Rio Homicide Police Target ‘Adilsinho’ in 2022 Cigarette-Mafia Killing as Two Suspects Remain at Large

Overview

• The Capital Homicide Unit executed warrants on February 5 tied to the 2022 shooting of Fabrício Alves Martins de Oliveira, who investigators link to the illicit cigarette trade.
• Police say José Ricardo Gomes Simões was already imprisoned and military police officer Daniel Figueiredo Maia surrendered, while Alex de Oliveira Matos and Adilson ‘Adilsinho’ Coutinho Filho remain fugitives.
• On January 29, the 2nd Criminal Court accepted the case filed by state prosecutors, formally making the four suspects defendants in the homicide.
• Investigators attribute roles in the plot, alleging Adilsinho ordered the killing, José Ricardo handled planning, Maia gathered intelligence, and Alex took part in the ambush after five months of monitoring.
• Authorities report the hit squad used counterfeit Civil Police shirts and balaclavas to approach and escape, as Adilsinho publicly denies involvement and federal probes tie his network to illicit cigarette production financed since 2018 by an illegal online casino.