The Secretary of Public Security noted that new officers undergo a three-year probationary period during which they remain subject to investigation.