Brazilian TV reporter arrested for alleged links with drug cartel

[News_Editor]

Brazilian TV reporter arrested for alleged links with drug cartel

2011-01-08 05:55:10 GMT+7 (ICT)

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (BNO NEWS) -- A Brazilian television reporter was arrested on Thursday for alleged links to a local drug trafficking organization, the Journal do Brasil newspaper reported on Friday.

Maritano Forlin, 28, was arrested at her Parana home after being suspected of passing information to the criminal gang. She was part of the 17 people detained in an operation against drug trafficking in Campo Mourao.

Forlin is a reporter who last worked for the Independence Communications Network (ICN), a television station in Parana three months ago. She is also allegedly the girlfriend of one of the gang leaders.

Police monitored the TV reporter as due to her profession she did interviews with public officials. She gathered a fair amount of information in regards to government investigations and passed such data to drug traffickers.

The information was transferred via phone calls which were eventually recorded by police investigators. Forlin passed the information in order to receive information on crimes to obtain exclusive stories.

Police recorded calls between the journalist and drug gang leaders. She gave them data on the status of investigations and in return she was tipped off on upcoming crime scenes to be the first to arrive and break the news first.

In one of the recordings, Forlin is heard complaining to a drug leader about the recent lack of homicides in the area. The gang is allegedly responsible for all the murders in Campo Mourao last year.

Forlin is being questioned by the police and is charged with conspiracy and trafficking association. The drug gang is estimated to earn about $20,000 per month due to trafficking of marijuana, crack and cocaine.

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