In the first 11 days of 2026, the Rio de Janeiro Military Police seized 27 rifles across the state, averaging nearly two war-grade weapons per day. While operations in São Gonçalo and the Lagos Region remain productive, recent efforts have significantly intensified in the state’s interior. Notably, the 38th BPM in Três Rios recorded its first-ever rifle seizure since the battalion’s founding in 2003. This upward trend follows a record-breaking 2025, where nearly 850 rifles were removed from circulation—averaging one seizure every 10 hours statewide.
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08/01/2026 – On Thursday (8), a 31-year-old lawyer was arrested for the sixth time after stealing R$ 4,000 worth of imported champagne and whiskey from a supermarket in the South Zone. Despite being released from a similar arrest just a week earlier, she was caught on camera hiding bottles in her coat. With a wide history of theft and fraud, police are now seeking her preventive detention, noting she confessed to reselling the stolen goods.
09/01/2026 – On Friday (9), Civil Police officers discovered a clandestine cemetery in the Rio das Pedras community in western Rio. During the operation, agents recovered two bodies from an area known as Areal, which is reportedly used by local militias to execute victims and hide remains. One of the victims is suspected of being a 19-year-old motorcycle taxi driver who disappeared in October 2025 after being targeted by militiamen while visiting his girlfriend. Authorities believe at least 13 people have been killed and buried in the area since 2021.
09/01/2026 – On Friday (9), a 73-year-old woman was shot and killed after an off-duty Civil Police officer accidentally entered the Parada de Lucas community in North Rio while fleeing a robbery. The officer, who was traveling on a motorcycle with an Air Force member, was intercepted and assaulted by armed traffickers on Rua Lírio Maurício da Fonseca. Military Police launched a rescue operation, triggering a shootout during which the victim was struck while walking to a bus stop; she later died at a local hospital. The confrontation also forced the suspension of a regional train line.
09/01/2026 – On Friday night (9), an armed assailant was killed during an attempted robbery of an off-duty Civil Police commissioner in Flamengo, South Rio. The suspect, who was riding a stolen motorcycle, intercepted the officer on Rua São Salvador, but the victim reacted, leading to an exchange of gunfire. The wounded attacker was taken to Souza Aguiar Hospital under custody but did not survive his injuries. Authorities seized a pistol and the motorcycle.
09/01/2026 – On Friday (9), the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro launched “Operation Contra Golpe” to dismantle a criminal network specialized in defrauding the elderly through virtual scams. Investigators executed 17 search and seizure warrants and several arrests across the West Zone and Baixada Fluminense, targeting a group that obtained victims’ personal data to open bank accounts and secure unauthorized loans. The operation primarily targeted a couple linked to over 80 fraud reports and the theft of more than R$ 500,000. Additionally, police are investigating a private company suspected of illegally selling sensitive client data to the gang to facilitate the crimes.
09/01/2026 – On Friday morning (9), a shootout at the exit of the Santa Bárbara Tunnel in central Rio de Janeiro, at the division with the Laranjeiras neighborhood, left two men dead. The confrontation began when individuals in a car and on a motorcycle exchanged fire and subsequently targeted a passing Military Police patrol, which returned fire. One suspect died at the scene, while the second died en route to the hospital; police recovered a firearm and a knife from the suspects.
10/01/2026 – On Saturday night (10), a 10-year-old girl was killed and her mother critically injured after being struck by a car in the Fallet-Fogueteiro community in the Catumbi neighborhood, North Zone. The driver, who was traveling at high speed and under the influence of alcohol, lost control while descending a hill and hit three people sitting near a concrete bench. After the crash, the driver was assaulted by angry residents before being arrested for vehicular homicide and serious bodily injury. Forensic tests confirmed alcohol consumption, and police have requested that his arrest be converted to preventive detention due to the gravity of his reckless conduct.
10-11/01/2026 – During the weekend of January 10 and 11, 2026, the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Guard issued over 4,000 traffic fines and towed 31 vehicles during a massive enforcement operation along the city’s coastline. In addition to traffic penalties, officials seized nearly 1,000 items, including beach gear and sound systems, as well as 50 knives and a replica firearm. The operation also resulted in the arrest of a motorcyclist with three prior offenses who fell off his bike while driving drunk and without a license. These actions are part of the ongoing “Summer Operation” aimed at maintaining urban order and public safety during the peak season.
10/01/2026 – On Saturday (10), a 40-year-old woman was a victim of sexual harassment inside a bus traveling through the Glória neighborhood, South Zone. The victim, who was accompanied by her 21-year-old son, spotted a municipal guard patrol after disembarking and immediately reported the assault. Following her lead, officers boarded the line 497 bus and arrested the 37-year-old suspect, who was found to have a prior criminal record for assault and theft.
11/01/2026 – On Sunday (11), an off-duty Civil Police officer was shot and killed during a robbery attempt in Maracanã, Rio North Zone. The incident occurred in the early morning as the agent was returning from a bar with his wife and was intercepted by two unidentified men on Rua Visconde de Itamarati. After the officer reacted and fired a shot, he was struck in the chest and knee, succumbing to his injuries at the scene. His wife sustained a minor hand injury.
13/01/2026 – On Tuesday (13), Civil Police arrested a 48-year-old woman known as the “Vovó do Tráfico” (Traffic Grandma) for the fourth time on Rua do Lavradio in central Rio. Investigators from the 5th DP (Mem de Sá) caught her and two accomplices selling crack, cocaine, and marijuana inside a residential villa near the Lapa nightlife district. A teenager was also apprehended during the raid. Police highlighted that the specific sales point has operated for over 20 years and criticized current laws as lenient, noting the “Vovó” consistently returns to the same location shortly after being released.
14/01/2026 – On Wednesday (14), Civil Police and BOPE launched a new phase of “Operation Contenção” in the Complexo do Chapadão, in Anchieta, North Rio, and in Teresópolis. The operation aimed to execute 51 search warrants targeting a Comando Vermelho network involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and the storage of stolen goods. Four suspects were arrested, and officers seized a rifle, grenades, and ballistic vests found in a vehicle. Investigations revealed that the criminal group uses Chapadão as a distribution hub for stolen cargo and coordinates logistics through properties in the mountain region to hide illegal assets.
14/01/2026 – On Wednesday (14), street vendors protested at Arpoador, in Ipanema, South Zone, against new summer regulations that treat the rock like a public park, closing it from 23:00 to 4:00 for cleaning. The group attempted to block Avenida Vieira Souto with trash bins but was intercepted by the 23rd BPM, resulting in a brief confrontation. While the City maintains the rules are necessary for noise control and urban maintenance, vendors demand the right to work, claiming the restrictions threaten their livelihoods.
14/01/2026 – On Wednesday night (14), a shooting at a bar on Estrada do Tingui, in Campo Grande, West Zone, left two men dead and three people wounded. Witnesses report that criminals targeted a local militiaman, hitting several bystanders in the process. Two men died at the scene; witnesses described one of the victims as a well-known local resident with no criminal ties. One woman remains in critical condition at Rocha Faria Hospital, while two other men are currently stable.
14/01/2026 – On Wednesday (14), the alleged leader of a gang that drugged and robbed two British tourists in Ipanema was arrested during a police raid in the Complexo do Chapadão, in Anchieta, North Zone. The 25-year-old suspect, who has 25 prior police records—13 of which are for “Boa Noite, Cinderella” scams—had been a fugitive since August 2025. She and her two accomplices, who were already in custody, allegedly drugged the victims with tainted caipirinhas before stealing approximately £2,100. The case gained international attention after footage emerged of the tourists collapsing on the beach.
14/01/206 – On Wednesday night (14), a bus driver was arrested in flagrante after running over and dragging a motorcycle during a traffic dispute on Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva in Leblon. Video footage shows the bus driver moving the vehicle over the motorcycle following an argument with the rider, who was filmed striking the bus window with a metal rod. Both men sustained minor injuries and were treated at Miguel Couto Hospital. The driver of the line 553 bus (Recreio – Botafogo) now faces charges of attempted murder and property damage.
15/01/2026 – On Wednesday (15), the South Zone Subprefect, Bernardo Rubião, was attacked during a crackdown on illegal stand-up paddle schools at Posto 6 in Copacabana. Rubião reported on social media that employees of an unauthorized school attempted to drown him after refusing to comply with the inspection. The school’s manager was taken to the 12th DP (Copacabana), and equipment was seized as part of a broader safety effort following recent accidents involving unlicensed instructors.
15/01/2026 – On Thursday (15), Civil and Military Police launched a new phase of Operation Contenção in Vila Kennedy, West Rio, targeting the Comando Vermelho. So far, six men have been arrested, and agents seized a price list detailing drug and beverage costs ranging from R$ 2 to R$ 110. This ongoing state-wide initiative has already resulted in over 275 arrests and 470 weapon seizures, following a historic and highly lethal phase in December 2025 at the Penha and Alemão complexes.
15/01/2026 – On Thursday (15), Rio’s consumer protection agency (PROCON) launched “Operação Preço Justo na Praia” to combat abusive commercial practices along the city’s coastline. The operation targets beach kiosks and stalls engaged in illegal activities such as charging minimum consumption fees, tied selling, and deceptive advertising during the summer peak. Teams are inspecting establishments and providing public guidance, with violators facing fines or permit revocation.
16/01/2026 – On Friday (16), Civil Police arrested an alleged leader of the Comando Vermelho (CV) from Bahia during an intelligence operation in Gardênia Azul, West Zone. The suspect, who was a fugitive, is accused of murdering a military police officer and reportedly commanded drug trafficking in the region of Ilhéus. The capture resulted from a coordinated effort between Rio and Bahia security forces.
