In an operation carried out by the Rio de Janeiro Police on the outskirts of the city, with the aim of arresting the leader of a drug gang, clashes against civilians caused the death of 13 people, according to the authorities, all of whom were suspected. criminals.
The city of Sao Gonçalo, precisely the Salgueiro neighborhood, was the scene of a new advance in violence in Brazil. There, the Police sought to arrest Leonardo Costa Araujo, the alleged leader of a criminal gang, involved in the murder of police officers in the Pará area in recent times.
With a policy marked by the fight against drug trafficking and zero tolerance towards crime, the raid organized by the authorities began on Thursday and was supported by helicopters and armored vehicles.
In this way, the Police carried out the operation that ended with a bloody confrontation with criminals and 13 deaths who, according to official information, belonged to the drug gang. In addition, three civilians who had no connection to the crime were injured by gunshots as a result of the crossfire.
Despite the strong police presence in Rio de Janeiro, the growth of crime and violence in the slums is a problem that is increasingly worrying the authorities.