Operation Car Wash corruption investigation moves to stage 23

Federal Police launched a new stage in its Operation Car Wash corruption investigation this morning (February 22). About 300 Federal Police officers are serving 38 search and seizure warrants, six temporary detentions, five bench arrests, and two preventive detentions.

The 51 warrants are served in the states of Bahia (Salvador and Camaçari), Rio de Janeiro (Angra dos Reis, Petrópolis, and Mangaratiba) and São Paulo (São Paulo, Campinas, and Poá).

Stage 23 of Operation Car Wash has been dubbed “Acarajé”, a reference to the suspects' slang code for “cash”.

This stage of the investigation focuses on a business group suspected of paying kickback money; one bag man in the Petrobras kickback scandal; and a group that has been paid about $7 million in kickbacks.

The prisoners will be taken to a Federal Police building in Curitiba, where they will await further orders from the local Federal Court.

Translated by Mayra Borges