Brazil’s Federal Police (PF) carried out three separate enforcement actions in the last 24 hours at São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport, underscoring the heightened scrutiny travellers can expect during the year-end peak season.
In the first case, officers at the migration control desk executed a court order issued by Bahia’s regional labour court and seized a Brazilian passport from a departing passenger. The measure is part of a growing trend in which Brazilian judges immobilise debtors by restricting international travel until outstanding labour or tax liabilities are settled. Companies relocating staff abroad should verify that no such court orders exist against their employees before departure.
Travellers and mobility teams looking to stay ahead of these evolving requirements can tap VisaHQ for real-time guidance on Brazilian visa rules, court-related travel holds, and document legalisation. The company’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers online application tools, status tracking, and expert support—helping organisations minimise surprises during intensified airport checks.
![Federal Police Seize Passport and Arrest Three Drug Couriers at São Paulo/Guarulhos Airport]()
Later the same afternoon, two Brazilian women bound for Spain (with a connection to Belgium) were detained after X-ray screening and a manual search revealed more than 10 kg of cocaine hidden in false bottoms of their suitcases. Both were charged with international drug trafficking and transferred to federal custody.
During the early hours of 19 December, a U.S. national arriving from his home country was arrested when customs inspection of his checked luggage uncovered over 16 kg of vacuum-packed hashish. The traveller now faces charges that could lead to a sentence of five to 15 years under Brazil’s drug law.
Practical implications for mobility managers are clear: (1) expect more aggressive baggage screening and longer queues as PF intensifies controls; (2) instruct travellers to arrive earlier and keep devices unlocked for inspection; and (3) ensure all personal and corporate documents—including work-permit receipts and tax-debt certificates—are in order. Employers should also note that a court-ordered passport hold can be triggered without prior notice to the employee.
The operations signal that PF will take a zero-tolerance approach to illicit goods and will use travel-document seizures as an enforcement tool well beyond criminal cases. With holiday travel peaking, corporations should refresh their traveller-security briefings and consider contingency plans for delayed departures.
In the first case, officers at the migration control desk executed a court order issued by Bahia’s regional labour court and seized a Brazilian passport from a departing passenger. The measure is part of a growing trend in which Brazilian judges immobilise debtors by restricting international travel until outstanding labour or tax liabilities are settled. Companies relocating staff abroad should verify that no such court orders exist against their employees before departure.
Travellers and mobility teams looking to stay ahead of these evolving requirements can tap VisaHQ for real-time guidance on Brazilian visa rules, court-related travel holds, and document legalisation. The company’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers online application tools, status tracking, and expert support—helping organisations minimise surprises during intensified airport checks.
Later the same afternoon, two Brazilian women bound for Spain (with a connection to Belgium) were detained after X-ray screening and a manual search revealed more than 10 kg of cocaine hidden in false bottoms of their suitcases. Both were charged with international drug trafficking and transferred to federal custody.
During the early hours of 19 December, a U.S. national arriving from his home country was arrested when customs inspection of his checked luggage uncovered over 16 kg of vacuum-packed hashish. The traveller now faces charges that could lead to a sentence of five to 15 years under Brazil’s drug law.
Practical implications for mobility managers are clear: (1) expect more aggressive baggage screening and longer queues as PF intensifies controls; (2) instruct travellers to arrive earlier and keep devices unlocked for inspection; and (3) ensure all personal and corporate documents—including work-permit receipts and tax-debt certificates—are in order. Employers should also note that a court-ordered passport hold can be triggered without prior notice to the employee.
The operations signal that PF will take a zero-tolerance approach to illicit goods and will use travel-document seizures as an enforcement tool well beyond criminal cases. With holiday travel peaking, corporations should refresh their traveller-security briefings and consider contingency plans for delayed departures.
