8.11.2005
Footing the Bill
One has to be at least somewhat impressed by the "Ocean's 11"-style planning that was behind one of the largest bank robberies ever last weekend in northeastern Brazil. The culprits, who most likely were led by infamous criminal Moises Teixeira da Silva, alias Tatuzao, (Giant Armadillo) "spent three months digging an 80-meter-long (262-foot-long), 70-centimeter-high (28-inch-high) tunnel from a house they had rented near the bank in the city of Fortaleza, 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) northeast of Sao Paulo."
As if Brazil didn't have enough to worry about, it would appear that Brazilian taxpayers will have to foot the bill for the $68 million stolen, as the money was not insured while in the vault. In a country with the some of the worst corruption and inequality in the world, this incident demonstrates the influence that gangs and drug dealers continue to exert in the streets that the state does not control.
As if Brazil didn't have enough to worry about, it would appear that Brazilian taxpayers will have to foot the bill for the $68 million stolen, as the money was not insured while in the vault. In a country with the some of the worst corruption and inequality in the world, this incident demonstrates the influence that gangs and drug dealers continue to exert in the streets that the state does not control.
# posted by Juanson : 10:41 AM
