Brazil: Federal Police launch raids to dismantle coyote gangs

Brazil's Federal Police launched Operation “Pirates of the Caribbean” today (Jan. 13) to execute court warrants in Rondônia, Minas Gerais, and Santa Catarina states, on a hunt for gangs of coyotes that smuggle Brazilians illegally into the United States.

About 30 police officers are carrying out raids to serve seven search and five arrest warrants.

Police are looking for clues of the 12 Brazilians who went missing in the Bahamas last November after hiring smugglers in different cities to illegally enter the US via the Bahamas.

According to a police statement, the investigations began after a Brazilian who had hired coyotes for up to $19,000 to enter the US illegally was reported missing. Before leaving Brazil, the illegal immigrants waited in cities within easy access to international airports until they were instructed to depart for the Bahamas with the help of a local immigration officer.

Once landing in the Bahamas, the immigrants waited for several days to sail to the US. According to Federal Police, the coyotes had not told them about the real dangers of the illegal crossing.

Translated by Mayra Borges