SUMMARY
The Complexo de Israel is a cluster of five communities in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone. Strategically located near major expressways, such as Avenida Brasil and Linha Vermelha, the area has become a focal point of violent clashes between law enforcement and organized crime. The Third Pure Command (TCP), led by Peixão, established control over these favelas, using religious symbols such as the Star of David and the Israeli flag to mark its territory. Persistent armed conflicts and police operations in the region cause major disruptions to urban mobility, business closures, and heightened public insecurity.
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Impact on Public Security
On 12 February, an operation to capture Álvaro Malaquias Santa Rosa, known as Peixão, who controls the set of five communities known as Complexo de Israel – North Zone of Rio – caused widespread panic. The operation turned Avenida Brasil and Linha Vermelha, two of the city’s most important expressways, into a war zone, and clogged the traffic between the Central and South Zones with the rest of the Metropolitan zone, forcing drivers to look much longer and sometimes riskier alternatives.
Criminals set fire to vehicles, piles of tires, and barricades, using them as roadblocks to resist security forces. Four people were injured, and a Military Police helicopter had to make an emergency landing after being hit by gunfire. Despite the large-scale police effort, Peixão managed to escape. This operation highlights the difficulty of dismantling Peixão’s criminal network but also the fragility of Rio’s network of roads.
The Complexo de Israel is a group of five favelas—Vigário Geral, Parada de Lucas, Cidade Alta, Cinco Bocas, and Pica-Pau—controlled by Peixão, a high-ranking drug trafficker linked to the Third Pure Command (TCP). The area is home to around 134,000 people. Peixão’s gang’s stronghold relies on significant criminal activity, primarily drug trafficking. The Complexo de Israel plays a central role in the distribution of illicit substances, serving as a key point for trafficking routes and fueling the city’s broader violence.
The failed operation highlights the immense challenges faced by Rio’s security forces in dismantling entrenched criminal organizations. The use of barricades and gunfire demonstrates Peixão’s faction’s ability to severely disrupt urban mobility and public order. The closure of key expressways like Avenida Brasil and Linha Vermelha paralyzed Rio’s infrastructure, affecting thousands. Despite the operation’s aim to prevent gang violence from escalating, the response was largely reactive, relying on force rather than intelligence-driven strategies. The absence of sustained investigations, targeted arrests of key leaders, and financial disruption of criminal organizations highlights broader weaknesses in Rio’s public security policies, allowing these groups to reorganize and maintain control over strategic areas.
Impact on Urban Mobility
The consequences of these security failures extend beyond law enforcement challenges, directly affecting the daily lives of thousands of people. One of the most significant impacts is on urban mobility. This was not the first time that a police operation or a gang fight in the Complexo de Israel led to the closure of major road corridors in Rio de Janeiro. The criminal presence in the area has turned key transport routes into high-risk zones, with frequent police interventions and violent confrontations disrupting traffic and endangering commuters.
In October 2024, three people were killed on different expressways—Avenida Brasil, Linha Vermelha, and Rodovia Washington Luiz—near the favelas of the Complexo de Israel. At the time, Secretary Victor dos Santos classified the attack as an act of terrorism, stating that Peixão had ordered his accomplices to deliberately shoot at highways, pressuring police to stop operations. Since then, violence on these routes has escalated, with frequent roadblocks built in response to police actions, shootouts, and criminal activity.
According to data from the Fogo Cruzado Institute, there were 52 shootings in 2024 near Avenida Brasil alone, along with 14 on Linha Amarela and 7 on Linha Vermelha. In 2025, the situation persists, with eight armed confrontations already recorded in the region. Additionally, between 2024 and early 2025, Rio’s expressways witnessed at least 68 police actions, 73 attempted robberies, 10 homicides or attempted homicides, two clashes between criminal factions, and one case of kidnapping or false imprisonment.
Security forces closed Avenida Brasil, one of the city’s most crucial commercial corridors, at least three times in February 2025 alone, severely impacting transportation and commerce. Other closures occurred on Linha Amarela and Linha Vermelha due to criminal attacks, including a tragic incident where a Degase[1] agent was killed during a robbery. These disruptions highlight the severe impact of organized crime on Rio’s urban mobility and public security.
The territorial advances of gangs are getting closer and closer to the expressways of the Rio Metropolitan Region, surrounded in long stretches by communities protected by barriers set up by criminals. Avenida Brasil, Linha Amarela, Linha Vermelha, and the Niterói-Manilha stretch of BR-101 have become corridors with dangerous exits. A survey conducted by EXTRA mapped 37 fixed barricades.
The blockades are a challenge to the population and authorities. On Avenida Brasil alone, EXTRA newspaper found that accesses to communities that are on the side of the expressway have at least 11 fixed barricades. They are spread across the favelas of Cinco Bocas, Acari, Nova Holanda, and Parque União, among others. Drivers may also come across gates and barriers, not to mention the more common blockades: piles of trash, old furniture, and tires. The Military Police reported that, in 2024, it removed 7,701 tons of barricades and obstacles. And in 2025, there have already been 732.7 tons.
Other Highway Security Issues
While urban expressways are among the most affected, highways connecting Rio de Janeiro to other regions also face escalating security challenges. These routes, crucial for logistics and trade, have become hotspots for crime and violence.
The roadways connecting Rio de Janeiro to other regions, such as BR-040 (Rodovia Washington Luís), BR-101, BR-116 (Rodovia Presidente Dutra), BR-493 (Arco Metropolitano), and RJ-106, face similar security challenges as urban expressways, with high levels of violence. These roads, essential for the transportation of goods and workforce mobility, are frequently affected by robberies, shootings, and organized crime, making them critical insecurity hotspots. The presence of criminal factions and militias along these routes further exacerbates the risks, hindering law enforcement efforts.
One of the most pressing issues on these highways is the frequent shootouts between criminals and police, often leading to roadblocks and traffic congestion. In August 2024, drivers on BR-101 encountered three separate shootouts near Shopping São Gonçalo (RJ) in the Gradim region. On 8 August, a businesswoman’s car was struck by gunfire after six armed criminals blocked the road and fired shots into the air. The first shooting occurred in nearly the same spot on 4 August, and just two days later, on 6 August, drivers had to get the wrong direction to escape a mass robbery near the Piscinão de São Gonçalo.
Additionally, robberies targeting drivers and truckers are common, particularly in isolated stretches, increasing operational costs for businesses due to rising expenses for private security and insurance. Cargo theft in Rio de Janeiro is highly concentrated, with 99% of incidents occurring in the Metropolitan Region. Over half of these crimes took place in just 8 of the state’s 137 Integrated Public Security Districts (CISPs), all located near major highways and industrial zones. CISP 60 – Campos Elíseos, near BR-040, recorded the highest number of thefts (350 cases), accounting for 10% of the state’s total in 2024, despite a slight reduction from the previous year. These incidents, even though focused on the cargo, can often evolve into a shootout and block the roads’ traffic.
Concentration evolution of cargo robbery cases – Source: Firjan.
While the East Fluminense region is not among the most affected areas, São Gonçalo saw a significant surge in cargo thefts, doubling the number of incidents in 2024. The CISPs of São Gonçalo (72, 73, 74, and 75), near BR-101, reported 208 cases, with November and December alone accounting for 66% of the year’s total. The rise in cargo theft in 2024 reversed the downward trend seen in previous years, posing challenges to economic growth. Security concerns directly impact business decisions, as many companies consider private security and insurance costs, which often exceed the direct losses from theft.
Criminal activity and social unrest have triggered a mobility crisis, disrupting economic stability and daily life in the region. Addressing these issues requires strategic interventions to enhance public safety and ensure smoother transportation.
Mitigating Mobility Disruptions and Enhancing Security
The security crisis affecting Rio de Janeiro’s highways and expressways underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts to mitigate its impact on mobility and public security. The persistent violence in the Complexo de Israel, particularly its spillover effects on critical corridors such as Avenida Brasil, Linha Vermelha, and BR-101, highlights the extent to which organized crime can disrupt urban life and economic activity. The frequent shootouts, roadblocks, and large-scale police operations demonstrate the challenges in dismantling entrenched criminal networks while ensuring the city’s infrastructure remains functional.
A business operating under such circumstances must be prepared to deal with the associated risks. To address these issues, a multi-faceted approach is essential. First, classifying roadways based on risk levels would allow authorities and businesses to prioritize security measures where they are most needed. CCTV, GPS tracking, and real-time monitoring enhance security responses. In high-risk areas, the use of armored vehicles should be considered as a preventive measure for both individuals and companies transporting people and valuable cargo. Additionally, implementing well-structured Journey Management Plans (JMPs) can help businesses and drivers navigate dangerous routes more safely by providing contingency strategies, alternative routes, and emergency protocols. Equally important is the need for stronger cooperation between law enforcement agencies, transportation authorities, and local governments. Improved intelligence-sharing and joint operations can enhance security responses, reducing the influence of criminal organizations over key roadways. Without a strategic and coordinated effort, Rio de Janeiro will continue to suffer from mobility crises that not only threaten public safety but also impose significant economic burdens. These strategies are crucial for Rio de Janeiro to regain control over its roads, enhance security, and support economic recovery. Without urgent action, mobility and public safety will remain at risk.
[1] Departamento Geral de Ações Sócio Educativas. It is an agency of the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro, which carries out legal measures applied to adolescents in conflict with the law.
