Police in Rio de Janeiro conduct large-scale operation in favelas to combat organized crime

In Rio de Janeiro, the state’s law enforcement agencies have initiated a large-scale operation involving nearly 2000 military and civil officers across ten low-income neighborhoods. The goal of the operation is to regain control of areas that have been dominated by organized crime, particularly drug traffickers and militias, in the western zone of Rio. The operation, which includes the execution of arrest warrants, has no set end date. Since its launch, three arrests have been made, and a car containing three grenades has been seized.

Rio Governor Cláudio Castro emphasized the importance of the security task force’s presence on the streets to combat criminal organizations attempting to hold the population hostage. The operation spans various urban neighborhoods, commonly referred to as favelas, including Rio das Pedras, Terreirao, Cesar Maia/Coroado, Cidade de Deus, Muzema, Gardenia Azul, Tijuquinha, Fontela, Morro do Banco, and Sitio do Pai Joao.

Multiple entities have joined forces with Rio’s state government for this operation, including the Navy, municipal guard, cable TV and internet providers, as well as water, electricity, and gas utilities. The escalation of organized crime in Rio’s western zone has sparked intense clashes between law enforcement agencies and various factions of drug-trafficking groups and militias.

Militias, initially formed in the late 1980s to counter the expansion of drug traffickers, have evolved to engage in land seizures and real estate activities. A 2022 study conducted by the Federal Fluminense University and the Fogo Cruzado Institute revealed that these militias now control over half of the territory in Rio’s metropolitan region.