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A Leader of the Largest Crime Organization in Brazil Arrested in Bolivia, Authorities Say
- Brazilian and Bolivian police arrested Marcos Roberto de Almeida, a leader of Brazil's largest criminal group, on Friday, May 16, 2025, in Santa Cruz de La Sierra, Bolivia.
- Since 2020, Almeida had been evading capture internationally after receiving a 12-year prison sentence in Brazil for offenses such as involvement in a criminal syndicate, laundering money, and trafficking drugs.
- Authorities detained Almeida after he presented a forged identity document while addressing immigration matters, triggering confirmation of his true identity by Bolivian forces.
- Brazil’s Federal Police reported that after Bolivian authorities verified his real identity, he was apprehended by a specialized Bolivian unit focused on organized crime, with ties to an international money laundering operation connected to the PCC.
- A hearing scheduled in Bolivia on May 18 will decide Almeida’s transfer to Brazil and potential charges for the false document, with extradition timing depending on bilateral and judicial procedures.
38 Articles
38 Articles
Denver Gazette
The Straits TimesBrazilian drug lord imprisoned in Brasilia after arrest in Bolivia
By Lisandra Paraguassu
Marcos Roberto de Almeida, chief of the First Command of the Capital, was arrested in Santa Cruz de la Sierra while attempting to obtain a false identification
Marcos Roberto de Almeida, known as Tuta, was captured by agents of the Special Force to Fight Crime in a mall in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Associated Press News
A leader of the largest crime organization in Brazil arrested in Bolivia, authorities say
Brazilian and Bolivian police have arrested one of the leaders of Brazil’s biggest criminal organizations in eastern Bolivia after nearly five years on the run.
The Brazilian government considered Tuta's arrest and imprisonment, the chief leader of the PCC outside of the prisons, as a victory against organized crime. The operation in Bolivia, with the cooperation of Brazilian and Bolivian authorities.
Marcos Roberto de Almeida was expelled and was arrested by the 'Special Force to Combat the Crime of Bolivia' by using false documents.
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