Brazil arrests 50 police officers over colluding with drug traffickers

Brazilian authorities on December 18 arrested at least 50 police officers and three civilians suspected of working for drug traffickers, said the prosecutor's office.

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The wide-reaching operation against police corruption was launched by the internal affairs office of Sao Paulo's Militarized Police.

The suspects were charged with soliciting money from the Primer Comando de la Capital (First Command of the Capital or PCC), the country's most powerful criminal organization.

Some of the officers even participated in drug trafficking, prosecutors said.

The three civilians were charged with selling drugs in southern Sao Paulo.

Most of the officers detained belonged to the 22nd Battalion of Militarized Police.

It was the largest operation against police corruption and drug trafficking in 10 years in Sao Paulo, which is the base of PCC operations.

Xinhua