The state of Rio de Janeiro recorded the highest number of off-duty military police officers killed in Brazil, according to the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook. In 2024, 41 officers were murdered while off duty — accounting for 36.28% of the national total — due to homicide, robbery, armed confrontation, or bodily harm resulting in death. Although still high, the number is slightly lower than in 2023, when 45 officers were killed. Across the country, 113 off-duty military police officers were killed in 2024, with São Paulo ranking second with 13 deaths. So far in 2025, Rio has already recorded 19 such cases, including a recent incident in Vila Valqueire, where an officer was shot during an attempted robbery while off duty.
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24/07/2025 – On Thursday (24/07), police from the 15th DP (Gávea) and the 23rd BPM (Leblon) arrested members of a gang responsible for stealing 130 pickup trucks in Rio’s South Zone and Barra da Tijuca between January and May 2025. The vehicles were taken to gang-controlled areas to be cloned and sent to other states or countries, including Paraguay, where they were traded for weapons, ammunition, and drugs. Two suspects, Adriano Souza de Maria and Rafael Nunes, were detained along with a minor. Tools and key-decoding equipment were seized, and the investigation continues as other gang members remain at large.
25/07/2025 – On Friday (25/07), a man was arrested in downtown Rio de Janeiro for taking part in a real estate scam targeting vulnerable people. The group lured victims with promises of easy home ownership, then vanished with the down payment. They reposted ads from digital platforms, changed contact info to their WhatsApp numbers, and used a rented coworking space to appear legitimate. One victim paid R$5,600 upfront for a house in Cosmos, unaware that the real owners were not involved. Leandro da Silva was caught red-handed.
25/07/2025 – On Friday (25/07), eight employees of major transport companies were arrested in Rio de Janeiro during Operation Torniquete for facilitating cargo thefts. According to the Civil Police, the suspects leaked privileged information about routes and valuable shipments to criminals tied to rival gangs in the Maré complex. Over the past year, the scheme enabled at least 11 targeted robberies, with losses reaching R$3 million. The arrested workers held internal roles such as supervisors, drivers, and assistants.
26/07/2025 – On Saturday (26/07), police arrested a man in an apartment on Avenida Princesa Isabel, Copacabana, on suspicion of operating a cyber scam center. According to investigators, he used clandestine equipment to send fake SMS messages with fraudulent links, tricking victims into giving access to their mobile devices. The operation was conducted jointly with Anatel. Authorities seized the equipment and will now focus on identifying victims and other members of the criminal network.
26/07/2025 – On Saturday night (26/07), a woman was shot during a shootout between drug traffickers and militiamen in Jardim Bangu, West Zone. According to witnesses, members of the Red Command tried to invade the area controlled by militiamen, triggering a confrontation. The victim, who was standing on the sidewalk during a party, was hit near the collarbone. Residents report enduring similar clashes for years due to territorial disputes in the region.
26/07/2025 – On Saturday (26/07), military police from BPTur seized six 9mm submachine guns, 21 magazines, five scopes, and eight tripods at the Novo Rio Bus Terminal. The weapons were being transported by a passenger who was intercepted while attempting to board a bus. According to authorities, the arsenal originated from the Complexo do Alemão and was destined for Fortaleza, Ceará. The man was arrested.
26/07/2025 – A man was arrested for attempted femicide after stabbing his ex-girlfriend in front of her child on Saturday (26/07) in Taquara, West Zone. The attack occurred on Estrada Rodrigues Caldas, near Taquara Plaza Shopping. According to police, the suspect, who allegedly did not accept the end of the relationship, fled after the assault but was detained and beaten by bystanders.
28/07/2025 – A former military police officer was shot early Monday morning (28/07) in front of a nightclub in Anil, Jacarepaguá, West Zone. Armed men reportedly pulled up beside his car on Estrada de Jacarepaguá and fired over 15 shots. The victim was hit in the torso and arm. At least ten 9mm shell casings were found inside the vehicle. The case is under investigation by the 32nd Police Precinct (Taquara).
28/07/2025 – A van driver was shot during a traffic dispute around 5:00 on Monday (28/07) on Avenida Cesário de Melo, in Paciência, West Zone. Witnesses said the altercation began after a collision between vehicles, during which the suspect, reportedly intoxicated, fired at the victim. The driver, known as Capoeira, was taken to Pedro II Municipal Hospital. The suspect fled, and the case is under investigation by the Civil Police. Colleagues later held a peaceful protest demanding justice and improved safety for transport workers.
28/07/2025 – A 37-year-old man was arrested on Monday (28/07) after stealing an elderly man’s backpack during a service at the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Del Castilho, North Zone. Caught in the act by an off-duty military police officer attending the service, the suspect was located shortly after by Segurança Presente agents near Avenida Dom Hélder Câmara. He was found carrying six wallets, six ID cards, four bank cards, a phone, a pair of scissors, a Swiss army knife, a Phillips screwdriver, and two lighters.
28/07/2025 – A security guard was caught stealing parcels containing electronic equipment at the Correios building on Avenida Presidente Vargas, in downtown Rio, and was arrested in the act by the Federal Police on Monday morning (28/07). Inside his car, agents found stolen items including tablets, cell phones, a computer monitor, a speaker, and two bottles of perfume, as well as a .40 caliber pistol, ammunition, and packaging remains. The suspect had been under surveillance by federal agents and Correios’ internal security.
29/07/2025 – On Tuesday (29/07), Rio’s Civil Police seized three stolen and cloned vehicles used by militiamen in a convoy filmed by a drone in the Catiri community, West Zone, where the armed group had passed in front of Military Police officers without being stopped. The cars were found in a warehouse used as a militia depot, along with a carbine rifle. Investigations continue into the structure and finances of the group. The day before, four suspects had been arrested in Curicica, including three seen in the drone footage and one identified as the militia’s second-in-command in Dois Irmãos. Police also recovered four rifles. Authorities link the Curicica militia to imprisoned leaders “Boto” and “Cara de Ferro” and suspect ties to the Red Command faction.
29/07/2025 – A criminal fire devastated a large area of vegetation along Estrada do Rio Morto in Vargem Grande, West Zone, during the night of 29 and 30 July. The blaze lasted nearly nine hours and required over 30 firefighters to be brought under control. According to the police, the fire was intentionally set to clear land for illegal construction. The investigation targets militiamen and traffickers from the Third Pure Command (TCP), suspected of illegally occupying the area, particularly near the Pombo Sem Asa favela. The Environmental Crimes Division (DPMA) is leading the inquiry.
30/07/2025 – On Wednesday (30/07), a military police officer was arrested while driving a cloned SUV used in a militia convoy filmed by a drone in the Catiri community, in Bangu, West Zone. He was transporting an arsenal from the Maré favela to Catiri, including four pistols, a submachine gun, and ammunition. According to the organized crime unit Draco, the arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into the territorial war between local militias (allied with the TCP gang) and the Red Command.
30/07/2025 – A man wanted for child rape was arrested on Wednesday (30/07) at Galeão International Airport. Federal police apprehended him as he disembarked from a flight from Porto Alegre. The arrest fulfilled a preventive detention warrant issued by the Domestic and Family Violence Court of the Santa Catarina State Court. He was transferred to the state prison system and will remain in custody pending trial.
31/07/2025 – On Thursday (31/07), Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police launched an operation in the Manguinhos community, in the North Zone, targeting a base allegedly used by cargo thieves and drug traffickers. During the action, three people were shot. Three suspects were arrested, and two rifles were seized. The operation is part of “Operação Torniquete,” led by the 21st Police Precinct (Bonsucesso), aimed at cracking down on cargo and vehicle theft that funds criminal factions.
