The state Public Ministry and the Public Security Secretariat of Paraná launched, this Monday (15), a mega-operation against an alleged nationwide criminal organization whose name was not confirmed by the responsible authorities. Named Operation Panóptico and coordinated by the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco), the action takes place simultaneously in three other states, with the support of local security forces: Mato Grosso do Sul; Santa Catarina and São Paulo. Related news: Program against organized crime causes R$ 1.6 billion in losses to factions. Government launches R$11 billion program against organized crime. Since the early hours of the morning, around a thousand police officers have been carrying out 304 judicial warrants and 255 search and seizure warrants. However, 176 arrest orders and 92 search and seizure orders target people who are either already serving sentences or are awaiting trial in a prison establishment. Of the 128 arrest warrants issued against those being investigated who were free, 97 had already been served by 11am. At least two approaches resulted in an exchange of fire. In Cambé (PR), in the metropolitan region of Londrina, a police officer was shot, but, according to the MPPR, he is not at risk of dying. Also according to the MPPR, at least two suspected members of the criminal faction were killed in Cambé and Nova Londrina, after reacting to police action, resulting in an exchange of gunfire. One of them had two outstanding arrest warrants – for drug trafficking and for theft associated with drug trafficking. The other, according to prosecutors, was wanted for being part of the PCC. "The objective of the operation is to hold the largest number of members of the criminal faction responsible, weakening their performance in the state, collecting evidence and seeking to elucidate other crimes that are being committed. Furthermore, the requested and ordered arrests are intended to prevent the criminal activities of these members from continuing", informed the MPPR, in a note. The Public Security Secretariat of Paraná added that 204 teams from the Military, Civil, Criminal and Scientific police acted to “dismantle the structure of the criminal organization, hold its members accountable, interrupt their illicit activities and expand the collection of evidence related to other crimes attributed to the group”. The name of the operation derives from the Greek word “panopticon” (that where everything is seen), which was popularized by sociologist Michel Foucault, in the work Discipline and Punish, to name a prison architectural structure from which security agents can monitor prisoners, keeping them under permanent and omnipresent surveillance. In Paraná, where the majority of court orders are being complied with, the warrants are being executed in 34 municipalities: Astorga, Arapoti, Candói, Cascavel, Cianorte, Cruzeiro do Oeste, Curitiba, Foz do Iguaçu, Francisco Beltrão, Guaíra, Guarapuava, Irati, Jandaia do Sul, Laranjeiras do Sul, Loanda, Londrina, Manoel Ribas, Maringá, Nova Londrina, Paraíso do Norte, Paranavaí, Paranacity, Piraquara, Ponta Grossa, Porecatu, Prudentópolis, Roncador, Santo Antônio da Platina, São José dos Pinhais, Sarandi, Sengés, Telêmaco Borba, Umuarama and União da Vitória. In addition, warrants were served in Naviraí (MS), Joinville (SC), Bauru (SP) and Itapecerica da Serra (SP).