President of Mocidade is arrested in MPRJ operation against new top of the game of bicho

The president of the samba school Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel, Flávio da Silva Santos, known as Pepé or Flávio of Mocidade, was arrested on Friday in an operation by the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ) against the ‘new top of the game of bicho’. Pepé and the crime boss Rogério de Andrade were charged with a criminal organization focused on the exploitation of gambling.

The operation was carried out by the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco/MPRJ), with support from the Security and Intelligence Coordination (CSI/MPRJ). Two arrest warrants and eight search and seizure warrants were executed against the two accused.

In addition to them, Vinicius Drumond, also identified as a member of the so-called ‘new top of the game of bicho’ and an ally of Andrade and Pepé, is also the target of nine search warrants.

The judicial orders, issued by the 1st Special Court for Organized Crime of the Capital District, were carried out at properties in Rio de Janeiro, at the samba school Imperatriz Leopoldinense and at a haras located in Cachoeiras de Macacu.

The Justice Department also determined, at Gaeco’s request, that Rogério de Andrade remain in federal prison and that Flávio of Mocidade, still subject to an arrest warrant, be included in high-security federal regime.

According to investigations conducted in the Criminal Investigative Procedure (CIP) since 2014, Rogério and Flávio have been leading the main organization responsible for the exploitation of gambling in Rio. The indictment also describes the direct management of betting points, as well as involvement in violent disputes with rival groups — including the one led by Fernando Iggnácio, who was murdered in November 2020, a crime attributed to the crime boss.

The Public Ministry also points out that the defendants maintain a systematic corruption scheme in units of the Civil Police and the Military Police, through the payment of bribes to ensure the continuity of illegal activities.

Friday’s operation also has the support of the Delegation for the Repression of Organized Criminal Actions and Special Investigations (Draco-IE) of the Civil Police.