Four arrested for attempting to cheat on college entrance exams in Paraná.
The young men, aged between 22 and 28, were arrested with cell phones and electronic devices, through which they would receive data to fill out the answer sheet for the exam.
Four young people, aged between 22 and 28, were arrested yesterday morning in Maringá, northern Paraná, accused of attempting to commit fraud in the medical school entrance exam at Faculdade Ingá (Uningá), a private institution that offers one hundred places.
According to the police, they were arrested with cell phones and electronic devices, through which they would receive data to fill out the exam answer sheet. The police said they have identified a member of the gang who would pass the information to the students and are investigating to find other people involved.
According to police chief Gustavo de Pinho Alves, the police were alerted by an anonymous phone call in which the informant gave the names of people who were allegedly in possession of the equipment. Two women and two men from Pará, Bahia, and Mato Grosso were arrested. Cell phones were found hidden on their bodies and in their clothing.
As of this afternoon, one woman had been released after paying R$ 5 in bail. "All were arrested in the act for attempted fraud," said the police chief.
The exams started at 9 a.m., and the police received the complaint half an hour later. "They said that a third person had given them the cell phones and promised to send messages with the answer keys around noon," stated the police chief. The exams were scheduled to end at 13 p.m.
A young woman, who appeared very nervous, was found with a cell phone strapped to her body and an earpiece. They told police they would pay between R$10 and R$20 if they passed the exam.
Since the cell phones had been seized by the police, the answer key was received at the police station.
Alves said that the information suggests other people had registered as university entrance exam candidates, but would leave early to retrieve the exam questions and relay the results via text message.
The police chief reported that one of the people involved in the gang has already been identified. According to him, their activities take place throughout the country. "Based on how they operate, it's a gang specialized in fraud in public service exams," he emphasized.