In Brazil, the First Command of the Capital (PCC) and Red Command (CV) target city governments for profitable contracts.
PCC has evolved from a notorious Brazilian prison gang into a powerful criminal organization.
It engages in drug trafficking, money laundering, and exerts significant influence inside and outside Brazil’s prisons.
Operating mainly in Rio de Janeiro, the Red Command (CV) traffics drugs, smuggles arms, and violently clashes with rival gangs, dominating the city’s criminal landscape.
They launder drug money by backing local office candidates, unlike their lesser interest in higher positions.
Reports from “Estadão” newspaper on February 19 expose their deep reach into public administration, detailing how gangs secure contracts through corruption, leading to severe outcomes like penalties and violence.
This trend signals a shift towards mafia-like operations, alarming national security. Experts highlight the public security risk.
The PCC’s infiltration began two decades ago, focusing on São Paulo’s transport sector.
Now, their tactics include manipulating health, waste management, and land use sectors and supporting candidates across cities.
In Arujá, PCC’s Anderson Lacerda Pereira led bid-rigging and medical supply diversion for drugs.
Similarly, in Ceará and Bahia, CV and militias push for councilor positions to win public contracts, a method seen in Rio de Janeiro.
This strategy aims at laundering proceeds from their criminal activities.
Organized crime now affects 48 million Brazilians, with criminal ties spanning political parties, posing a threat to the 2024 elections.
The PCC’s illegal land developments threaten environmental safety, urging a focus on the elections as a pivotal moment in combating organized crime’s influence in legitimate arenas.