Rio’s Bloodiest Police Raid: 64 Killed in Brazil’s Largest Anti-Drug Operation

At least 64 people have been killed — including four police officers — in what Brazilian authorities are calling the largest security operation in Rio de Janeiro’s history.

The deadly raid, which unfolded on Tuesday across several northern favelas, targeted the Comando Vermelho (Red Command), one of Brazil’s most powerful criminal organizations. Officials said the operation aimed to curb the group’s territorial expansion and drug trafficking network.

Governor Cláudio Castro described the raid as “the biggest operation in Rio’s history”, confirming that security forces seized 42 rifles and a “large quantity” of drugs. Over 2,500 military and civil police officers were involved, according to the state government.

Videos and photos from the scene showed thick plumes of smoke rising from the Alemão and Penha complexes as residents reported explosions and gunfire. Burnt-out cars and makeshift barricades littered the streets.

Authorities claim the gang used drones to attack police units. “Despite the assaults, our officers remain firm in the fight against crime,” the Rio government said in a post on X.

Governor Castro accused the group of “narco-terrorism,” urging residents to remain indoors as gun battles continued.

The raid — codenamed Operation Containment — came just days before Rio is set to host the C40 World Mayors Summit, a major international climate conference. Analysts say such operations often intensify ahead of global events to project control and stability.

Human rights organizations have condemned the raid’s death toll. The United Nations Human Rights Office said it was “horrified” by the scale of the violence, warning that it reflects “a trend of extreme lethal consequences of police operations in marginalized communities.”

The office called for a “prompt and transparent investigation” into the killings, reminding Brazilian authorities of their obligations under international law.

Police said 81 people were arrested, while hospitals in northern Rio struggled to cope with casualties.

Brazil’s Supreme Court previously restricted such raids in 2021 after a deadly police operation in the Jacarezinho favela killed 25 people. But critics say little has changed on the ground.

Comando Vermelho, founded in the 1970s during Brazil’s military dictatorship, has evolved into a transnational crime syndicate involved in drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion.

As investigations continue, residents of Rio’s favelas remain trapped between state firepower and criminal militias — casualties in a war that has claimed thousands of lives in Brazil’s poorest neighborhoods.