Oct. 29 (UPI) -- At least 119 people were killed, including four policemen, and 113 arrested in the largest anti-drug police operation in Rio de Janeiro's history.
The operation took place in the Penha and Alemão favela complexes in the city's north. It involved more than 2,500 officers, who used helicopters, armored vehicles and drones to enter densely populated areas where heavy gunfire was reported.
The raid, called Operation Containment, sought to carry out more than 100 arrest warrants against members of the Comando Vermelho criminal organization, one of Brazil's most powerful and long-standing groups, which has a strong presence in Rio de Janeiro and other parts of the country.
The organization emerged in prisons during the 1970s and has since evolved into a sophisticated network involved in drug and arms trafficking, extortion and territorial control across several favelas.
Rio de Janeiro Gov. Cláudio Castro defended the operation, saying police have even been attacked by drones dropping explosives.
