A British tourist has collapsed on a beach in Rio de Janeiro after being drugged by a woman, with more than £16,000 stolen from his bank account. The incident occurred on Ipanema beach in the early hours of August 8, with video footage showing the victim, believed to be a university student on holiday with a friend, staggering and falling onto the sand.
Three women were seen running from the scene and jumping into a taxi, which swiftly departed. The victim had met the women at a bar and accepted a caipirinha cocktail from one of them, after which he lost consciousness. He woke up in the emergency room to discover the theft from his account and that his iPhone had been taken.
Brazilian police have identified the suspects as Amanda Couto Deloca, 23, Mayara Ketelyn Americo da Silva, 26, and Raiane Campos de Oliveira, 27. Investigators say the women are sex workers who target tourists. Campos de Oliveira had previously been jailed for six months for a similar offence and is believed to have returned to the scheme.
The taxi driver has been located but is not suspected of involvement. Brazil's Special Tourism Support Unit has launched an investigation and urged visitors to exercise caution around strangers and avoid sharing drinks. The case highlights ongoing concerns about tourists being targeted in Rio de Janeiro.
