Bikini-clad Brazilian influencer caught after manhunt over allegedly running ‘drug trafficking ring’

A fugitive, bikini-clad Brazilian influencer has been arrested after being accused of being the queen of an interstate drug-running and money laundering operation.

Melissa Said — who boasts more than 340,000 Instagram followers — had been on the run since Wednesday when five of her properties were raided by the Bahia Civil Police in northeast Brazil, according to the Brazilian news outlet Correio.

The 23-year-old social media star was the suspected leader of a major criminal gang involved with cannabis distribution and money laundering. She is accused of actively facilitating and encouraging the smuggling of illegal substances in Bahia and São Paulo.

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Said was nabbed while hiding out at a friend’s house in Bahia, following an intensive surveillance and intelligence effort.

Police launched their investigation into the influencer in 2024 after she was allegedly caught with drugs at an airport, accused of advising her followers on how to evade law enforcement during drug transport, and promoting herself by handing out “kits” containing joints on the streets.

Wednesday’s raids — part of “Operation Erva Afetiva” (translated as “weed-loving,” and the same phrase she used in her Instagram bio) — led to the arrest of three suspected accomplices, one of whom was charged with drug trafficking after police seized 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds) of “skank” marijuana, police said.

Police said they also recovered 270 grams of hashish — a concentrated form of cannabis made from the resin of the marijuana plant — small portions of marijuana, digital scales, plastic bags, cellphones, bank cards, and two vehicles believed to have been used in criminal activity.

Police have not released the identity of the third individual taken into custody.

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Known for her activism promoting cannabis legalization, Said initially evaded capture during the raids and was considered a fugitive until her arrest Thursday.

“The objective of this operation is to combat drug trafficking, with the main target being a digital influencer who promotes crime,” said the director of the State Department for Prevention and Suppression of Drug Trafficking, Ernandes Junior.

“It was discovered that in addition to promoting crime and drug use, she also sells and distributes narcotics in Bahia, with some people from São Paulo as one of her suppliers.”

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The investigation into her alleged involvement in drug trafficking is ongoing.

If convicted, she could face up to 25 years in prison.

The influencer is set to face questioning with her lawyer Thursday night — after which she’ll undergo a forensic exam and stay locked up until her custody hearing, Correio reported.

In her last video posted to Instagram on Oct. 2, the weed-loving social media star discussed the legalization of marijuana while appearing to smoke what appears to be a joint.

Said was married to influencer Tássio Bacelar, who died in a bicycle accident in October 2023, according to the outlet.