From Adeyinka Olaiya, Sao Paulo, Brazil/
Brazilian authorities have placed the International Police (Interpol) on red alert amid efforts to re-arrest and prosecute the Vice President of Equatorial Guinea over money laundry and tax evasion allegations.
NewsmakersNG learnt that Teodoro Obiang Mangue aka Teodorin narrowly escaped arrest by the Brazilian Federal Police, who allegedly launched 10 operations early yesterday to arrest him.
Police authorities confirmed that they have impounded several multimillion-dollar properties belonging to Teodorin in São Paulo, Brazil.
The police had earlier seized over $50million and several wristwatches allegedly worth over $80million from Teodorin when he was first arrested on September 14, after he arrived Brazil in a private jet on a non-diplomatic mission without declaring the asset to customs.
Yesterday, the police found Teodorin missing in his luxury duplex apartment of about 1000 square meters at one of the most expensive residential areas in Haddock Lobo and Jardins area of Sao Paulo.
The police have also searched six other properties of the wanted Vice President in the capital of Paulista, Hortolândia, Jundiaí in Sao Paulo and District Federal.
According to the police chief responsible for the operation, the Federal Court has ordered the total temporary takeover of all Teodorin’s properties in Brazil including luxury cars, one Lamborghini, one Maserati, one Porsche, one Mercedes Benz, one fusion and one Santa Fe. One of the cars was valued at $2 million.
The latest police operation has been linked to the investigations opened against Teodorin in March this year, after he allegedly bought a multimillion-dollar apartment in Sao Paulo in cash.
According to the Police authorities, Mr Obiang also bought a complex worth of 70 million US dollars paying liquid cash since last year and the complex still under reforms to be rented by him to the consulate of Equatorial Guinea in Brazil.
A court in France had once sentenced Teodorin to three years Imprisonment for money laundry, corruption, and tax evasion. He is also under investigation in the United States of America.
0