Bodies filled Rio de Janeiro’s poor neighborhoods Tuesday as police carried out their largest-ever raids against drug gangs, leaving at least 64 people dead in scenes reminiscent of urban warfare.
As many as 2,500 heavily-armed officers, backed by armored vehicles, helicopters and drones took part in the operation targeting Brazil's main drug-trafficking gang in two poor neighborhoods, or favelas, in northern Rio.
Gunfire rang out in the area near Rio's international airport, and smoke billowed from several fires on Tuesday afternoon, several hours after the raids started.
Residents scrambled for cover and shops closed their doors amid police claims that the gangs were using drones to fight back.
State Governor Claudio Castro described the operation in the Complexo da Penha and Complexo do Alemao favelas as the largest in the state's history.
