Portuguese 
A shipment of 403 liters of shampoo adulterated with cocaine left São Paulo, passed through Guarulhos, and flew to Berlin under the surveillance of the Federal Police. After a positive test in Lisbon, German police arrested three suspects, a fourth was apprehended in Turkey, and Operation Anticaspa detained two in Brazil.
A shipment of 403 liters of shampoo left São Paulo, passed through São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, and crossed the Atlantic heading to Berlin, Germany. The Federal Police were already aware that the shipment had been adulterated but decided to let the journey continue to uncover who was sending cocaine to Europe.
According to ND Mais, on September 21, 2026, this strategy led to three arrests in Germany and a fourth in Turkey. In Brazil, two other suspects were detained in a new phase of the investigation, dubbed Operation Anticaspa.
Information on Cocaine-Contaminated Cosmetics Initiated the Investigation
The case began when the Federal Police received information that Brazilian cosmetics were being contaminated with cocaine before being exported.
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At that time, two shipments had already been sent to Germany. Police decided to closely monitor the third shipment.
Agents Blended with Employees Observed the Shipment Leaving the Factory
On August 14, undercover agents mixed in with the employees observed the removal of the 403 liters of shampoo from inside the factory. The destination was Berlin, with a stopover in Lisbon, Portugal.
According to the Federal Police, the shampoo manufacturer was a victim of the scheme. The company only sold the products, and the adulteration happened after the goods left their facilities.
Official Explains How the Shampoo Was Diverted
Officer Felipe Lavareda summarized the manufacturer’s role in the case. “They only sold their product. It was then removed from their factory, contaminated, and exported,” he explained.
The Federal Police also stated that they found no evidence of involvement from airport staff or the airline in the scheme.
Bottles Were Taken to a Rental House in Diadema
The shipment was held for more than a day. On Sunday, August 16, activity resumed, and those being investigated took the products to a rental house in Diadema, in Greater São Paulo.
They were unaware they were being followed. The suspicion is that the bottles were tampered with at this location. Aline Morgado Cassaro was among those monitored during the operation.
Shampoo Passed Through Guarulhos’ X-Ray Without Being Detained
Photo: Fantástico
On August 17, the products left Diadema and headed to Guarulhos International Airport. The bottles went through the X-ray and passed through the terminal normally.
In the assembly area, the cargo was secured with a containment net and transported across the yard by a tractor. Authorities filmed each step of the process.
Plane Took Off for Europe in the Early Hours of August 19
The plane carrying the shampoo took off in the early hours of August 19. To those observing the airport’s routine, it was just another shipment of Brazilian cosmetics.
Only the authorities involved in the operation knew what was happening. Officers from three countries were monitoring every movement of the cargo.
Opened Bottle in Lisbon Confirmed the Cocaine
Portuguese police were waiting for the cargo during the layover in Lisbon. One of the bottles was removed for analysis, and the test confirmed the presence of cocaine.
The agents still waited to see if anyone would attempt to pick up the merchandise in Portugal. As no one showed up, the shampoo continued its journey to Germany.
German Police Arrested Three Suspects During Unloading
In Berlin, the German Federal Criminal Police monitored the removal of the cargo. The intervention took place near the location where the products were to be unloaded and ended with three suspects arrested.
Days later, Samir Shahade, the manager of the importing company responsible for the order, was detained in Turkey. This brought the international phase of the investigation to a total of four arrests.
It Is Still Unknown How the Drug Was Hidden in the Bottles
Authorities still do not know exactly how the cocaine was placed in the containers. The German police are analyzing the material to determine whether there was liquid cocaine mixed with the shampoo or if the powder was hidden inside the bottles.
Aline Thais Bruni, a professor of Forensic Chemistry at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Ribeirão Preto, explained that certain substances can be incorporated into other materials and become invisible. She compares it to sugar dissolved in water: the powder is not visible but remains present and can be recovered.
Chemical Camouflage Advances in Europe, According to the UN
This technique is known as chemical camouflage. According to a report from the UN (United Nations), the practice is advancing in Europe, and clandestine laboratories used to remove cocaine from disguises are also being discovered.
According to the Dutch police, criminal groups even hire Colombian specialists to carry out the process. In addition to liquids, the drug has also been found in fabrics, plastics, charcoal, and even beeswax.
Shampoo in Spain and bed linens in Hong Kong also concealed cocaine
A few days earlier, more than eight kilograms of liquid cocaine were found in shampoo bottles in Valencia, Spain. The containers had a small reservoir of real shampoo in the neck to disguise the substance.
In Hong Kong, in 2023, authorities seized 17 sheets soaked in liquid cocaine, totaling ten kilograms of the drug. In the case of the shipment that left Brazil, only tests conducted in Germany will reveal what technique was used.
Operation Anticaspa arrested two suspects in Brazil
After a month of undercover work, the Federal Police launched the Operation Anticaspa on September 15. Aline Morgado Cassaro, seen in images monitoring the products in Diadema, had a 30-day temporary arrest order issued against her.
Danilo de Oliveira was also apprehended. At his home, officers found bottles of the same shampoo and containers of hydrochloric acid, a substance used in the refinement of cocaine. Danilo’s defense was not located.
The driver who retrieved the shipment was considered a fugitive
The driver Marcelo Andrade dos Passos, who was responsible for picking up the goods from the factory, was a fugitive, according to information released about the case.
Aline had previously appeared in another cocaine case. On July 28, she was in a car stopped on the Presidente Dutra highway with 50 packages of the drug. At the time, the driver claimed that she was unaware of the material; he was detained, and Aline was released.
Aline’s defense seeks revocation of temporary arrest
Aline Morgado Cassaro’s defense has requested the revocation of the temporary arrest order issued in Operation Anticaspa. The lawyers stated that they will prove the innocence of the accused.
Meanwhile, the German police continue to analyze the bottles from the 403-liter shipment of shampoo to discover how the cocaine was concealed.
In your opinion, did the Federal Police make the right decision by allowing the shipment of shampoo containing cocaine to travel to Germany to reach the suspects, or should they have intercepted it earlier in Guarulhos? Share your thoughts in the comments.
