BRASILIA, Brazil, May 19 (UPI) -- The latest scandal to hit the already embattled Brazilian government erupted Wednesday when federal police arrested several ministry of health officials.
More than a dozen people were arrested, including Luiz Claudio Gomes da Silva, general logistics coordinator for the ministry.
Da Silva and others are accused of the illegal sale of blood supplies from 1990 to 2002 amounting to 2 billion reals (about $660 million).
The arrests -- dubbed "Operation Vampire" by police -- took place in four locales across the country: Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and the state of Pernambuco, according to ministry officials.
"This is a secret investigation that still isn't over," said Minister of Justice Thomaz Bastos to reporters in Brasilia. "Today was a public phase, with the numerous search and apprehension orders issued by the Federal Judiciary Authority."
The blow to the Brazilian government is just the latest in a series of public scandals that are tarnishing the reputation of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Last week, the New York Times reported many Brazilian officials and citizens are concerned that Lula may have a drinking problem, sparking a public war between the newspaper and the president.
