Police action results in 11 deaths in the metropolitan region of Rio

A joint operation by the Special Operations Battalion (Bope) of the Military Police and the Coordination of Special Operations and Resources (Core) of the Civil Police, elite public security units in Rio, took place this Thursday (23) at Complexo de Favelas do Salgueiro, in São Gonçalo, resulted in the death of 11 people. Among the dead is Leonardo Costa Araújo, 37 years old, known as Leo 41, who headed drug trafficking in the state of Pará. According to the police, he tried his activities for Rio de Janeiro, in partnership with the criminal group Comando Vermelho. Today’s action was supported by the Civil Police of Pará. In the action, two residents of the community were injured and were taken to Hospital Estadual Alberto Torres. Because of the operation, schools in the municipal education network and health centers in São Gonçalo, in the metropolitan region of Rio, did not open on Thursday. Two armored helicopters provided support to the ground teams. Two rifles were seized by security agents. On his social networks, Governor Cládio Castro commented on the police action: “Two bandits who headed criminal factions in Sergipe and Pará were captured today by our state security forces. Thanks to the integrated work and intelligence of the Civil and Military Police, the criminals were located in Maré and São Gonçalo”. In another post, the governor congratulated Bope and Core. “We trust our police forces, which operate in a scenario more challenging than the capital of the world. Congratulations to Bope and Core. We will not allow Rio to be used as a hiding place for bandits from other states,” wrote Castro.

Agência Brasil