Brazilian authorities have arrested a 60-year-old man identified as Sérgio Antônio Lopes while he was already seated inside an aircraft preparing to depart for Rio de Janeiro.
The arrest took place on Monday morning as part of a police operation codenamed “Fasten Your Seatbelts,” aimed at dismantling an organized criminal network involved in the sexual exploitation of minors.
According to Brazil’s Department of Homicide and Protection of Persons (DHPP), Lopes is suspected of participating in a trafficking ring linked to child pornography and exploitation. Investigators allege that he transported victims to motels using falsified identification documents.
In a related development, a 55-year-old woman was also detained for allegedly exploiting her own granddaughters for financial gain. Police confirmed that search and seizure warrants are currently being executed in São Paulo and in the town of Guararema, where the suspect resides.
Airline operator Latam Airlines released a statement confirming that it has launched an internal investigation into the incident and pledged full cooperation with law enforcement authorities.
The investigation remains ongoing as police work to identify additional victims and suspects connected to the case.
