Photo by Jochen Eckel/AP Images
Federal police in Brazil apprehended the vice president of Facebook Inc. for Latin America on Tuesday after the company failed to cooperate with judicial orders in an investigation of drug trafficking in Sergipe state.Court officials in Sergipe confirmed the detention of Diego Dzodan and police said he remained in custody for questioning in Sao Paulo state.Facebook Inc. called Dzodan's detention an "extreme and disproportionate measure" stemming from a case in Brazil involving its messaging service Whatsapp, which operates separately from the Facebook platform."Facebook has always been and will be available to address any questions Brazilian authorities may have," the company said in an emailed statement.In December, a judge suspended WhatsApp in Brazil for about 12 hours after it failed to comply with two court orders to share information in a criminal case.It was not immediately clear whether the current detention is also related to this previous case that reportedly involved a drug trafficker linked to one of Sao Paulo's most dangerous criminal gangs, the PCC, or First Command of the Capital.Related: In Photos: The Social Media of Brazil's Gang WarsThe trafficker allegedly used WhatsApp services while committing crimes, and the court wanted to access his communications.At the time, WhatsApp said it was unable, not unwilling, to comply and the suspention of the service was lifted by an appeals court judge.Privacy concerns have frequently put Facebook and other Internet giants at odds with Brazilian law enforcement seeking evidence in criminal cases, although the confrontations rarely rise to the prominence of Apple Inc.'s current standoff with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.There is a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the conflict due to take place later today, following a federal judge's ruling that Apple does not have to help investigators unlock an iPhone in a drug case.Related: The Fight Between Apple and the FBI Could Shape the Future of Digital PrivacyBrazilian courts have not shied away from targeting senior tech officials.In 2012, an elections court in Mato Grosso do Sul ordered the detention of Google's most senior executive in Brazil after the company failed to take down YouTube videos attacking a local mayoral candidate.Follow VICE News on Twitter: @vicenews
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