Mega operation in Rio: 91 rifles from South American armies seized
The seizure of 91 South American rifles in Rio de Janeiro marked a turning point in the fight against organized crime in Brazil.
The mega operation carried out in the complexes of Penha and Alemão revealed that part of the arsenal belonged to armies of Venezuela, Argentina, Peru and Brazil, confirming an international trafficking network that fuels urban violence.
The operation and its findings
The operation, carried out on October 28, was one of the biggest of the year.
The police found military weapons, grenades and tactical equipment used by the Vermelho Commando, one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Latin America.
The delegate Vinicius Domingos, from the Weapons and Explosives Inspection Coordination, stated that the presence of weapons with seals from various armies “is not unprecedented, but it is alarming.”
Weapons with foreign military seal
Among the confiscated rifles were units with the insignia of the Venezuelan, Argentine and Peruvian armed forces, in addition to weapons belonging to the Brazilian Army.
Investigators suspect that part of this arsenal arrived in Rio through Paraguay, one of the main corridors for arms smuggling in South America.
Each rifle will be subjected to ballistic and chemical expertise to trace its origin and the logistical routes of the traffic.
Vermelho Command Connections
The researchers detected links between the Vermelho Commando and criminal factions of Bahia, Manaus and the Brazilian northeast.
Several rifles were engraved with gang names or articles of the penal code, such as 157 (aggravated robbery), indicating their membership in specific gangs.
A seized rifle bore the inscription “Bahian CV”, confirming the expansion of the Vermelho Command outside of Rio.
Symbols of the call were also found “Lampião Band”, a group from the northeast that operates in alliance with Carioca drug traffickers.
Arms trafficking routes
Arms trafficking to Brazil follows a complex pattern.
According to the police report, many pieces enter disassembled by land through Paraguay and are assembled within the country with components legally acquired online.
This practice makes the traceability of weapons difficult and reinforces the need for international cooperation among the countries of the region.
Manufacturing, sale and smuggling
Just two weeks ago, the Federal Police dismantled a clandestine factory that produced and sold up to 3,500 rifles per year intended to supply the favelas of Rocinha and the Complexo do Alemão.
The discovery of the new arsenal confirms that organized crime not only imports weapons, but also maintains an internal production network.
The most common weapons seized were calibers 5.56 and 7.62, capable of shooting up to 10 bullets per second, according to tests carried out by the scientific police.
Impact on Brazilian security
He Public Safety Institute of Brazil revealed that between January and September they seized 593 rifles in Rio, the highest figure since 2007.
40% of all rifles seized in the country are found in this state, reflecting the firepower of local criminal factions.
Vinicius Domingos warned:
“With the exception of Colombia and Mexico, there is no other country where organized crime openly uses a military arsenal to dominate urban territories.”
The economic consequences are also enormous: losses from armed violence affect industries, businesses and entire communities who live under constant threat.
The power of the armed drug trafficker
The seizure of 91 South American rifles in Rio reveals the scope of transnational crime and the vulnerability of border controls.
The case revives the debate about the public security and international cooperation in the fight against arms trafficking.
The challenge is clear: without regional coordination and stricter controls, favelas will continue to be the epicenter of armed power in South America.
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