The Brazilian Federal Police initiated Operation Caminho das Pedras on the morning of Tuesday, the 17th, aiming to investigate a suspected drug trafficking gang involved in international drug trade. A total of 11 search and seizure warrants and two temporary arrest warrants were issued across four states: Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Goiás, and Espírito Santo. In Minas Gerais, actions are being conducted in Governador Valadares, while in São Paulo, they are taking place in the capital; in Goiás, in Goiânia; and in Espírito Santo, in São Mateus.

This operation is a direct offshoot of a significant cocaine seizure, where approximately 1.3 tons of the drug were confiscated at the Cargo Terminal of Confins International Airport in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte in December 2025. The Federal Police revealed that this investigation aims to deepen their efforts to identify those responsible for exporting large drug quantities and other potential members of the criminal network.

The implications of such operations highlight a larger ongoing battle against organized crime and drug trafficking in Brazil, with authorities increasingly concentrating on tracing the supply chains and networks that facilitate these illegal activities. This operation reflects not only the challenges faced by law enforcement in combating drug trafficking but also the expansive reach of global drug trade networks that operate within the country.