One of the three women who drugged and robbed two British students celebrating their graduation in Brazil has been arrested by police while the others remain on the run.
The two young men from the UK, names not disclosed, fell victims to the so-called 'Good night, Cinderella' scam during a stay in Rio de Janeiro on 8th August.
Footage filmed by a local delivery driver showed one of them collapsing in the sand on the iconic Ipanema beach after drinking a spiked cocktail hours earlier.
Meanwhile, a trio of women accused of drugging him were seen getting in a taxi and fleeing the scene after stealing his phone.
Police said the women had attempted to move GBP 20,000 from his account during the robbery, but only about GBP 2,000 was spent before the funds were frozen.
Around GBP 18,000 has since been recovered.
Authorities later ordered an arrest warrant for the suspects, identified as 23-year-old Amanda Couto Deloca, 26-year-old Mayara Ketelyn Americo da Silva, and 27-year-old Raiane Campos de Oliveira, for qualified robbery and criminal association.
Police say the trio are part of a gang that has targeted visitors from the UK, France, the USA, and Argentina in nightlife districts.
The gang’s method involves approaching tourists in bars, offering drinks laced with drugs, and robbing them once they lose consciousness, often within 30 minutes.
Victims have reported waking up hours later in their accommodation to find phones, cash, bank cards, and watches gone, along with large sums transferred from their bank accounts.
The British men from the latest incident told police they met the women in a bar where they were given caipirinhas.
One of them, Deloca, has now been seized by police after they found her hiding in the Duque de Caxias suburb on 18th August.
When she was caught, she reportedly surrendered and said: "I give up."
Chief Inspector Patricia Alemany of the Tourist Support Police Station (DEAT) stated: "We had been monitoring them since the day of the incident.
"This suspect had been hiding in Duque de Caxias and we knew she was on the move.
"Today, after intelligence work and with the support of the 62nd Police Station, she was located and brought to DEAT.
"Here, with the arrest warrant, she was formally taken into custody."
The other two women remain at large.
Prosecutors have since made all three women formal defendants and requested their preventive detention, citing the risk of reoffending. They are also seeking compensation of GBP 4,600 (BRL 30,000) for the British victims.
Court documents show the women are facing charges of qualified robbery, theft through electronic fraud, and criminal association. Judge Carlos Eduardo Carvalho de Figueiredo of Rio’s 19th Criminal Court authorised the detention orders on 18th August.
(Simona Kitanovska / newsX)
NewsX-JeiledLedies-01.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Police arrests Amanda Couto Deloca, 23, in Duque de Caxias, Brazil, Aug. 18, 2025. She is accused of participating in the scam known as “Good Night, Cinderella". Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-JeiledLedies-02.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Police arrests Amanda Couto Deloca, 23, in Duque de Caxias, Brazil, Aug. 18, 2025. She is accused of participating in the scam known as “Good Night, Cinderella". Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-JeiledLedies-03.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Police arrests Amanda Couto Deloca, 23, in Duque de Caxias, Brazil, Aug. 18, 2025. She is accused of participating in the scam known as “Good Night, Cinderella". Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-JeiledLedies-04.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Police arrests Amanda Couto Deloca, 23, in Duque de Caxias, Brazil, Aug. 18, 2025. She is accused of participating in the scam known as “Good Night, Cinderella". Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BritsRios-02.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows the British men enjoying their time in Rio, Brazil, undated. Then they fell for the 'goodnight Cinderella' scam in Ipanema. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BechRobery-02.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows the suspects Amanda Couto Deloca, 23; Mayara Ketelyn Americo da Silva, 26; and Raiane Campos de Oliveira, 27, undated. They are call girls. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BechRobery-01.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Video shows the drugged British tourist left on the sand of Ipanema Beach, Brazil, Aug. 8, 2025. The footage also shows the three suspects running and getting into a taxi. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video(Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BritsRios-03.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows the British man enjoying his time in Rio, Brazil, undated. Then he fell for the 'goodnight Cinderella' scam in Ipanema. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BritsRios-01.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows the British men enjoying their time in Rio, Brazil, undated. Then they fell for the 'goodnight Cinderella' scam in Ipanema. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BritsRios-04.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows one of the British tourists victim of a scam in Rio, Brazil, undated. The incident took place in Ipanema. Note: Image is a screenshot from video. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BritsRios-06.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows the British tourists victims to a scam in Rio, Brazil, undated. The incident took place in Ipanema. Note: Image is a screenshot from video. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BritsRios-05.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows one of the British tourists victim of a scam in Rio, Brazil, undated. The incident took place in Ipanema. Note: Image is a screenshot from video. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BritsRios-07.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows the British men after the scam in Brazil, undated. They fell for the 'goodnight Cinderella' scam in Ipanema. Note: Image is a screenshot from video. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BechRobery-06.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows one of the suspects, undated. She is a call girl. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BechRobery-07.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows one of the suspects, undated. She is a call girl. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BechRobery-08.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows one of the suspects, undated. She is a call girl. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BechRobery-03.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Video shows the drugged British tourist left on the sand of Ipanema Beach, Brazil, Aug. 8, 2025. The footage also shows the three suspects running and getting into a taxi. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video(Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BechRobery-04.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Video shows the drugged British tourist left on the sand of Ipanema Beach, Brazil, Aug. 8, 2025. The footage also shows the three suspects running and getting into a taxi. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video(Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BechRobery-05.jpg Copyright: Newsflash/NX
Description: Archive Picture | Picture shows the three suspects running and getting into a taxi Aug. 8, 2025. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video(Newsflash/NX)
NewsX-BechRobery-01.mp4 Video Copyright: Newsflash/NX Video Caption: Archive Video | Caption: Video shows the drugged British tourist left on the sand of Ipanema Beach, Brazil, Aug. 8, 2025. The footage also shows the three suspects running and getting into a taxi. ***Video Licence Restrictions: NEWS MEDIA PORTALS ONLY. Usage on social media is possible but we offer no guarantees. This video is offered under our ‘social and local media source’ licence. For details see https://newsx.agency/licences/
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Byline Journalist: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Sub editor: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Spotter: Ivica Stojanovski
Byline Commisioning Editor: Mike Leidig
Byline Senior Writer: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Picture Editor: Zorica Stojkovik
Byline Copychecker: Angela Trajkovska
Byline Illustrator: Angela Trajkovska
Byline News Editor: Mike Leidig
Geography: Lapa,_Rio_de_Janeiro
Subject: Business, Tourism Business, Legal, Crime, Violence, Society
