A Brazilian influencer accused of running an interstate drug trafficking and money laundering network has broken her silence after being arrested.
Melissa Said was named as a person of interest in a wide-ranging investigation into the distribution of marijuana across the South American country, and became a fugitive after police were unable to locate her.
The 23-year-old has since been tracked down and arrested on suspicion of interstate drug-running and money laundering.
She has been accused of heading a criminal gang in the north-eastern state of Bahia, as well as allegedly encouraging her 320,000 Instagram followers to take part in the transport and use of drugs.
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The sale of cannabis is currently illegal under Brazilian law, however, it is not considered a crime to possess a small amount for personal use.
She is also accused of sharing advice online about how to evade detection when travelling with drugs in your possession.
Prior to being arrested by police, Said had been considered a 'ervoafetiva' - meaning 'weed affectionate' - in her home country and was known for promoting the use of the drug on her account.
Her last social media posts before her arrest had involved the discussion around legalising weed.
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The Civil Police also confirmed that three people were arrested during the operation, and that 10 search and seizure warrants were executed — five in Salvador and five in São Paulo.
Police are also said to have recovered 270 grams of hashish, a form of cannabis, as well as small amounts of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, mobile phones, bank cards and two vehicles in their raids.
Said has since broken her silence after the arrest, saying it was a 'shame' that she'd been arrested for using cannabis.
"It’s a shame… no one in the world should be arrested for smoking marijuana," she said, per The Sun.
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She has also denied leading a drug smuggling gang, only admitting to smoking marijuana recreationally.
If found guilty and convicted, Said could face up to 25 years behind bars, the New York Post reports.
"The objective of this operation is to combat drug trafficking, with the main target being a digital influencer who promotes crime," director of the State Department for Prevention and Suppression of Drug Trafficking, Ernandes Junior, said of the operation.
"It was discovered that in addition to promoting crime and drug use, she also sells and distributes narcotics in Bahia, with some people from São Paulo as one of her suppliers."
Topics: World News, Crime, Drugs, Social Media
Brenna Cooper