Auctioning goods from narco trade funds anti-drug action in Brazil

In the last three years, Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security held over 500 auctions of assets seized from drug traffickers. Items include luxury cars, ranches, penthouses, and even cattle. The information was reported by Marcelo de Oliveira Andrade, director at the ministry, during a Thursday (Jun 30) interview on radio broadcast A Voz do Brasil.

The new legislation, he said, which allows the sale of these goods before the final trial (when there are no more appeals), has streamlined the process. After the auction, the money goes to the national anti-drug fund FUNAD, which directs it toward the purchase of new equipment, cars, speedboats, drones, intelligence, and research software. “It’s the money from crime, turned against crime,” he said.

Thus far, BRL 70 million has been allocated to the state police and BRL 20 million to the Federal Police and the Federal Highway Police, the director went on to note.