In a recent operation by the Cascavel Police Department, several Colombians and Brazilians were arrested for usury and extortion in Cascavel, a city in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza, Brazil. The suspects had been offering loans at exceedingly high-interest rates to merchants in the area, which quickly escalated into illegal and abusive collection practices. Victims faced exorbitant fees that made it impossible for them to repay their debts, creating a cycle of economic exploitation and desperation.

As their debts grew unmanageable, the suspects resorted to threats and coercion, including threats of death, to enforce payment. The investigation revealed a pattern of harassment that not only endangered the victims' financial stability but also their safety, as the perpetrators would forcibly seize personal belongings from those who owed them money. The severity of the situation prompted a prompt response from the law enforcement agencies in the region.

Ultimately, law enforcement was able to arrest the perpetrators in both Cascavel and Fortaleza, and they have been charged with criminal association, extortion, theft, and crimes against the popular economy. This case highlights the ongoing issue of economic exploitation through predatory lending practices in Brazil, particularly affecting vulnerable local merchants who are often left without recourse against such criminal tactics.