SAA event in North Carolina, Mooresville area, United States of America on Tue 16th June 2026

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has arrested a high-profile Brazilian criminal figure wanted by Interpol during an immigration enforcement operation in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Felipe Linares De Oliveira Dell Aquilla, also known as “Don,” is a former leader of Brazil’s notorious Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) gangs. He was taken into custody after attempting to flee from a routine traffic stop, sparking a police pursuit that ended in a crash.

According to DHS officials, Aquilla is in the United States illegally and has a significant criminal history in Brazil. He faces an international arrest warrant for charges of criminal association and extortion. Authorities also allege that he was holding his wife captive as he prepared to flee to Mexico.

During the incident, Aquilla ignored a police checkpoint, led officers on a chase, and crashed his vehicle into other stopped cars. He then attempted to escape on foot but was quickly apprehended. A search of his vehicle yielded multiple cell phones, laptops, cash, and a 9mm pistol.

His wife later told investigators she had been held against her will.

Aquilla has been transferred to a local county jail, where he faces state charges for fleeing to elude arrest. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), DHS’s primary investigative branch, is also pursuing federal charges against him for illegal possession of a firearm as a foreign national and kidnapping.

The arrest highlights ongoing U.S. efforts to target transnational criminals and immigration violators with international warrants.