A woman running for city council in the northwestern Brazilian town of Itacoatiara was arrested on Sunday — election day — for allegedly distributing packets of cocaine to residents who promised to vote for her.

According to a report by the Brazilian website TNONline, 32-year-old Carme Cristina da Silva Lima aroused the suspicion of police when they spotted a large crowd gathered around her car.

As police moved in, the crowd quickly dispersed along with Lima and an unidentified man who was also in the car. A search of the vehicle turned up hundreds of cocaine packets attached to leaflets with instructions on voting for Lima.

"According to locals, she had been distributing the drugs since early in the morning, on condition that people vote for her," Police chief Daniel Ottoni told TNONline.

The candidate has since been charged with electoral corruption and drug dealing. A conviction would mean Lima would be unable to serve as a public official for a period of at least eight years.

[photo via Portal do Holanda]