Brazilian Federal Police investigates the diversion of agricultural machinery from DNOCS during Bolsonaro's administration.

247 - The Federal Police launched, this Wednesday (12), Operation Metafanismo, to investigate the diversion of agricultural machinery and implements from the National Department of Works against Drought (Dnocs) in Bahia. 

According to information released by Folha de S. Paulo, the irregularities occurred between 2019 and 2021, during the government of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), when the agency was headed by lawyer Lucas Maciel Lobão Vieira in the state.

Lobão had already been investigated in Operation Overclean, which revealed a corruption scheme at DNOCS involving inflated contracts and the misappropriation of public funds through parliamentary amendments. The investigation indicated that a criminal organization linked to the agency moved R$ 1,4 billion in fraudulent contracts, with R$ 825 million in the last year of the operation alone. Now, in the new investigation, he is identified as the mastermind of a scheme that defrauded the allocation of equipment that should have benefited family farming associations.

Fraud in the donation of equipment - Operation Metafanismo identified that agricultural machinery and implements that should have been delivered to rural associations were diverted to third parties through fraudulent administrative processes. According to the Federal Police, the donation documents were forged without the knowledge of the association representatives, and the equipment ended up being sold or transferred to individuals and companies with no connection to family farming.

According to the investigation, the lack of oversight by DNOCS facilitated the embezzlement, allowing those involved to operate undetected. During the investigation, some of the stolen equipment was recovered, and the Federal Police continue to seek evidence to identify others involved in the alleged criminal organization.

The operation involved 35 federal police officers, who executed nine search and seizure warrants in Salvador, Simões Filho, and América Dourada, in Bahia. Those under investigation may face charges of embezzlement, criminal organization, falsification of documents, and money laundering.

History of fraud - Lucas Lobão was appointed coordinator of DNOCS in Bahia with the support of Salvador city councilman Alexandre Aleluia (PL), for whom he was an advisor in the city council of the Bahian capital. During his tenure, he gained political influence and began managing multi-million dollar contracts financed by parliamentary amendments. In 2021, the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU) identified an overpricing of R$ 192 million in the purchase of 470 water tanks by DNOCS, leading to the suspension of the electronic auction.

Dismissed from his position in September 2021, Lobão maintained his influence behind the scenes, brokering contracts for infrastructure companies, including Allpha Pavimentações, one of those involved in the schemes investigated by Operation Overclean.

Now, Operation Metafanismo reinforces suspicions about his actions at DNOCS, revealing a pattern of misappropriation of public funds and manipulation of contracts.

DNOCS has not yet officially commented on the operation. The Federal Police continues to investigate the case and is seeking to recover all the stolen equipment.