Travellers arriving at Brazil’s busiest gateway faced an unusually heavy police presence on the night of 8 May 2026 as state and municipal authorities launched a joint operation to curb unauthorised passenger-pickup services outside Terminal 2 of São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU). The crackdown follows a series of clashes between licensed taxi drivers and so-called “arrastadores” – freelance touts who aggressively solicit fares and often overcharge or defraud visitors unfamiliar with local regulations. According to the São Paulo State Military Police, more than 70 officers, supported by plain-clothes investigators and inspectors from the Guarulhos Transport Department, set up checkpoints on access roads and inside arrival halls.
![Police sweep targets illegal ‘pirate’ drivers at São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport]()
Travellers concerned about navigating Brazil’s entry formalities – or any last-minute changes to visa rules – can also turn to VisaHQ for up-to-date guidance and streamlined e-visa processing. The company’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers real-time requirements, application support and optional courier services, making it easier for corporate mobility teams and individual visitors alike to stay compliant before they even land at GRU.
By midnight they had issued 46 citations for illegal passenger transport, impounded 18 vehicles lacking commercial-transport insurance, and detained two suspects linked to a larger fraud ring that uses cloned ride-hailing accounts to mislead travellers. Airport operator GRU Airport SA said legitimate taxi and app-based services continue to operate normally, but urged passengers to book rides only at official kiosks or through recognised apps and to ignore unsolicited offers. The operator has increased signage in English, Spanish and Mandarin – a timely move given the new visa-free policy for Chinese visitors taking effect next week – and is working with airlines to broadcast safety messages on inbound flights. For corporate mobility managers the incident underscores the importance of ground-transport briefings in duty-of-care programmes. Multinationals should update arrival instructions, emphasise the use of authorised pick-up points, and consider pre-arranged car-services for VIPs. The police have indicated that random sweeps will continue over the next fortnight, coinciding with the post-Labour-Day travel peak. While the operation caused minor traffic delays at the curbside, no flight schedules were affected. Authorities hope the visible enforcement will deter further violence between legal and illegal operators and restore confidence among business and leisure travellers who connect through Latin America’s second-busiest airport.
Travellers concerned about navigating Brazil’s entry formalities – or any last-minute changes to visa rules – can also turn to VisaHQ for up-to-date guidance and streamlined e-visa processing. The company’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers real-time requirements, application support and optional courier services, making it easier for corporate mobility teams and individual visitors alike to stay compliant before they even land at GRU.
By midnight they had issued 46 citations for illegal passenger transport, impounded 18 vehicles lacking commercial-transport insurance, and detained two suspects linked to a larger fraud ring that uses cloned ride-hailing accounts to mislead travellers. Airport operator GRU Airport SA said legitimate taxi and app-based services continue to operate normally, but urged passengers to book rides only at official kiosks or through recognised apps and to ignore unsolicited offers. The operator has increased signage in English, Spanish and Mandarin – a timely move given the new visa-free policy for Chinese visitors taking effect next week – and is working with airlines to broadcast safety messages on inbound flights. For corporate mobility managers the incident underscores the importance of ground-transport briefings in duty-of-care programmes. Multinationals should update arrival instructions, emphasise the use of authorised pick-up points, and consider pre-arranged car-services for VIPs. The police have indicated that random sweeps will continue over the next fortnight, coinciding with the post-Labour-Day travel peak. While the operation caused minor traffic delays at the curbside, no flight schedules were affected. Authorities hope the visible enforcement will deter further violence between legal and illegal operators and restore confidence among business and leisure travellers who connect through Latin America’s second-busiest airport.
