10/24/2023 – 13:51
The investigations into the theft of 21 machine guns from the arsenal of the Southeast Military Command, in Barueri, Greater São Paulo, are still ongoing. Since the absence discovered during an inspection on October 10 of this year, the Southeast Military Command has kept almost 500 soldiers stationed to identify relevant data to help uncover the facts involved in the disappearance of the weapons. With the progress of investigations, the São Paulo War Arsenal (AGSP) is no longer on standby, that is, there are no longer any personnel stationed there.
“All military personnel from the Military Organization carry out normal working hours”, said the Southeast Military Command this Tuesday, 24.
Amid the crisis caused by the theft of weapons, last Friday, the 20th, the Army command announced the change of director of the São Paulo War Arsenal, Lieutenant Colonel Rivelino Barata de Sousa Batista. The change was published in the Official Gazette of the Union. Colonel Mário Victor Vargas Júnior was appointed to the post.
Check out what the investigation has shown so far.
When was the absence of weapons noticed?
The absence of weapons was noticed during an inspection at the site on October 10 of this year. According to the Army, the material was unusable and had been collected for maintenance, but it did not clarify the nature of the problem and whether the defect was correctable enough to be repaired and used by criminals.
Immediately, the Southeast Military Command said it had opened a military police investigation to investigate the circumstances of the incident. The Army described the incident as “a discrepancy in the control” of weapons and said it had taken all measures to investigate the case.
What types of weapons are missing?
Among the weapons stolen were 21 machine guns (13 of the .50 type and eight of the 7.62 mm caliber).
What are the characteristics of machine guns stolen from the Army?
Technical documents from the Armed Forces indicate that the .50 weighs 38.1 kilos, not counting another 20 kilos for the tripod that accommodates the weapon on the ground. It is 1.75 meters long and effectively hits targets over a kilometer away. It is considered non-portable because it is not easily transported actively, but, in addition to the ground, it can be installed on land and water vehicles and has supports aimed at low-altitude aerial targets.
The weapon has been used by the United States since the 1930s. It was intensively used during the Second World War. It also has widespread use among nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and was acquired by the Brazilian Army.
Here, the machine gun is even used in A-29 Super Tucano fighters, produced by Embraer and which are part of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) fleet. Each aircraft has two .50 machine guns as part of the armament available for the military operation. The equipment’s operational advantage is the ability to pierce armor, especially civilian armor, such as those present in armored car models used by value carriers.
Machine guns have high firepower: the .50 can fire 550 rounds per minute and cause helicopters to crash.
What is this type of weaponry for and who could it be of interest to?
Due to their high firepower, .50 machine guns became coveted by organized criminal organizations, such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV), which have specialized gunsmiths.
The 7.62 caliber has been adopted by the Army as standard combat weapons since the 1960s.
Were soldiers stationed?
Almost 500 soldiers were kept stationed in the city’s unit while the investigation was carried out. Little by little, they were released. This Tuesday, the 24th, the Southeast Military Command said that there were no longer any personnel stationed.
The Army’s investigations suggested the hypothesis that it was a soldier or a group of soldiers from within the barracks who planned the theft of the machine guns.
The military were interviewed so that it was possible to identify relevant data for the investigation. Some of the soldiers were released from the unit on October 18th. Then the rest.
How is the investigation going?
At least 20 soldiers will face disciplinary proceedings for the theft of 21 weapons from the Army War Arsenal. Of these, seven are suspected of direct participation in the diversion of weapons, according to the Southeast Military Command.
On Monday, the 23rd, the Military Court of São Paulo decreed the breach of telephone, telematic and banking confidentiality of the seven soldiers suspected of participating in the theft. The measure was enacted at the request of the Southeast Military Command (CMSE), which opened a Police-Military Inquiry (IPM) to investigate the case.
The names of the suspects were not revealed. In addition to those suspected of direct involvement in the theft, another 13 are accused of negligence while on duty and could be subject to disciplinary punishment. For now, there is no soldier indicted for the crime.
The investigations carried out by the Army were concentrated among soldiers who were on duty between the 5th and 8th of September at the Arsenal, when the weapons were probably stolen.
In the context of criminal investigation, the possible crimes committed, according to the Military Penal Code, are: theft; embezzlement; reception; and disappearance, consumption or loss. The classification of crimes is the responsibility of the Military Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Parallel to the criminal investigation, in the disciplinary sphere, the possible punishments are: warning; disciplinary impediment; rebuke; disciplinary detention; and disciplinary arrest of up to 30 days, according to the Southeast Military Command.
Who is the main suspect of receiving weapons in São Paulo?
A criminal with a history of bank robbery is named as the main suspect for having received part of the machine guns stolen from the Army War Arsenal in Barueri, in the metropolitan region, according to an investigation by the São Paulo Civil Police. Without intending to keep the weapons, he would have offered them to members of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), a dominant criminal organization in the State.
Last Friday night, however, the Civil Police frustrated the negotiations and intercepted a considerable part of the stolen weapons.
How many weapons were found?
In total, 17 of the 21 weapons taken from the War Arsenal were recovered by this Tuesday, the 24th. Four .50 caliber machine guns are still missing.
The seizure of the first eight machine guns occurred at the entrance to Gardênia Azul, a neighborhood in the west of Rio de Janeiro, on Thursday, 19th. They were on their way to Comando Vermelho (CV), the main criminal faction in the capital of Rio de Janeiro.
Before being found in a car parked at the entrance to Gardênia Azul, a community next to Cidade de Deus, the weapons passed through Complexo da Penha, in the north zone, and the Rocinha favela, in the south zone.
SP police find 9 stolen machine guns in mud
The state secretary of Public Security of São Paulo, Guilherme Derrite, announced in the early hours of last Saturday, the 21st, that the intelligence work of the Civil Police found five .50 machine guns and four 7.62 mm machine guns stolen from the Army barracks in Barueri, in Metropolitan region.
In a statement, the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) pointed out that the seizures occurred last Friday night, on Estrada Municipal Emil Scaff, in São Roque, a municipality in São Paulo around 35 km from Barueri. The weapons were in a mud area.
Are the searches for weapons continuing?
The search to find the four .50 caliber machine guns that are still missing continues. Both the Army and the São Paulo Civil Police say they will go “to the end” to recover the weapons.
The theft of the 21 weapons is the largest ever to happen in the recent history of the Brazilian Army, according to the Sou da Paz Institute. Until then, the biggest record had been the theft of seven rifles from a battalion in Caçapava, in the interior of São Paulo, in 2009. The weapons were quickly recovered and the suspects, including a soldier, were arrested.
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