The First Capital Command (PCC), Brazil’s largest transnational organized crime syndicate and Latin America’s largest drug trafficking organization, has successfully established a foothold in Sydney, Australia, according to a report. published Argentine news agency Infobae reported on Thursday.
Infobae reports that, according to information reviewed by the press and reports from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the PCC has set up two cells in Sydney and a local prison controlled by the Indrangheta Mafia, one of Italy’s oldest mafias. It was reported that they were working in cooperation with motorcycle gangs. Italian mafia organization and long-time business partner of his PCC in Brazil.
PCC is explained The organization, which was recognized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 2021 as “the most powerful organized crime group in Brazil and one of the most powerful organized crime groups in the world,” was originally founded in 1993 as an inmate at São Paulo’s Taubaté Prison. was founded by a group of people. At least two inmates have died.
Over the past 30 years, PCC has made dramatic advances. grown It has transformed into a full-fledged transnational criminal and drug trafficking organization, boasting more than 40,000 members and approximately 60,000 “contractors.” PCC has expanded beyond Brazil to include the United States and other South American, African, and European countries.
Members of the Bolivarian National Police patrol the Tocolon Prison on a quad bike in Tocolon, Aragua, Venezuela, on September 23, 2023. Bosses of the Torren de Aragua gang, which used Tocolon prison as a base for international criminal activities, have escaped. (Yuri Cortes/AFP via Getty Images)
PCC is believed to have alliances with other South American drug trafficking organizations, including Venezuela’s Torren de Aragua. In front of you In the US.
The PCC’s criminal activities reportedly range from murder, prison riots, drug and human trafficking, bank and highway robbery, kidnapping and ransom, money laundering, bribery, usury, and obstruction of justice. , revenue At least $1 billion since 2020.
In addition to being responsible for around 50 percent of Brazil’s cocaine exports to Europe, the PCC’s alliance with Italy’s ‘Ndrangheta mafia has enabled Brazilian crime syndicates to establish branches in Australia over the past two years. Infobae reported that.
The ‘Ndrangheta has maintained a presence in Australia since at least the early 20th century. Experts have described the Australian branch of the Indrangheta organization as “much more aggressive and violent” than its original Italian parent group.
“The Indrangheta are flooding Australia with drugs and have become part of Australia’s gangs,” the Australian Federal Police report said. “Members of the Indrangheta have become very powerful here, controlling some of the local gangs who transport drugs and commit acts of violence on their behalf.”
A view of the bunker built especially for the first hearing of the largest trial against more than 300 defendants of the ‘Ndrangheta crime syndicate, near the town of Lamezia Terme in Calabria, southern Italy, on January 13, 2021. (Valeria Ferraro/LaPresse (via AP, File)
Infobae said authorities have seen an evolution in PCC modus operandi in Australia in recent years, from simply supplying drugs to local traffickers from Brazil, to “more than just supplying drugs for transport” thanks to PCC’s presence in the country. He argued that it is evolving into a “stronger and more direct” tool. . PCC was reportedly able to transport the men from one continent to another and provide “logistics services” to buyers in Australia.
An example of this was described by the Argentine press: case Testimony of Brazilian repair diver Bruno Borges, whose body was found near the Australian port of Newcastle in 2022. Mr Borges, 31 at the time of his death, is believed to have been hired by PCC drug smugglers to fly to Australia to help recover $20 million worth of cocaine hidden in the hull of a cargo ship.
Infobae reports that authorities believe Borges himself was the one who hid the cocaine in Brazil and therefore knew the exact location of the drugs hidden on the ship.
The paper claimed there was increased vigilance over the trade route between Australia and the Pacific Islands, which “may be strategic in its location from a criminal perspective”.
“Pacific islands are located along trade arteries linking Asia and the Americas with Australia and New Zealand, and these countries have some of the world’s most lucrative pharmaceutical consumption markets,” says the Global Anti-Drug Initiative. said Virginia Comolli, Pacific Program Director. Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), a Geneva-based non-governmental organization, explained to Infobae.
“Asian syndicates, Latin American cartels, biker gangs and criminals of all kinds use the island as a transit point for cocaine, synthetic drugs and, to a lesser extent, heroin,” Comolli stressed.
Journalists attend a press conference regarding the seizure of approximately 200 kilograms of cocaine at the Federal Police East Flanders Station in Dendermonde on June 25, 2021. The Federal Judiciary Police (FGP) East Flanders Division inspected a ship carrying orange juice from Santos, Brazil. , to the port of Ghent. The Australian Federal Police had shared useful information with FGP East Flanders Regional Police as part of the ongoing investigation. (Nicolas Maeterlinck/Berga/AFP via Getty Images)
Infobae claimed that PCC is seeking to expand supply in the pharmaceutical market in addition to its existing cocaine and marijuana trade, and has long had an interest in expanding into synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and synthetic opiates such as fentanyl. .
The newspaper highlighted that the Brazilian government had recently opened a new trade route with Vanuatu. Infobae warned that large quantities of chicken have been sighted along this route. arrival Since last year, it could be exploited for new drug trafficking routes.
“Unfortunately, trade routes are often exploited by organized crime to transport illegal goods, and Pacific islands have particular vulnerabilities that can make them very attractive to Brazilian drug traffickers. Yes,” Infobay said.
Komolli pointed out that there are two categories of factors that promote illegal activities on the islands.
“On the one hand, there are competitive tax systems, corporate law structures, open maritime registers and golden passport systems that Pacific governments have deliberately introduced to attract foreign companies and investors.” said Komolli.
“Meanwhile, vulnerabilities range from lack of oversight and enforcement capacity to insufficient technical expertise, weak due diligence processes and, in some cases, administrative corruption,” she continued.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
