Glam influencers who touted business skills ‘used gang of children to steal fat jabs and beauty products’ from stores

TWO glammed-up influencers have been accused of running a gang of child thieves, allegedly ordering robberies to fund their own business. The women allegedly enlisted a gaggle of sticky-fingered youngsters to pinch beauty products and fat jabs from local pharmacies, in order to sell on to their own customers. Police nabbed influencers Claudiana Rocha and Laís Santiago in Salvador, a major coastal city in north-eastern Brazil on Wednesday. Collectively the pair have more than 100,000 followers on social media, with Santiago named as a lifestyle and dancing influencer, while Rocha - an aesthetician - presents herself online as a mentor for other beauty professionals. The information in Rocha’s Instagram bio has since been deleted. The women were arrested during an operation targeting an alleged theft-and-resale ring operating across the city, according to officers. READ MORE WORLD NEWS Both women had outstanding arrest warrants in relation to the allegations, with police naming them as fugitives from justice. Cops said the women were wanted on suspicion of handling stolen goods and had been accused of receiving fat jabs, obtained through pharmacy robberies. The fat jabs are cylindrical shaped injection devices used to administer weight-loss and diabetes medicines. The jabs each contained pre-filled drug dosages and are designed to make injections easier. Most read in The US Sun The pre-dosage has increased demand for the devices, leaving the products as a target for theft and illegal resale. Health authorities have warned that black-market devices could be at risk of being counterfeit, improperly stored, or the incorrect dosage, subsequently becoming dangerous. Six people were targeted in the arrests and search-and-seizure operations, according to authorities. Two suspects were also already serving time in a Salvador prison. Police allege the gang recruited teens to carry out raids on pharmacies. The group would allegedly use minors, because they face lower legal consequences than adults, investigators say. Several adolescents have already been arrested and questioned in relation to the string of robberies, in a police operation dubbed “Operation Mirakel”. Police said their statements assisted in identifying the alleged ringleaders and buyers. Rocha’s lawyer told Bahia that the arrest was “unfair and unnecessary, as it does not meet the legal requirements”. According to her legal team, she has denied any involvement in the allegations against her and is determined to prove her innocence. Santiago has not made a public comment since her arrest. The investigation into Rocha and Santiago remains ongoing. The names of the other targets have not been released by police. An initial phase of the operation was undertaken in June, 2025, where the alleged recruiter and robbery coordinator were arrested. Police seized a delivery bag used in the thefts, a raincoat and a jacket. All the items had been identified in CCTV footage during the robberies, alongside personal hygiene products that were allegedly stolen from commercial businesses. Cops also seized a number of mobile phones and documents in their raids. The investigation’s second phase involved an estimated 300 cops from the Civil, Military and Technical Police...

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