Between February 13 and 17, 2026, Rio de Janeiro security forces arrested 731 people during Carnival, a period marked by a 46% increase in firearm seizures (60 weapons) and a 208% surge in confiscated replica guns. Despite the high volume of arrests, Public Security Secretary Victor dos Santos criticized the current legislation as a “revolving door,” noting that 30% of those detained were released following custody hearings. While general property crimes fell by over 31%, aided by facial recognition technology that performed 8 million scans, the holiday also saw 1,517 maritime rescues by firefighters and 858 drunk driving violations recorded by the Lei Seca operation.
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22/02/2026 – On Sunday (22), Rio de Janeiro Military Police seized 25 prohibited items, including 23 knives and two replica firearms, during the Monobloco parade in the Centro district. Three people were arrested, including a man accused of assaulting tourists from Canada and New Zealand. The operation highlighted the debut of facial recognition technology installed in over 380 patrol cars, alongside strategic drones used to monitor the crowds. Additionally, police captured a wanted fugitive and a minor during the weekend’s festivities near the Sambadrome.
22/02/2026 – On Sunday (22), a 71-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a bus driver inside a vehicle in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The victim was traveling on line 383 when the driver reportedly ignored her request to stop, turned off the lights, and assaulted her.
23/02/2026 – On Monday (23), the specialized robbery and theft Civil Police unit (DRF) launched “Operation Copper Paths” to dismantle an interstate criminal organization that moved over R$ 400 million through cable theft and money laundering. The operation executed 42 search warrants across Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Tocantins, targeting a sophisticated structure that used trucks to rip out underground cables during the night. The stolen material was processed in scrapyards, often located in Rio’s North Zone, and resold to steel mills with fraudulent invoices. Authorities have requested the seizure of properties, vehicles, and the total freezing of assets to paralyze the group’s high-level financial infrastructure.
23/02/2026 – On Monday afternoon (23), three people were executed at the intersection of Assis Carneiro and Clarimundo de Melo streets in the Piedade neighborhood, North Zone. Two victims were killed inside a car targeted by over 30 gunshots, while a passing delivery rider, reportedly a local resident, was also struck and died instantly.
24/02/2026 – On Tuesday (24), the Military Police launched a large-scale operation in the Pavuna and Costa Barros neighborhoods, deploying 200 agents across the Chapadão and Pedreira complexes to curb a violent gang war and combat cargo theft. The coordinated effort, involving various PM and elite units like BOPE, targeted several communities including Quitanda and Lagartixa. Due to the intense police activity, 18 municipal schools and a local health clinic were forced to suspend operations, significantly impacting the region’s public services.
24/02/2026 – On Tuesday (24), an Army soldier was filmed assaulting a motorcyclist at a gas station in Vila Militar, West Zone. Video footage shows the soldier drawing a weapon before slapping the rider, causing his motorcycle to fall. The Eastern Military Command confirmed that the soldier has been arrested in flagrante, and the case has been forwarded to Military Justice.
25/02/2026 – On Wednesday morning (25), an armed man attempted to rob two off-duty police officers on Avenida das Américas, near BRT station Jornalista Ricardo Marinho, in Barra da Tijuca, Southwest Zone. A Corporal and a Sergeant reacted to the approach, resulting in a shootout where the suspect was fatally wounded. The motorcycle he was using was identified as stolen and was seized along with his firearm, while the incident led to partial road closures in the area.
25/02/2026 – On Wednesday morning (25), a police chase in the Ramos neighborhood, North Zone, resulted in one death and two arrests. The suspects fled after defying a stop order on Rua Uranos and opening fire on officers. The pursuit ended when their vehicle crashed into a Supervia station wall, destroying the car’s front end; police seized a pistol and ammunition at the scene.
25/02/2026 – On Wednesday (25), Civil Police arrested a 25-year-old woman at a gym near the Jacaré community, North Rio, for drugging and robbing Peruvian tourists. According to the newspaper Extra, the suspect and two accomplices targeted the foreigners in Lapa in February 2025 before traveling with them to Búzios, where they stole high-value items including a Rolex and gold jewelry. This marks the woman’s second arrest for the same “Good Night, Cinderella” scheme.
26/02/2026 – On Thursday (26), Rio Military Police launched a major operation involving 200 officers and 10 armored vehicles in Complexo da Maré. Targeting the TCP faction, the raid sparked intense shootouts and saw burning barricades blocking local access points. Three suspects were wounded during the clashes.
26/02/2026 – On Thursday (26), Civil Police launched “Operation Fim da Rota” against a Terceiro Comando Puro (TCP) cell specialized in interstate arms and drug trafficking. Six people were arrested across Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo. The group recruited middle-class individuals without criminal records to transport assault rifles (AR-10s) and narcotics in modified vehicles. The scheme involved money laundering through shell companies, crypto-assets, and “smurfing” financial transactions to evade detection.
26/02/2026 – On Thursday afternoon (26), a Civil Police operation in the Paciência neighborhood, West Zone, disrupted a planned territorial attack. Agents from the Robbery and Theft divisions intercepted a group of criminals in a wooded area of Manguariba who were preparing to invade a rival’s territory. The confrontation resulted in one suspect killed, five others arrested, and the seizure of five assault rifles, ammunition, and two vehicles intended for the assault.
26/02/2026 – On Thursday (26), police arrested the man accused of killing former Argentine tourism official Gaston Burlon following a shootout in Glória district, South Zone. The suspect was wounded during a chase involving a stolen vehicle used for robberies in the South Zone. Burlon died in 2024 after being shot when his GPS mistakenly led his family into a dangerous community. A second accomplice with a lengthy criminal record was also detained under police custody.
