Brazilian Military Court Imposes Additional Sentence on Sergeant Caught with 37 kg of Cocaine on Air Force Plane

A Brazilian military court has handed former air force sergeant Manoel Silva Rodrigues an additional three-year prison term for criminal association, adding to the 17-year sentence he already received for international drug trafficking. The case stems from a 2019 incident in which Rodrigues was caught transporting 37 kilograms of cocaine aboard a Brazilian Air Force aircraft that had stopped in Seville, Spain, while carrying the entourage of then-President Jair Bolsonaro.

According to Folha de S.Paulo, the new sentence was issued by the military justice system, which also convicted two other members of what prosecutors described as a group set up to send drugs abroad using the structure of official military missions. Revista Quem reported that businessman Marcos Daniel Gama was sentenced to 22 years in prison, while second sergeant Jorge Luiz da Cruz Silva received a 19-year term.

The Folha report noted that Rodrigues' earlier conviction for international drug trafficking had already been handed down, and the latest ruling specifically addressed his involvement in a criminal organization. The military court reportedly identified Gama as the owner of the cocaine shipment, which was intercepted by Spanish authorities during a refueling stop.

Revista Quem characterized the operation as a "large-scale" trafficking scheme that exploited the cover of official military flights. The seizure of 37 kilograms of cocaine on a plane linked to a presidential delegation underscored the audacity of the group, which the court found used the military's logistical network for illegal profit.

Both outlets highlighted that the convictions represent a rare instance of military justice cracking down on drug trafficking by current or former service members. The case continues to draw attention to the security vulnerabilities in Brazil's military transport system.