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AN URGENT travel warning has been issued to Brits after a number of tourists were drugged and robbed in Brazil in the so-called “Goodnight Cinderella” scam.
It comes after a Brit tourist collapsed unconscious on Rio de Janeiro’s famous Ipanema beach last week – reportedly after taking just two sips of a drink laced with powerful drugs.
The young man, a university student celebrating his graduation with a pal, was later found in hospital with £16,000 missing from his account.
Authorities say he fell victim to a well-known scheme in Brazil, where sex workers use drugs like Rohypnol and GHB to spike tourists’ drinks before robbing them.
The drugs – often referred to as “date rape” substances – cause blackouts, memory loss and paralysis – leaving victims vulnerable to theft and sometimes even sexual assault.
These have come to be known as “Goodnight Cinderella” schemes.
In this case, the victim and his friend met three women during a night out at a samba dance in Rio’s vibrant Lapa district.
They continued the evening at a local bar, where one of the victims was handed a Caipirinha cocktail – Brazil’s national drink.
He collapsed shortly afterward and woke up in hospital, discovering a large sum of money had been stolen from him.
The two Brits, who have not been named, also claim their phones were stolen.
Horrifying footage shows one of the tourists staggering along the beachfront before collapsing into the sand.
The women are then seen running along the street and jumping into a taxi before quickly leaving the area.
Police later identified the suspects as Amanda Couto Deloca, 23, Mayara Ketelyn Americo da Silva, 26, and Raiane Campos de Oliveira, 27, thanks to a video making the rounds online.
Oliveira has reportedly been arrested 20 times for similar offences.
The incident is part of a wider trend that has seen growing numbers of tourists fall prey to the “Goodnight Cinderella” scheme.
Earlier this month, Francini Demétrio Sitas, 23, was arrested for luring tourists before drugging and robbing a Frenchman of £13,000 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Sitas, who reportedly works as an escort, is known in the criminal underworld as the “Queen of Goodnight Cinderella”, according to Rio’s Special Police Station for Tourist Support.
In August last year, American businessman D’wayne Antonio Morris, 43, died in a similar suspected drugging and robbery case in Brazil, reported local outlet g1.
Morris had arrived in Brazil just one day before he was found dead in his rented Copacabana apartment.
Surveillance footage captured two women, including prime suspect Letícia Clara Bento da Silva, 23, leaving the scene after allegedly drugging and robbing him.
Police believe the women used GHB – which is particularly dangerous in higher doses, as it can cause respiratory failure and death.
Advice by the FCDO
The FCDO currently “advises against all but essential travel to parts of Brazil”.
Under the subcategory ‘scams’, the Foreign Office writes:
“Dating apps have been used by criminals to target foreign nationals in Brazil, leading to spiking of drinks, robbery and theft from bank accounts. Exercise caution when engaging with such apps, buy and keep hold of your own drinks, share your plans with friends or family, and be vigilant of your belongings including your mobile phone.”
Under the subcategory ‘sexual assault and drink spiking’, the advice reads:
“Rape and other sexual offences against tourists are not common, but there have been attacks against both women and men. Some have involved date rape drugs. Buy your own drinks and keep them in sight. If you begin to feel strange, sick or drunk after only a couple of drinks, tell a trusted friend or security staff. They should take you to a safe place, such as your hotel room or a hospital. You can phone the local police, a hospital or the nearest British embassy or consulate for advice.”
