Recife, July 15, 2025: The U.S. Consulate General in Recife and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Paraíba (MPPB) have signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation against transnational organized crime, focusing on the forgery of travel and identity documents. The agreement was formalized at the Public Prosecutor’s Office headquarters in João Pessoa by U.S. Consul General May Baptista and Paraíba Attorney General Antônio Hortêncio Rocha Neto.
The initiative aims to improve security and combat criminal networks operating beyond national borders. "International security requires collaboration," said Consul General May Baptista. "Transnational criminal organizations represent a global threat, with practices such as drug trafficking. This agreement not only strengthens cooperation in investigations but also enables specialized training for agents in detecting fraudulent documents."
Information sharing related to suspected criminal activities will occur between the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Diplomatic Security Service and Foreign Criminal Investigations Unit (OCI) of the Consulate, adhering to local laws, regulations, and policies.
The ceremony included other officials such as U.S. Assistant Attaché for Overseas Investigations John Lydic; MPPB First Deputy Attorney General Vasti Cléa Marinho da Costa Lopes; MPPB Deputy Inspector General Francisco Glauberto Bezerra; Technical Advisory Coordinator of the Attorney General’s Office, Prosecutor Alexandre César Fernandes Teixeira; and Coordinator of the Special Action Group Against Organized Crime (Gaeco), Prosecutor Octávio Paulo Neto.