A Brazilian businessman, with ties to one of the country’s most powerful criminal groups, was shot dead at Guarulhos airport in Sao Paolo.
Antônio Vinicius Gritzbach recently entered into a plea bargain with local prosecutors to provide information about the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) – or First Capital Command.
As a result, he received death threats from the gang, local media reported.
Three other people were injured in the attack, with online footage showing the aftermath. Police said officers were deployed to the airport and surrounding area.
The moment two hooded men got out of the car holding submachine guns and started shooting outside the airport terminal was recorded by security cameras.
Gritzbach, a former PCC member, dropped his bag and tried to run away – but he was shot multiple times and died at the scene.
As a cryptocurrency expert, Gritzbach is telling officials how he helped the gang launder millions of dollars.
Reports in Brazilian media suggest he was once considered a key figure in the cartel’s operations.
As part of the plea agreement, Gritzbach promised to help investigators locate the other members and turn over documents.
In return, Sao Paolo prosecutors reportedly offered Gritzbach a judicial pardon and a reduced sentence for money laundering.
The PCC was founded in the early 1990s and has become one of Brazil’s most feared drug gangs. However, its members are not limited to Latin America.
Last year, a report by Portugal’s own security agency showed that the group had 1,000 associates in the European country’s capital Lisbon.
Sao Paolo’s Organized Crime Task Force estimates that in 2023 the PCC earned nearly $1 billion from the international cocaine trade.
