Portugal’s PJ police are celebrating the capture of a notorious Brazilian drug boss in Cascais, along with his girlfriend – also wanted for various offences, including drug trafficking and money-laundering.
The pair had been living ‘discreetly’ in considerable luxury within a condominium in Cascais, say reports.
Known as ‘Hulk’, Ygor Daniel Zago, 44, has been on the run from Brazilian justice for the best part of 11 years. In 2014, he was condemned to 29 years behind bars for his part in a transatlantic ‘scheme’ between PCC (Brazil’s Primeiro Comando Capital mafia, which already has many members residing in Portugal) and what Correio da Manhã describes as “the mafia of the Balkans”.
Hulk somehow managed to stay out of jail, and left Brazil at some point via Peru, with an onward journey to Italy (where he has dual nationality).
It was only in 2023 that the heat started turning up after it was discovered that Hulk was one of the key players in a PCC money-laundering scheme that involved defrauding Brazilian oil companies out of ‘many millions of euros’ with adulterated fuel.
A statement by the PJ explains: “In 2023, following the seizure of 30,000 litres of methanol, the subsequent investigation into the origin of the seized chemical compound led to the discovery of a criminal organisation involved in the trade of fuel adulterated with methanol, corruption of public officials and concealment of assets and funds derived from these illegal activities.
“The criminal organisation operated in an organised and structured manner, with a clear division of roles. At the head of the organisation was one of the individuals now in custody, who was responsible for making decisions regarding all of the organisation’s activities, issuing orders to subordinates, and managing the criminal group’s financial resources”.
All this decision making/ issuing of orders and managing of financial resources appears to have originated from the ‘tranquility’ of the Cascais luxury condominium in which ‘Hulk’ and his 40-year-old girlfriend were arrested last Friday.
Bank accounts holding what Correio da Manhã calls “illicit funds of PCC” were seized, as were a number of ‘top-of-the-range’ vehicles.
The arrested couple spent the weekend in police custody and will be appearing before a judge today. They are both the subject of international arrest warrants, issued by authorities in Brazil, for the crimes of criminal association, corruption and money-laundering.
Sources: PJ/ Correio da Manhã
