R$200,000 Ozempic Heist in Rio: One Arrested, Manhunt for Four Suspects

Rio de Janeiro Pharmacy Robbery Nets R$200,000 Ozempic Heist; One Arrested, Four Sought Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – In a brazen early morning raid on June 4th, 2025, a group of armed robbers targeted a pharmacy in the Jardim Botânico neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro's Zona Sul. Their objective: a significant quantity of Ozempic, a medication used to treat diabetes and increasingly sought for weight loss. The heist resulted in an estimated loss of R$200,000, with each box of the medication valued at R$1,000. Police have confirmed the arrest of one suspect, Lucas Neves dos Santos, 24, who was apprehended the same day after being identified through security camera footage. Four additional suspects — Victor Gustavo Araújo da Silva, 22; Luiz Henrique Campos da Silva, 25; Luiz Fernando Nobre Gomes, 18; and Pâmela de Melo Xavier, 21 — remain at large but have been identified and are subject to arrest warrants. According to the 15th DP (Gávea), two of the suspects, Neves and Xavier, have prior criminal records. Neves had been released from prison just two months prior to the robbery. Police recovered the motorcycle used in the crime. "The investigation revealed that this wasn't an isolated incident," stated a police spokesperson. "This same group robbed another pharmacy hours earlier in Barra da Tijuca, targeting the same medication." The spokesperson added that the investigation is ongoing, aiming to recover the stolen Ozempic and apprehend the remaining suspects. The successful arrest of one suspect and the identification of others offers a glimmer of hope for a swift resolution to this high-value crime. The ongoing investigation underscores the determination of Rio de Janeiro law enforcement to combat such criminal activities.