Manga Sales Scam Investigation Leads to Raids in Pádua and Itaocara

Civil Police executed four search and seizure warrants on Tuesday, May 22nd, in Santo Antônio de Pádua and Itaocara, located in the Northwest Fluminense region of Brazil. The operation targeted individuals suspected of fraud and tax evasion. The investigation, led by delegate José Paulo Pires of the 136th Police Precinct, began in late April. It was initiated after a rural producer from Bahia reported selling approximately five truckloads of Palmer and Tommy variety mangoes to a group of fraudsters, resulting in an estimated loss of R$ 350,000. Investigators believe the suspects posed as employees of a supermarket chain to perpetrate the scam. During the raids, police seized mobile phones and invoices from the suspects' residences. Authorities have already recovered R$ 60,008, which has been returned to the victim. An additional R$ 35,616 was recovered on Tuesday following the seizure of invoices linked to a distributor in Teresópolis. This distributor, alerted by the police, withheld three payments to the suspects, thereby aiding the investigation. The suspects reportedly rented two temporary warehouses in Santo Antônio de Pádua to receive the mangoes and quickly distribute them to cities like Teresópolis and other destinations within Rio de Janeiro state. The police investigation is ongoing to ensure criminal accountability for all involved parties.