Mega police operation ends with 21 prisoners and two dead in Bahia and two other states A man was arrested in a maternity hospital in Salvador during Operation Gênesis, which investigates a criminal group suspected of drug trafficking and murders in the Águas Claras neighborhood. The suspect was the 16th arrested this Tuesday (16) and was attending the birth of his son at a health unit in the Pau Miúdo neighborhood. According to information obtained by TV Bahia, the suspect was identified as Jeamerson dos Santos Serafim, 32 years old. The gang has been investigated for around two years and would not be linked to any criminal faction. Despite this, the group was highly organized and violent, having ordered at least 15 executions of rivals between 2025 and 2026, in Salvador. The group emerged in Águas Claras, but also operated in the neighborhood of Cajazeiras V. Furthermore, the suspects' operation spread across Brazil and gained ground in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina. 📲 Click here and join the g1 Bahia WhatsApp group Target of operation is arrested in hospital while attending the birth of his son in Salvador Reproduction/TV Bahia In addition to the 16 arrests, five people who were already arrested had arrest warrants served, three in Bahia and two in Santa Catarina. The arrests took place in Salvador, Lauro de Freitas, Macaé, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and in the municipalities of Balneário Camboriú and Itapema, in Santa Catarina. More than 300 police officers participated in this Tuesday's action, which took place simultaneously in the three states. Two suspects resisted arrest and died in a confrontation with the police. During the operation, 29 search and seizure warrants were executed. Firearms, portions of narcotics, documents, cell phones and electronic equipment were seized and will be subjected to expert analysis. See the names of those arrested during the operation: Hebert Micael Reis Santos, known as Tony; Hebert Micael Reis Santos, known as Tony, was arrested in Bahia Reproduction/Social Media Sydney Santana Souza; Sidnei Santana Souza was arrested in Bahia Reproduction/Social Media Rafael Sérgio Andrade de Araújo; Luanderson Cerqueira Borges, known as "Bigrock"; Ricardo Costa dos Santos; Phillipe Vilela dos Santos, known as "Rato"; Phillipe Vilela dos Santos, known as "Rato", was arrested in Bahia Reproduction/Social Media Rodrigo Santos da Silva; Fábio Vinícius Dantas Souza, known as "Ferrugem" (arrested in Santa Catarina); Hevini Costa Cardoso, known as "Ice Cream"; Jupinair da Silva Gomes, known as "Bira"; Reinaldo Santos Santiago, known as "Casinha" (arrested in Rio de Janeiro); Ronilson José dos Santos Silva Júnior (arrested in Santa Catarina); Marcelo Alves de Jesus dos Santos, known as "Bené"; Jhuly Nascimento da Silva (arrested in Santa Catarina); Ícaro Kauan Brito de Assunção. Ícaro Kauan Brito de Assunção was arrested in Bahia Reproduction/Social Media See below the suspects who were already arrested and had new warrants served: Elton Costa Bonfim, known as “Cote” (was already in Salvador prison); Elton Costa Bonfim, known as “Cote”, was already in Salvador prison Reproduction/Social Media Matheus Santos Souza, known as “Poze” (was already in the Salvador prison); Matheus Santos Souza, known as “Poze”, was already in the Salvador prison Reproduction/Social Media Rafael Santos Cruz, known as “CZ” (was already in the Salvador prison); Rafael Santos Cruz, known as “CZ”, was already in the Salvador prison Reproduction/Social Media Douglas de Jesus Araújo, known as “Dodô” (was already in Santa Catarina prison); José Carlos Guia Ferreira, known as “Branco baby” (was already in the Santa Catarina prison). g1 tries to locate the suspects' defenses. The investigations carried out by the Department of Homicide and Personal Protection (DHPP), through the Operations and Intelligence Coordination (COI), indicate that the homicides under investigation are not isolated facts, but are part of a criminal strategy focused on the dispute for control of drug trafficking in the region. The investigations indicate that the criminal organization used barricades, video surveillance systems, cameras and drones to monitor the movement of security forces and intimidate residents of communities under influence. Investigations indicate that the criminal organization operated in the region of Águas Claras, on the outskirts of Salvador, and later expanded its activities to the state of Santa Catarina, where it maintained an operational nucleus focused on drug trafficking and homicides. Suspects who died The group's main free leader was Rogério de Andrade Gonçalves, 33 years old. Reproduction/Social Media The group's main free leader was Rogério de Andrade Gonçalves, 33 years old. While serving a preventive arrest warrant in the municipality of Retirolândia, he died after a confrontation with police officers. According to the Civil Police, given the information that Rogério was armed and his high danger, the agents adopted security protocols, using light and sound grenades and repeatedly announcing the police presence before entering a property. According to the police, upon entering the residence, the officers were met with gunfire by the suspect, who had resisted arrest. There was a confrontation and Rogério was shot. During the exchange of gunfire, a police investigator was grazed in the left arm. He received medical care at the Municipal Hospital of Retirolândia, underwent tests and is not at risk of death. The investigations also indicate that Rogério was responsible for determining actions related to drug trafficking, homicides and other illicit activities carried out by the group in the Águas Claras region. Rodrigo Ventura dos Santos, aged 32, died after a confrontation in Santa Catarina Reproduction/Social Media The other person who died was identified as Rodrigo Ventura dos Santos, aged 32. He was being investigated for acting directly in drug trafficking, executing rivals and coordinating criminal actions. Rodrigo Ventura died after a confrontation with police teams while executing a court order in Santa Catarina. According to the police, he held a position of trust within the criminal structure, participating in the selection of new members, organizing attacks against rival groups and managing the military apparatus used by the organization. Marcelo Werner talks about the operation against murders in Salvador Another suspect arrested in Salvador was a 54-year-old man identified as a “gunsmith for the criminal organization”. The investigations indicate that he was responsible for the manufacture, adaptation and maintenance of the weapons used by the members. In previous operations, weapons, parts and equipment related to the activity had already been seized from his residence. A 53-year-old cultural producer was also arrested and was being investigated for promoting wall-type events and parties in the Águas Claras region. His name was not revealed. According to the findings, he used these events to pass on information about the movement of security forces and assist in communication between members of the criminal organization. According to investigations, the group used highly offensive weapons, monitored security forces and carried out systematic executions of members of rival groups and people identified as opposing its interests. Operation Genesis is a direct result of the investigations initiated by Operation Saigon, launched in September 2023 against the same criminal group. READ ALSO: Man is arrested on suspicion of carrying out irregular euthanasia on dogs and keeping animals in situations of mistreatment in Feira de Santana Young woman dies after being stabbed in a fight with another woman in Bahia Woman is stabbed to death while leaving for work in the extreme south of Bahia; suspect is ex-partner of victim See more state news on g1 Bahia. Watch videos from g1 and TV Bahia 💻