In a significant ruling, the São Paulo court has ordered the freezing of 48 properties in Rio Grande do Sul and R$ 500 million found in bank accounts associated with the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), a notorious criminal organization in Brazil. The public prosecutor's office (MP-SP) has indicated that these assets were acquired through proceeds from drug trafficking activities concentrated in the Cracolândia neighborhood, an area in downtown São Paulo known for its high drug use and trafficking rates.

The investigation revealed that the drug money was laundered through shell companies, which then invested in real estate in Rio Grande do Sul, far from the scene of their illicit operations. This financial maneuvering raises concerns about the sophisticated methods employed by criminal organizations to conceal their profits and assets, making it harder for law enforcement to trace illicit funds back to their sources. According to the prosecutor's office, the seized assets could potentially be returned to the state following a final judicial ruling.

The court’s decision follows an extensive operation conducted in June 2024 that led to the shutdown of numerous hotels and guesthouses used as fronts for drug trafficking in São Paulo's central region. During the course of the investigation, authorities analyzed the bank accounts of three drug trafficking leaders who were captured in the operation and identified suspicious cash deposits, raising red flags about the financial networks supporting criminal activities in Brazil. This case highlights the ongoing battle against organized crime and the efforts of Brazilian authorities to dismantle these operations through financial investigations and asset seizures.