An arsenal with 11 high-powered rifles and a submachine gun was seized by the Federal Police and Federal Highway Police on Saturday morning on President Dutra Highway, near Seropédica, in the Baixada Fluminense region. Among the weapons was a .50 caliber rifle, capable of piercing some types of armor and hitting aircraft. The vehicle driver was arrested on the spot.
The shipment left São Paulo and was bound for the capital of Rio de Janeiro state. According to preliminary investigations, the material was to be delivered to criminal factions that control territories in Rio de Janeiro. The seizure occurred during a joint operation focused on inspecting cargo vehicles entering the state.
When agents deepened the inspection of the merchandise compartment of a van, they found the weapons camouflaged among legitimate cargo. .50 caliber armaments have high firepower and can be equipped with telescopic sights for high-precision shots.
