THE Hague, 29 Sept. - (ANA) - Two successful investigations by Italian and Brazilian authorities have dealt decisive blows to criminal networks operating in both countries. Through fruitful cooperation, authorities discovered the deep criminal ties connecting the Italian and Brazilian criminal worlds. According to an evaluation of the investigations, the outcomes of the operations would not have been possible without the joint investigation teams (JITs) set up at Eurojust.

 

JITs are one of the most advanced forms of judicial cooperation possible. By signing an agreement, authorities can exchange information regularly, cooperate in real time and carry out operations jointly. This also enables them to be present during investigative measures in each other’s countries. Eurojust and its JITs Network Secretariat support the establishment of joint investigation teams, provide financial support, and offer operational and legal expertise. In 2024 alone, Eurojust supported over 360 JITs.

 

Italian authorities have collaborated with their Brazilian counterparts to combat criminal networks active in both countries. These cases demonstrate the importance of international cooperation through JITs in combating transnational organised crime, and underline the crucial role of Eurojust as a hub for such collaboration.

 

The first JIT focused on a cocaine trafficking route linked to ‘Ndrangheta, a mafia-type criminal organisation based in the Calabria region of Italy, with affiliated clans operating in Brazil. Investigations into the criminal group began following the arrest of two mafia members in Brazil in 2019. A JIT was set up in 2020, which discovered a cocaine trafficking route involving the transportation of over 1,500 kg of cocaine to Europe, concealed in cargo ships and private aircraft. During an operation on 10 December 2024, conducted in collaboration with Europol, 24 suspects were arrested, including 5 in Italy and 18 in Brazil. Prior to this, the JIT had captured one of the world’s most powerful drug brokers, a convicted Mafia fugitive who had escaped from a Uruguayan prison in 2019. The authorities worked together to locate and arrest the mafia boss in Brazil in 2021. He is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence in Italy.

 

The second JIT uncovered a sophisticated money laundering scheme used by a powerful Cosa Nostra network to launder mafia proceeds through multiple shell companies and straw men into properties and hospitality businesses in Italy, Brazil and Hong Kong. A JIT has been investigating the scheme since 2022, resulting in two successful operations where financial assets worth EUR 51 million were frozen, five suspects were arrested, and multiple companies were seized in Italy, Brazil and Hong Kong.

 

Following the conclusion of the cases, the JITs Network Secretariat conducted an evaluation of the JIT process. The evaluation highlights the effectiveness of JITs in tackling complex financial crimes and combating global drug trafficking networks. JITs have proven essential in overcoming legal and operational barriers, securely sharing evidence and coordinating simultaneous cross-border actions. Without a structured form of cooperation, dismantling criminal groups and extensive money laundering networks would have been impossible.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/29 September 2025  - - -