Drug trafficking gangs continue the expansion towards small and medium cities of Rio de Janeiro state. Recent episodes of gang violence have drawn attention to Paraty, which is suffering from the effects of local conflicts for drug selling points. In Paraty, ironically, the Peace Square is has gradually become, for the past 15 years, the focal point of a dispute between the Red Command (CV) and the Third Pure Command (TCP). The fight transformed the security scenario of this touristic city and the routine of two traditional fishing neighborhoods, exposed to violence and marginalization in a city recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
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Cobras Island and Mangueira
A 13-minute walk from Paraty’s Historic Center, the communities of Ilha das Cobras and Mangueira—also near the airport—are separated only by Rua Central. For residents, a common reference point is an açaí stand set up in front of the square. Both areas began to be taken over by criminal factions between 2010 and 2011, during the period when Pacifying Police Units (UPPs) were rolled out in Rio de Janeiro city’s drug-dominated favelas. At the time, the Red Command (CV) operated on Ilha do Governador, while the Third Pure Command (TPC) held Mangueira.
Takeover of Control
In 2021, Red Command seized control of Mangueira after the assassination of rival leaders. The shift triggered a wave of forced expulsions. Armed criminals arrived and gave one family 24 hours to leave. Such expulsions continue in Paraty, which is now largely dominated by CV. The 167th Police Precinct (DP) is investigating one case that occurred late last year in Morro do Ditão, on the Rio–Santos Highway about eight kilometers from central Paraty. Traffickers threaten a resident at gunpoint, accusing her of being an informant.
Drug Sales
A Mangueira resident said the neighborhood has deteriorated sharply in recent years, mainly due to the growth of drug sales on side streets. He describes the traffickers, noting that most are teenagers. Last year, 48 minors were detained in the city; in 2024, there were 28, according to the Institute of Public Security (ISP).
Lack of Basic Services
Speaking anonymously, a civil police officer in the region said CV, now entrenched in Paraty, has expanded control over local economic activities in ways similar to its operations in the capital. The faction’s presence also affects basic services in some areas, such as Condado, about five kilometers from downtown. A public-school teacher said that, in this community, municipal buses no longer enter the interior streets, operating only along the main road.
Tourist Area
More recently, the faction’s activities have reportedly extended beyond the communities into tourist areas such as Praia do Sono and Trindade, known for their “hippie” culture. Local reports say traffickers were extorting boatmen and parking lot operators and improperly charging tourists for access. Residents say the situation was resolved by local fishermen themselves, who confronted the criminals—some of whom were related to them.
Six Investigations
At the 167th Police Station, there are at least six investigations into Red Command’s territorial exploitation in the region. Investigators, however, report difficulty in concluding cases, mainly due to a lack of witness statements. Recorded allegations involve Paraty-Mirim—where traffickers are said to demand a cut from land and property sales—along with Costeira, Ponta Negra, Praia de Cajaíba, Juatinga, and Calhau. There is also suspicion of extortion targeting tourism businesses at the Paraty Wharf, where tour boats depart. In the Historic Center, a major tourist hub, there have been no formal complaints so far.
Analysis:
The situation in Paraty reflects a gradual but strategic expansion of organized crime into smaller municipalities that combine logistical access, tourism revenue, and limited state presence. The spread of factional control into communities such as Ilha das Cobras and Mangueira appears linked to broader displacement dynamics following security interventions in Rio de Janeiro’s capital over the past decade. As pressure intensified in major urban favelas, criminal groups sought secondary territories where enforcement capacity is thinner and social vulnerability is high. In this context, Paraty’s peripheral fishing neighborhoods became attractive nodes for consolidation rather than merely transit points.
The reported pattern of forced expulsions, youth recruitment, and control over local economic activities suggests a shift from retail drug activity to territorial governance. When factions begin influencing property transactions, transport routes, and access to public services, they move beyond illicit commerce into parallel authority structures.
The extension of criminal influence toward tourist areas such as Praia do Sono and Trindade introduces an additional layer of risk, as it threatens a sector central to Paraty’s economy and international reputation. Even isolated cases of extortion or informal taxation can damage investor confidence and visitor perceptions.
