Brazilian beauty queen Sara Monteiro, 36, boasts 108,000 Instagram followers and previously held the title of Miss Universe Uberlândia 2025
Credit: Sara Monteiro/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Brazilian influencer Sara Monteiro was arrested in connection with a drug trafficking and money laundering investigation, per reporting by G1 Globo
- Monteiro made her name on social media, sharing beauty, lifestyle and fitness content for over 100,000 followers
- In addition to her presence online, she also previously held the title of Miss Universe Uberlândia 2025
Beauty queen and influencer Sara Monteiro has been arrested by Brazilian authorities in connection with a drug trafficking and money laundering investigation.
According to G1 Globo, which cited Brazil's Integrated Task Force to Combat Organized Crime (FICCO), the Miss Universe Uberlândia 2025 titleholder was named one of the main suspects in “Operation Luxury." The outlet states that the lavishly named investigation has been looking into a drug trafficking and money laundering scheme operating in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Mato Grosso do Sul.
The Brazilian news organization reports that Monteiro, 36, who boasts 108,000 followers on Instagram, was arrested on Wednesday, April 15, in São Paulo, and authorities reportedly executed search and seizure warrants at her condominium.
The pageant winner's Instagram bio describes her content as related to "lifestyle, beauty, fitness routine and humor." She regularly shared workout videos recorded in the gym, photos of her outfits and posts related to beauty and wellness product brand deals.
In one of her Instagram posts from November 2025, Monteiro shared a set of photos of herself sitting on a sofa and shared words of appreciation in her caption.
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"The more I am grateful, the more reason I have to be thankful for! ♥️," she wrote. In between the pictures, she included a slide with words that furthered the sentiment. "So grateful. Incredibly thankful. Unbelievably blessed," the text read.
Per G1 Globo, FICCO member Rafael Herrera said ostentatious social media posts — many of which featured highly priced cars and international vacations — first drew police attention to the criminal activity linked to Monteiro.
"In fact, what caught our attention during the investigations was that some of its members flaunted a lifestyle economically incompatible with their reality, with vehicles, trips, and even the participation of a beauty queen who was the wife or girlfriend of one of the members," he commented, as reported by the Brazilian outlet.
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