Cases of drunk driving increased by 18% in 2024, reaching 1,230 offenses between January and September, compared to 1,040 during the same period in 2023, according to the Public Security Institute. On the night of March 17-18, 2025, an intoxicated driver crashed into a police vehicle at Exit 5 of the Linha Amarela in Del Castilho, killing a PM sergeant and injuring another officer. The perpetrator, a corporal in the army, was arrested.
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13/03/2025 – Civil Police officers from the 5th DP (Mem de Sá) arrested a man on Thursday (13/03), in a residence in Sepetiba, West Zone, during an operation targeting a criminal group involved in the “Boa Noite Cinderela” scam (Spike drink scam) in Lapa. The investigation uncovered a scheme where criminals posed as escorts to lure victims, mainly tourists, into bars and nightclubs. They drugged their drinks with sedatives before robbing them and making unauthorized bank transactions. The arrested suspect was linked to at least two cases, with financial losses totaling R$ 29,000. Police are continuing efforts to track down other members of the gang.
14/03/2025 – A Spanish couple attempted to smuggle nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine through Galeão International Airport, in the early hours of Friday (14/03). The drugs, worth approximately R$ 1.16 million, were hidden in their checked luggage. Customs agents discovered the narcotics during a routine inspection, leading to the suspects’ arrest and the seizure of the illicit substance.
16/03/2025 – A rideshare vehicle’s dashboard camera captured an armed robbery on Avenida Brasil, in Guadalupe, North Zone, on Sunday (16/03). Three criminals on two motorcycles ambushed the driver and passengers, forcibly removing them from the car. One of the assailants took control of the vehicle, which was recovered the same day near the Gogó da Ema favela.
16/03/2025 – Civil Police officers from the 5th DP (Mem de Sá), in coordination with the Tourist Support Police Station, carried out an operation on Sunday (16/03), arresting a woman in a motel in the North Zone. She was identified as part of a scheme targeting tourists, drugging victims before robbing them.
17/03/2025 – A military police operation conducted on Monday (17/03), in the Gardênia Azul community, West Zone, led to an armed confrontation after agents from the BOPE were targeted. One man was shot dead, and five suspects were arrested. Police seized a rifle, a handgun, and two ballistic vests.
17/03/2025 – A 20-year-old man was caught threatening people near the entrance of the Sugarloaf Cable Car in Urca, South Zone, on Monday night (17/03). Armed with a replica firearm and a switchblade, he approached victims on Avenida Pasteur, causing panic. Tourism police officers were alerted and arrested him.
17/03/2025 – Police intercepted a truck carrying over a ton of stolen copper wires and utility cables in Caju, North Zone, on Monday (17/03). Officers from the 14th DP (Leblon) identified the vehicle as it was being loaded inside the Mineira community and tracked it to a highway. The cargo, allegedly stolen from public utility companies, was destined for resale in Queimados and later to a steel plant in São Paulo. Two men in the truck were arrested.
18/03/2025 – Three suspects were killed, and another was injured during a confrontation with military police on Tuesday (18/03), in the Barbante community, Ilha do Governador, North Zone. The shootout began when officers conducting patrols against drug trafficking were attacked by armed men. Authorities seized firearms, ammunition, radios, and grenades.
18/03/2025 – A man was injured during a confrontation with police in the Final Feliz community, within the Complexo da Pedreira in Pavuna, North Zone, on Tuesday (18/03). Officers from the 41st BPM were conducting routine patrols when they encountered armed criminals, leading to a shootout. The suspect was found in possession of guns, two radios, and drugs.
19/03/2025 – On Tuesday (19/03), two women stole R$ 4,834 worth of underwear from a store in a shopping mall on Avenida Dom Hélder Câmara, in Cachambi, North Zone. They took dozens of panties and bras, along with several packs of chewing gum. Military police intercepted them as they were leaving the shopping mall.
19/03/2025 – On Wednesday (19/03), military police launched a new operation in the Complexo do Chapadão, in Costa Barros, North Zone, aiming to remove barricades and obstacles placed by criminals. The intervention follows a series of police actions in the area, including recent confrontations and protests. Simultaneously, tactical units carried out operations in the Manguinhos, Mandela, and Varginha communities, seizing drugs and preventing vehicle and cargo theft.
19/03/2025 – Two civil police officers were injured by a grenade explosion during an attempted robbery in the Anil neighborhood, West Zone, early Wednesday (19/03). The victims were driving when criminals threw the explosive inside. The officers exchanged gunfire, but the grenade detonated, and the assailants fled.
19/03/2025 – A shootout between civil police officers and criminals in the Furquim Mendes community on Wednesday (19/03), caused panic among students at a state school in Jardim América, North Zone. During the gunfire, students at Colégio Estadual Pedro Fernandes took cover in a hallway, as seen in social media videos. The incident occurred during a police operation targeting cargo theft.
19/03/2025 – Federal Police launched Operation Importunação on Wednesday (19/03), targeting the illegal sale of personal data from retirees and pensioners. Investigators uncovered a scheme in which personal information was sold to financial institutions and banking agents, leading to mass telemarketing calls offering loans and financial products.
19/03/2025 – On Wednesday (19/03), the Bibi Vogel Family Clinic in Engenho da Rainha, North Zone, was invaded and vandalized. According to the city hall, a patient dissatisfied with the service assaulted a nurse and threatened a doctor who tried to intervene. Witnesses reported that she later returned with armed men and destroyed two consulting rooms.
20/03/2025 – Federal Police launched Operation Cash Courier in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday (20/03), targeting a weapons trafficking network that allegedly sent 2,000 rifles from Miami to favelas controlled by Red Command (CV). The investigation focuses on Josias João do Nascimento, a retired federal police officer identified as the mastermind behind the scheme, alongside Frederick Barbieri, previously convicted in the U.S. for international arms trafficking.
20/03/2025 – The Civil Police conducted an operation against a van theft gang in Vila Aliança, West Zone, on Thursday (20/03). During the intervention, criminals opened fire at officers and set up burning barricades. A helicopter pilot from the CORE Air Police Service was shot in the head while flying. The operation targeted a network that dismantled and resold stolen vehicle parts.
20/03/2025 – The Military Police carried out an operation in the Complexo do Lins, North Zone, on Thursday (20/03), targeting criminal activities in the area. During the intervention, officers were met with gunfire and retaliated, resulting in the deaths of two suspects, including the individual identified as the shooter who killed Navy doctor Gisele Mendes de Souza e Mello inside the Naval Marcílio Dias Hospital in December.
20/03/2025 – A white van has been used by criminals to steal motorcycles in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro. On Thursday (20/03), at least three motorbikes were stolen in the Greater Tijuca area, according to investigations by the 20th Police Station (Vila Isabel). Security footage shows suspects loading motorcycles into the van’s trunk in neighborhoods like Andaraí and Tijuca. Police have identified three suspects and continue investigating.
20/03/2025 – A gym located just 25 meters from the 17th Police Station (São Cristóvão), on Rua São Cristóvão, North Zone, was robbed in the early hours of Thursday (20/03). Security footage shows a man breaking into the gym, stealing a water pump and a cell phone, and damaging a door. The alarm system was triggered, prompting the intruder to flee.
