RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: Brazilian police launched a large-scale operation across several favelas in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday and said they killed at least seven “criminals” during the clashes.
The operation was launched at dawn in several impoverished neighborhoods in northern Rio as security forces targeted members of the Commando Vermelho narco gang, one of the country’s largest criminal organizations.
“Seven criminals died in clashes with our teams. Five rifles, three pistols, seven radios … and narcotics were seized and will be accounted for. In addition, three suspects were injured and two arrested,” Rio’s military police wrote on X.
Two police officers were injured in the clash.
A separate police statement said intelligence reports had detected criminal activity in the area being investigated for car theft, in addition to drug trafficking.
The media witnessed that the favela of the Alemao complex was completely surrounded by heavily armed security forces.
Rio’s gendarmerie released photos of soldiers using excavators to remove metal barriers placed by criminals at various entrances to the favela.
Rio City Councilor Tyce Ferreira said the operation halted classes and affected about 20,000 students.
Police operations against organized crime in poorer areas of Rio are frequent, often leading to armed clashes.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government has announced a $180m plan to fight organized crime over the next three years.
Security and legal experts have criticized the approach, saying it has had too much impact on the local population while having little impact on the gangs.
In August 2023, police raids on favelas across Brazil killed 44 people in less than a week.
