A Brazilian woman is facing more than 15 years in jail after being caught transporting machine guns linked to a feared mobster’s cartel on a coach.
Gabriela de Oliveira de Souza’s baggage was searched by plainclothes investigators during a routine check on a coach from Governador Island in the state of Rio de Janeiro to Salvador, the capital of the state of Bahia.
In total the officers confiscated two machine guns, five guns and various ammunition.
The woman told the officers that she agreed to transfer the bag after being paid for the service by a man she did not know in the favela of Rocinha.
Gabriela claimed that she was unaware of its contents.
As part of their investigations, the police officers searched various social media platforms – and discovered images of Gabriela posing with weapons. In one image, Gabriela is seen posing with an armed man. While she holds a cigarette and a bottle of beer, the stock of the machine gun around her shoulder reads ‘Bandida’.
The weapons found in Gabriela’s travel baggage reportedly featured no serial numbers.
Now Gabriela has been charged with the illegal possession of weapons. She faces up to 16 years in prison.
Investigators are convinced that she had acted in the service of John Wallace da Silva Viana, also known as Johny Bravo, the most-feared mobster of the slum of Rocinha.
Bravo – who is wanted for human trafficking and the formation of armed gangs – is considered being the leading figure in the illegal drug trade in Rocinha.
Local media reported the confiscation this Monday (3rd April) but have not indicated whether Gabriela has just temporarily been detained or put into preventive custody.