Niterói ISP Reports Criminal Attacks on Technicians, Warns of Service Disruptions

A Niterói-based internet service provider, Leste Fluminense, has reported that its technicians are being threatened and intimidated by criminals in the Região Oceânica area of the municipality. These criminal groups are reportedly preventing legitimate companies from working, aiming to establish a monopoly on internet service within local communities. The most recent incident occurred on Thursday, February 2nd, in the Engenho do Mato neighborhood, where employees were held hostage and subsequently expelled. In a statement to its customers, Leste Fluminense warned that it may cease performing repairs and new installations in streets classified as high-risk areas due to these threats. The company stated that "traffickers who call themselves 'owners' of these locations" are issuing directives, leading to repeated sabotage and direct threats against their staff. This situation could result in the company being barred from providing services by these individuals, who wish to exclusively promote a provider linked to them as the sole option in the Região Oceânica. The warning specifically applies to residents in the Engenho do Mato, Maravista, and Parque Rural neighborhoods. The Civil Police have opened an inquiry into the criminal activities reported in Engenho do Mato and are conducting investigations. The Military Police have increased patrols in the area and are urging the public to report any criminal information to the Disque Denúncia hotline or to call 190 for emergencies. The Conexis union, representing telecommunications companies, has highlighted that such access blockages can compromise service maintenance and installation, threatening the safety of technical teams and impacting service quality. Conexis advocates for coordinated action from the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches to ensure the secure provision of telecommunications services.