Brazil's Federal Police arrested two people on Wednesday after they withdrew R$ 2.5 million in cash from a bank branch in Belém, capital of Pará. According to the force, the money came from the diversion of public funds and was bound for the illegal financing of election campaigns in the state.

Besides the stacks of banknotes, officers seized a firearm, documents and other materials of interest to the investigation, which will undergo forensic analysis. The police have not confirmed the identities of the two detainees, G1 reported.

Operation with the CGU

The operation involved the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU), the federal government's audit agency. In its official statement, the Federal Police said:

"According to the investigations, the funds would come from the diversion of public resources and were destined for the irregular financing of electoral campaigns."

CGU analysts helped examine the financial records and trace the origin of the money, which allowed investigators to pinpoint the exact moment of the withdrawal, G1 reported. The suspicion, according to the outlet, is that the scheme used caixa dois, off-the-books cash, to fund local candidacies, which constitutes an electoral crime in Brazil.

What comes next

The two detainees were taken to the Federal Police headquarters and placed at the disposal of the Regional Electoral Court of Pará (TRE-PA), the state-level election court. The force said they may face charges of money laundering, peculato (embezzlement by a public official), electoral corruption, criminal association, illegal firearm possession and resisting arrest, depending on the role of each one.

The Federal Police said the investigation continues in order to identify others involved. A column by Fabio Serapião in UOL reported that the inquiry is expected to reach candidates in this year's race. The first round of Brazil's general elections is scheduled for October 4, less than three weeks away.