A man accused of murdering a blonde drug dealer known as ‘Trafficking Barbie’ has been seized with a gun and narcotics by police in Brazil.

Matheus Rogerio Machado de Castro, 26, is a prime suspect in the gangland-style execution of victim Fernanda Caroline Chaves Pinho in front of a nightclub.

Sex worker Chaves Pinho, 25, was shot down four years ago (25th September 2019) in a territorial dispute between traffickers.

Now the man said to have pulled the trigger has been arrested at a party in the neighbourhood of Santo Antonio, in Manaus, the capital of the north-western Brazilian state of Amazonas, after an anonymous tip-off to police, according to local media.

Machado de Castro was seized on Sunday, 19th March with a loaded 38-calibre revolver, cocaine, cannabis and the synthetic opioid OxyContin.

He was arrested for drug trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm, but at the time of arrest, the police recognised him as the alleged perpetrator of Chaves Pinho’s murder, according to local media.

Chaves Pinho had been involved with Brazilian criminal organisations Comando Vermelho and one of its rivals, Familia do Norte.

Both organisations are known to be heavily involved in drug trafficking as well as arms trafficking, protection racketeering, kidnappings for ransom, armed robberies and hijackings.

Machado de Castro was taken to the 19th district police station.

It is currently unclear if he has been formally charged.