National Force agents arrive at RN after attacks, 28 were arrested

One hundred National Security Force agents arrived in Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte, early this Wednesday (15) to help contain the wave of criminal attacks that occurred in at least 18 cities in the state since Monday night (13 ). Another group of one hundred agents and another 30 vehicles landed in the city during the morning.

The reinforcement was authorized by Minister Flávio Dino, of Justice, after a request from Governor Fátima Bezerra (PT) in view of the situation in the state. In addition to the National Force, another 30 agents from the federal prison system will reinforce services at the Federal Penitentiary of Mossoró, a maximum security prison where members of a criminal faction that operates inside and outside prisons are housed.

Security authorities in Rio Grande do Norte believe that the attacks are retaliation by criminal drug trafficking organizations after police operations carried out last week. One of the alleged leaders of the attacks was transferred this Tuesday (14) to the Federal Penitentiary System.

The name and to which unit he was transferred were not disclosed. “The Federal Penitentiary System is responsible for the custody of highly dangerous prisoners and its main objective is to isolate organized crime leaders to guarantee order and security in Brazil,” said the National Secretariat for Penal Policies (Senappen) in a note.

Since the beginning of the attacks on Monday night (13), the security forces have arrested 28 suspects according to the most recent balance sheet released this Wednesday morning (15), including a teenager, three recaptured fugitives from justice, one detainee in freedom with monitoring by electronic ankle bracelet carrying a firearm, and a suspect sent to the hospital.

Six firearms, 30 explosive devices, eight gallons of gasoline, cash, drugs and ammunition, among others, were also seized.