Drinking and driving is a scourge that the public authorities are trying to fight strongly. According to data released by Detran-SP (Data from the Sao Paulo State Traffic Department), violations for driving under the influence of alcohol caught at police check points increased 13% in the state of Sao Paulo in May, with 585 fines given, compared to the 515 ones in April. The numbers are based on the inspection of 10.000 vehicles, in 29 cities of the state. 478 of the total infractions were of drivers who refused to take the breathalyzer test; 89 were people driving under the influence of alcohol and 18 were drunk driving.
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Our analysis:
Brazil is very careful when dealing with drunk drivers, due to the high rate of traffic accidents in the country. To fight against this problem, the country has reduced its tolerance for drinking and driving through the passing of “Lei Seca”, implemented on June 19th, 2008. The Brazilian Traffic Code establishes a zero-alcohol limit for drivers and imposes severe penalties for those who violate the norm. Several sanctions are taken if someone is found driving drinking, such as the fines for refusing to take a breathalyzer test and driving under influence of alcohol, which can reach R$ 2.934.70. The drivers, in this case, are subject to the process of suspension of their driver’s license.
It is then very important to be aware of the different sanctions that accompany this law and to remember that contrary to some European countries, even if only one glass was drank, you risk being punished. As a foreigner, it might bring several other issues for permanence in Brazil.
17/06/2022 – Suspects robbed a store inside the SP Market mall, around 18h, in the Interlagos region, South Zone of São Paulo. The suspects fled in a cab. It is not known yet what was taken or if anyone was injured.
19/06/2022 – The Military Police located, inside a car, 42 cell phones stolen during the Pride parade on Paulista Av., downtown São Paulo. Part of the victims went to the police station to recover their phones.
19/06/2022 – The Civil Police seized 64 cell phones in the morning in Operation Dionysus, aimed at curbing crimes against property. Ten suspects were arrested in flagrante during the agents’ action in the coverage of Campos Eliseos (Central Zone), Bom Retiro (Central Zone) and Jardins (West Zone).
20/06/2022 – Camera surveillance filmed the moment when a man was kidnapped by three other men who forced him to get into a car, in Butanta, West Zone of Sao Paulo. By now, the kidnapped man and the criminals have not been identified, since the camera does not show their faces.
21/06/2022 – A man impersonated a police officer and invaded the Civil Police headquarters (Palace of the) in the Sao Paulo Central Zone. Police agents who were at the office became suspicious and discovered that the individual was not a real officer. The accused declared that he was visiting the place and that he would be transferred from Maua. He was arrested.
21/06/2022 – The Military Police discovered a million-dollar scheme of ATM withdrawals during bank fraud in various parts of Sao Paulo. Investigations point to an estimated loss of about R$ 100 million. The scam consists of using cloned cards with faulty identification chips to withdraw R$ 1.000 until the ATM is empty. Five suspects were arrested in Brasilândia, Sao Paulo North Zone, in the afternoon. The next day, two suspects were arrested in Butanta, in the West Zone, at dawn.
22/06/2022 – Five criminals invaded the house of a couple of lawyers at dawn, in the South Zone of Sao Paulo. The police was called and a shootout happened between the officers and the criminals who were trying to flee. Three suspects were arrested, and two others were shot dead by the police. A police officer was also shot dead. The police believes the criminals were part of a criminal group that invaded a manor in Morumbi, in the South Zone of Sao Paulo, and sequestered the family living there.
22/06/2022 – A man, identified as Luiz Carlos Moura Paiva, 23 years old, was found dead in the trunk of a car, on Márcio Miúra Street, in the neighborhood of Jardim do Arariba, south of São Paulo, at around 22h30. The victim had several head injuries, that seemed to be caused by a knife. A note was located next to the body that said “to serve as an example. All those who support the scum will have the same fate. Note: the crime is alive”.
23/06/2022 – The police carried out another operation in downtown Sao Paulo. The goal is to further weaken the trafficking points that have dispersed throughout the region after the action in the former Cracolândia.
23/06/2022 – An off-duty military police officer was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in Tapes St., in Cambuci, in the Central Zone of Sao Paulo, in the morning. The officer was rescued in very serious condition and taken to the Emergency Room Hospital.
23/06/2022 – A criminal robbed a woman’s bicycle and cellphone in Barra Funda, in the Central Zone of Sao Paulo. Shocked and panicked, the woman fainted in the middle of the street.
Our analysis:
Being attacked and robbed in a street is always a traumatic event. People panic and sometimes don’t know how to react to what just happened. It is then very important, especially if you find yourself alone in a street, to try to remain calm. If you panic and lose your control, you may find yourself even more vulnerable to other people around you who might take advantage of your state if they have bad intensions.
24/06/2022 – A military police officer reacted to an attempted robbery on Carlos Magalhães St., in Campo Limpo, South Zone of Sao Paulo, around 5h in the morning. The officer declared he was leaving to work in his car when he was surrounded by at least six suspects on four motorcycles. A shootout happened between the officer and the criminals, but nobody was hurt, and the criminals managed to flee.
