The seizure of assault rifles by the Military Police in the State of Rio de Janeiro in 2024 was the highest ever recorded in the historical series. Last year, officers removed 638 such weapons from circulation, marking a 30% increase compared to the previous year. This number surpasses the 610 rifles seized by all security forces in 2023. However, the complete 2024 data on seizures has not yet been released by the Public Security Institute (ISP).
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Falling Deaths
The increase in assault rifle seizures contrasts with the decline in the number of suspects killed during confrontations with the police. From January to November 2024, there were 659 such deaths in the state, representing a 19% decrease compared to 2023. However, this inverse relationship is only evident at a general level; regions with higher rifle seizures also recorded more fatalities in police operations.
Main Battalions
Nearly half of the rifle seizures (46%) occurred in areas covered by just five battalions of the Military Police (PM): the 41st BPM (Irajá), 14th BPM (Bangu), 15th BPM (Caxias), 18th BPM (Jacarepaguá), and 20th BPM (Mesquita). Among these, three battalions patrol areas with the highest number of fatalities in police confrontations from January to November 2024, as reported by the ISP: the 18th BPM, with 71 victims; the 41st BPM, with 54; and the 15th BPM, with 51 deaths.
Early 2025
In 2024, the daily average of rifle seizures by the Military Police stood at 1.7. However, in the first five days of 2025, this rate more than doubled. From 1 January to 5 January, the PM reported 18 rifles seized, an average of 3.6 weapons per day. This increase suggests intensified operations at the beginning of the year, possibly reflecting a strategy to curb criminal activity early in the year or a reaction to heightened gang activities.
