64 Killed in Anti-Drug Operation

More than 64 people have been killed in an anti-crime police operation in Rio de Janeiro, the capital of Brazil. The operation, conducted on Tuesday (28 October), claimed the lives of four police officers among the deceased. Additionally, 81 people have been arrested on charges including drug trafficking and involvement in terrorist activities, according to local media reports.

According to AFP, the operation was part of a special anti-drug and organised crime measure called ‘Operation Containment’. The operation specifically targeted members of the notorious criminal group Comando Vermelho (Red Command).

Around 2,500 police officers participated in the operation, supported by armoured vehicles and helicopters. The raids focused mainly on the Alemao and Pena favela settlements in the capital, where a significant cache of weapons was seized.

Governor Claudio Castro, in a video statement, confirmed that 60 criminals were killed during the operation. He described it as a major law enforcement action, in which more than 250 arrest and search warrants were executed.

He added that the aim of the operation was to curb the expansion of the Red Command and to apprehend criminal leaders in Rio and other states.

However, the high number of deaths has raised international concern. The operation in the northern part of Rio has become the deadliest police action in the city’s local history. Local sources indicate that some bystanders were also shot during the raids.

Human rights organisations have condemned the killings as extrajudicial and have warned that such operations often result in severe loss of life. In 2024, nearly 700 people were killed in police operations in Rio.

Governor Castro, however, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “we want a crime-free Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. The stronger the security measures, the more freely people can live.”

Khabarwala/MAZ