Rio de Janeiro Police Arrest Penal Officer in Prison Smuggling Scheme

Civil and Penal Police in Rio de Janeiro launched an operation on Monday, June 3rd, targeting a criminal network suspected of facilitating the entry of drugs, cell phones, and other illicit items into state prisons. The operation, led by the Organized Crime Repression Division (Draco) and the State Secretariat of Penal Police (Seppen), involved executing four temporary arrest warrants and ten search and seizure warrants across the capital and its metropolitan region. The primary target of the investigation is penal officer Wagner Jardim Dias, who is believed to be the main facilitator of these smuggling activities. He was apprehended at his residence in Pendotiba, Niterói. The investigation was initiated following a failed attempt in November of the previous year to smuggle approximately 20 kilograms of drugs and 130 cell phones into Nelson Hungria Prison (Bangu 7) within the Gericinó Complex. These items were discovered hidden in bags carried by women who were not registered visitors. Investigations revealed that penal officers conducted only a superficial search, but a tip-off led to the discovery of the contraband before it reached inmates. Subsequent intelligence work, including image analysis, data cross-referencing, and financial investigations, uncovered a structured criminal organization with a division of labor aimed at supplying imprisoned gang members. One key suspect reportedly moved over R$259,000 in unexplained bank transfers, an amount deemed inconsistent with their financial capacity. Wagner Jardim Dias had previously been arrested in November 2025 for related investigations and was detained until February of the current year, before being re-arrested on Monday. As of the operation's commencement, three individuals have been arrested, and the operation remains ongoing.