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A glamorous lawyer who shared pictures of her VIP lifestyle but denied knowing how 10 kilogrammes of cocaine ended up in a car she was travelling in has been convicted of drug trafficking after appeal judges overturned her acquittal.
The case unfolded in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state in northern Brazil, after Suiane Vitoria da Silva Doce was stopped by police on 21st November 2024.
The Amazonas Court of Justice now ruled that there was enough evidence to convict the 27-year-old lawyer after prosecutors challenged an earlier decision that had cleared her of trafficking and criminal association charges, local media reported on 2nd June.
Suiane had originally been detained after police discovered more than 10 kilogrammes of cocaine inside a Honda Fit car in Manaus.
The drugs were reportedly stored in boxes and a bag placed on the back seat of the vehicle.
Police officers from the Rocam tactical unit stopped the car while responding to reports of gunfire in the Parque das Celebridades area, in the north of the city.
According to investigators, Suiane was travelling in the vehicle alongside Janderson Medeiros da Silva when officers carried out the search.
The cocaine was seized and later confirmed through forensic testing.
During the original trial, the defence argued that Suiane had no knowledge the drugs were inside the car and claimed there was no evidence directly linking her to trafficking activities.
Prosecutors appealed the acquittal, arguing that the quantity of cocaine found, together with the circumstances of the arrest, demonstrated that the lawyer was aware of the transportation of the drugs.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office also pointed to images showing Suiane and the other suspect together before the police operation, as well as statements from officers involved in the arrest.
Appeal court judges later agreed that the evidence gathered during the investigation was sufficient to support a conviction for drug trafficking.
However, the court upheld the earlier decision clearing Suiane and Janderson of criminal association charges after ruling there was insufficient proof of an ongoing relationship for organised trafficking activity.
The sentence to be imposed has not yet been officially released.
At the time of her arrest, Suiane reportedly identified herself as a lawyer but did not initially provide documents confirming her profession.
Authorities later confirmed she was registered with the Amazonas branch of the Brazilian Bar Association.
The case attracted significant attention in Manaus after reports emerged showing the lawyer sharing social media images of luxury trips and beach destinations alongside posts related to her legal work.
The conviction can still be appealed before higher courts.
(Marija Stojkoska/Newsflash)
Byline Journalist: Marija Stojkoska
Byline Sub editor: Marija Stojkoska
Byline Spotter: Ivica Stojanovski
Byline Commisioning Editor: Angela Trajkovska
Byline Senior Writer: Mike Leidig
Byline Picture Editor: Joana Mihajlovska
Byline Copychecker: Marija Stojkoska
Byline Illustrator: Marija Stojkoska
Byline News Editor: Mike Leidig
Geography: Manaus
Subject: Crime, Drugs, Social media, Society
T4 Editor Story Rating: 7
T4 Editor Pic/Vid rating: 6
T4 Total rating: 6.5
