Joint operation seizes over 200 kilos of wire at a scrapyard in the city center.

The operation seized copper wires and cables that will undergo forensic analysis to determine their origin. Photos: Fábio Costa/SEOP

The Rio de Janeiro City Hall, integrated with the State Government's Security Forces, carried out an operational action on Wednesday morning (September 8th) by the Integrated Nucleus for Combating Cable Theft and Receiving, focusing on scrap yards. Agents were at Rua Leandro Martins, 51, Centro, where they found more than 200 kilos of wires in a scrap yard that will be expropriated and its area incorporated into urban planning for the implementation of more efficient public policies, focusing on environmental and urban planning regularization. The establishment was closed due to sanitary and structural risks.

The operation, which began around 8:30 am, seized copper wires and cables that will undergo further analysis to determine their origin, and collected debris and recyclable materials. All materials will be sent to storage facilities for cataloging. In addition to agents from the Municipal Secretariat of Public Order, the operation also involved CET-Rio, Comlurb, COR, Civil Defense, the Municipal Guard, the Sanitary Surveillance Institute, Rioluz, the Municipal Secretariat of Urban Development, and the Subprefecture of the Center, as well as the concessionaires Light and Águas do Rio, and the security forces of the State Government, including the Civil Police, the Military Police, and the Secretariat of Public Security.

Established by decree, the Integrated Center for Combating Cable Theft and Receiving Stolen Goods is coordinated by SEOP and gathers information from security forces, municipal agencies, and concessionaires in a single environment. The structure includes representatives from the agencies that make up the Municipal Security System, Rioluz, and CET-Rio. The objective is to identify locations, times, and recurring patterns of thefts, map scrap yards and establishments suspected of receiving stolen goods, cross-reference information on incidents and stolen materials, and produce intelligence to guide inspections, investigations, and joint operations.

The operations focus on the entire criminal chain, encompassing the theft, transportation, storage, receiving, and sale of the materials. The Nucleus's actions also cover traffic light and public lighting components, power and telecommunications network equipment, transportation, monitoring, and security system structures, as well as covers, grates, railings, and other metallic components of urban infrastructure.