The Civil Police of the Federal District (PCDF) announced this Thursday (19) the dismantling of a criminal organization that used illegal betting platforms as a tool to launder money from drug trafficking. The action is part of Operation Hidden Resin, which carried out 41 search and seizure warrants and nine arrest warrants in the Federal District, Goiás, Maranhão and Amazonas.
According to investigations, the group operated a complex structure that included shell companies and sophisticated financial transactions to hide the illicit origin of the resources. The money obtained from trafficking was inserted into the system through betting and, later, returned to the group with the appearance of legal gains.
The operation began in October 2025, after the seizure of 47.4 kilos of hashish and around one kilo of skunk in an unoccupied apartment in Riacho Fundo (DF). From the case, the police initially identified four suspects linked to the storage and distribution of drugs. As investigations progressed, a broader criminal organization was revealed, responsible for both the dissemination of narcotics and money laundering.
According to PCDF, the group acted as a distributor for several drug dealers in the Federal District and surrounding areas, moving significant amounts of money. Part of the resources was sent in million-dollar remittances to Manaus (AM) and other locations in the North region, especially areas close to borders.
Authorities identified that around 15 companies operated irregular online betting platforms, used as an instrument for money circulation and laundering. In some cases, these companies had formal economic activities unrelated to gaming, but promoted betting on social media.
Use of illegal bets
Furthermore, the scheme involved shell companies in cities such as São Luís (MA), where around 20 of these companies are headquartered, and Goiânia (GO). Many were registered in the name of “oranges”, including a 19-year-old young man, a gas station attendant, identified as responsible for companies used in illicit financial transactions.
The investigations also identified another 29 people linked to trafficking who used the same financial flow to hide illegal resources.
In the financial sphere, the Court ordered the blocking of the accounts of 50 companies, with amounts that could reach R$15 million per legal entity, in addition to the hijacking of seven luxury vehicles used by those under investigation. The measures aim to interrupt the flow of illicit resources and recover amounts obtained from criminal activity.
Fonte: Gaming365 – Brasil
