At least 60 people were killed Tuesday in a large-scale police operation against an organized crime group in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The governor of Rio de Janeiro state said Tuesday that security forces had launched a coordinated attack against members of the Comando Vermelho, a criminal organization involved in transnational drugs and arms trafficking.
In a statement, Governor Cláudio Castro said among the 60 dead were two members of the security forces. Castro added that 81 people had been arrested, among them a man named Doca – thought to be one of the Comando Vermelho’s leaders.
The Comando Vermelho is considered the second largest criminal organization in Brazil, with up to 30,000 members nationwide according to InSight Crime.
In a statement, the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police said 42 rifles had been confiscated as well as 200kg of drugs, found in the Penha favela.
The governor said 2,500 security personnel had been involved in the operation that covered an area of 9 million square meters. He said the attack was based off of a year’s worth of investigations and 60 days of planning.
Castro described it as the “largest operation in the history of the Rio security forces.”
Videos on social media show parts of the Alemao and Penha favela complexes, both on the outskirts of the city, on fire with large smoke clouds rising into the sky. What appears to be gunshots can be heard in the distance.
Video shared by the governor also suggests the Comando Vermelho have launched counterattacks on security forces, using drones to fire explosives at police. (Latin America Reports wasn’t immediately able to verify the video).
Rio has been placed on high alert as security forces anticipate further counterattacks.
The operation came as the city prepares to host a series of international events in the run up to the COP30 summit which will be held in Belém in November.
Next week, Rio will host the C40 summit of global mayors as well as the U.K.’s Prince William’s Earthshot Prize ceremony.
Large-scale police operations in Rio before international events are not uncommon with similar operations sweeping through favelas before the 2011 visit by Pope Benedict, 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games.
Speaking at a press conference after the operation, Castro, a right-wing supporter of former President Jair Bolsonaro , criticized the federal government and the leadership of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“Our police forces were alone unfortunately … Rio is alone in this war,” he said.
President Lula, who is in Malaysia attending a gathering of Southeast Asian nations alongside U.S. President Donald Trump, has not yet commented on the operation.
Featured Image: rifles captured in a raid by security forces in Rio de Janeiro.
Image credit: Governo do RJ
