Prosecutor Lincoln Gakiya leads fight against PCC with anti-mafia law in Brazil

Prosecutor Lincoln Gakiya, from São Paulo’s Public Prosecutor’s Office, has dedicated decades to dismantling criminal structures that challenge public order. Born in Presidente Prudente, in São Paulo’s countryside, he entered the legal career aiming to confront threats beyond ordinary streets and prisons. His journey reveals a commitment that turns personal routines into constant targets of retaliation.

From his early years in the role, Gakiya identified patterns of organization that elevate criminal groups to unexpected levels of sophistication. He worked in smaller districts, where direct contact with communities exposed the depth of local infiltrations.

• Graduated in Law from Toledo Prudente University Center in 1990.
• Postgraduate in Criminal Law, currently pursuing a master’s in Military Sciences and Public Security.
• Joined the Public Prosecutor’s Office in 1991, at age 24.
• Initial work in Presidente Bernardes and Presidente Venceslau until 2008.

These early steps paved the way for his engagement in specialized units, focusing on networks that transcend regional borders.

Career in GAECO against criminal structures

Lincoln Gakiya’s entry into the Special Action Group for Combating Organized Crime, GAECO, marked a turning point in his career. In 2008, he took on cumulative roles in Presidente Prudente, combining criminal enforcement with high-complexity investigations. This dual responsibility allowed an integrated view of the mechanisms sustaining illicit activities in prisons and free society.

His initial efforts involved analyzing internal communications in prison units, revealing how leaders maintain remote control over external operations. Gakiya coordinated multidisciplinary teams, integrating intelligence and financial analysis experts to map resource flows.

His persistence in tracking alliances between inmates and external agents resulted in reports that influenced security protocols across the state. He emphasizes the importance of breaking chains of command to prevent coordinated rebellions and territorial expansions.

• Led over 50 operations since 2008, focusing on dismantling cells.
• Collaborated with federal forces in cross-border cases.
• Trained new prosecutors in investigative infiltration techniques.
• Participated in international seminars on organized crime suppression models.

These contributions solidified his reputation as a reference in preventive approaches, always prioritizing irrefutable evidence for swift judicial processes.

Prison transfers that disrupted internal commands

The 2019 operation to relocate key leaders represented one of Gakiya’s greatest challenges. He authorized the transfer of 22 prominent members to federal maximum-security units, aiming to isolate communications orchestrating actions across multiple states. This measure followed interceptions detecting plans for escapes and influence expansion.

The process involved meticulous planning, with route simulations and risk assessments to avoid immediate counterattacks. Gakiya worked with experienced delegates, such as former General Delegate Ruy Ferraz Fontes, to align strategies between the Public Prosecutor’s Office and civil and federal police.

The transfer, executed in February under strict secrecy, involved reinforced escorts and continuous monitoring. Initial results showed a reduction in coordinated incidents within São Paulo’s prisons, though criminal networks adapted soon after.

In subsequent interviews, Gakiya highlighted how this action exposed vulnerabilities in custody systems, leading to reforms in visitation protocols and surveillance technology. The impact extended to parallel investigations, facilitating arrests in supply chains linked to international routes.

Economic infiltrations detected in key sectors

Lincoln Gakiya has focused on uncovering how criminal organizations infiltrate the formal economy, using legitimate companies to launder illicit gains. His investigations reveal their presence in sectors like public transportation, fuels, and financial services, where money laundering occurs through seemingly routine transactions.

In recent operations, such as Fim da Linha, he coordinated actions identifying associations in bus fleets in São Paulo’s capital, with financial movements reaching significant amounts annually. These cases involve data cross-referencing with tax control agencies, exposing patterns of tax evasion and unfair competition in public bids.

Gakiya points to the use of fintechs as a recurring tool, where international transfers disguise dubious origins. He advocates for stricter regulatory frameworks, inspired by foreign models that treat such platforms as full financial institutions.

• Confirmed presence in at least 14 states via Operation Echelon in 2018.
• Estimated billions moved through shell companies in the energy sector.
• Use of properties in Paraguay and Bolivia for controlled substance production.
• Proven funding of local campaigns in border municipalities.
• Infiltration in plants and fuel stations for distribution control.

These findings underscore the need for institutional integrations to block flows before they solidify into permanent structures.

Anti-mafia law as a strategic tool

Gakiya’s involvement in drafting an anti-mafia law responds directly to evolutions observed in his long-term investigations. He participates in Ministry of Justice groups discussing measures to classify criminal actions as terrorist when aimed at intimidating authorities or entire populations.

The proposal includes chapters dedicated to protecting those involved in processes, covering not only prosecutors and judges but also witnesses and victims, with guarantees extended beyond retirement. Gakiya emphasizes creating an autonomous department, similar to Italy’s model, to coordinate permanent task forces and avoid jurisdictional overlaps.

Discussed at seminars like the May 2025 Public Security event, the text proposes standardizations in multi-agency operations, facilitating real-time intelligence sharing. He cites precedents like the Public Security PEC to argue that constitutional alignments would speed up approvals.

The project’s urgency gained traction after recent events, such as executions of former authorities, illustrating gaps in post-career protections. Gakiya notes that without these safeguards, professionals hesitate to advance sensitive cases, compromising the fight’s continuity.

Persistent threats and adopted protection measures

Living under permanent escort has defined Lincoln Gakiya’s daily life for over a decade, resulting from interceptions revealing systematic plans against him. Since the 2019 transfer, threats have intensified, with “decrees” issued by isolated leaders maintaining influence via external networks.

He describes adapted routines, with fortified residences and movements monitored by specialized teams, comparable to presidential protocols. Gakiya mentions near-monthly thwarted attacks, reinforcing his conviction in the need for lifelong security legislation.

At international events, like the May Democracy and Human Rights Seminar, he shares experiences to inspire similar protocols in neighboring countries. These exchanges highlight how Brazil can learn from European agencies in managing risks to public agents.

• Escort composed of eight military police officers in uninterrupted shifts.
• 24-hour monitoring of communications and residential perimeters.
• Periodic training in self-defense and tactical evasion.
• Coordination with federal units for transnational alerts.

Despite restrictions, Gakiya maintains lectures and academic contributions, using his master’s in Public Security to train resilient new investigators.

Recent operations exposing global ramifications

In recent weeks, actions coordinated under Gakiya’s influence dismantled cells linked to South American supply routes. Operation Carbono Oculto, for example, blocked financial transactions connecting Paraguayan plantations to Brazilian markets, with record-breaking seizures.

He led analyses linking these networks to infiltrations in securities markets, where assets are diluted into legitimate investments. Gakiya collaborates with Italian prosecutors to adapt asset forfeiture techniques, aiming to deplete resources funding expansions.

These operations reveal how organized crime adopts corporate models, with specialized divisions in logistics and accounting. In one case, drones were identified for border deliveries, prompting adaptations in aerial surveillance tactics against authorities.

Gakiya engages in debates on the terrorist nature of acts paralyzing public services, like the 2006 events, advocating for legal frameworks capturing collective panic intentions. His vision integrates intelligence data to predict movements, ensuring proactive responses.

International collaborations strengthen investigations

Lincoln Gakiya has expanded partnerships with foreign agencies to track assets dissipated in offshore jurisdictions. In visits to Rome and Washington, he exchanged expertise on mafia dismantlements, adapting lessons to Brazil’s context of overcrowded prisons.

These collaborations resulted in recent extraditions of figures facilitating remittances via Bolivia, with evidence gathered alongside the DEA. Gakiya emphasizes bilateral treaties to freeze accounts in tax havens, interrupting reinvestment cycles.

At the May 2025 International Seminar, he presented cases illustrating how organized crime exploits regulatory gaps in cross-border trade. These discussions pave the way for a national agency centralizing efforts, avoiding duplications that benefit the investigated.

• Agreements with Italy for financial flow analysis training.
• Cooperation with the U.S. on monitoring suspicious air routes.
• Exchanges with Paraguay to dismantle controlled plantations.
• Participation in UN forums on transnational crime conventions.
• Development of joint protocols for international informant protection.

These alliances enrich data bases and build a support network mitigating isolation in high-risk cases.

Continuous training and academic vision in the fight

Gakiya’s master’s in Military Sciences and Public Security at the Army Command and Staff School reflects his commitment to constant updates. There, he explores intersections between military and legal strategies, applying asymmetric warfare concepts to urban scenarios.

This academic training informs his recommendations for police academy reforms, incorporating modules on cybercrime and behavioral analysis of networks. Gakiya publishes articles in specialized journals, disseminating investigation findings without compromising case confidentiality.

As a guest lecturer, he shares lessons from past operations, emphasizing emotional resilience as a pillar for career longevity. His approach integrates forensic psychology for profiling criminal leaders, predicting successions in weakened hierarchies.

Gakiya sees education as an antidote to internal corruption, proposing periodic evaluations for agents exposed to bribes. This holistic perspective ensures the fight goes beyond arrests, focusing on systemic preventions that last generations.