Data from the Public Security Institute (ISP) covering January 2025 through March 2026 reveals a severe imbalance between crime rates and in-the-act arrests in Rio de Janeiro State, where drug trafficking accounts for 26% of all detentions (1 arrest per 3 reported cases) while theft (1 in 23), robbery (1 in 33), and fraud (1 in 323) yield drastically lower arrest ratios. The capital concentrates 36% of all state arrests, with Centro leading in overall street crime and Barra da Tijuca ranking highest for fraud. Demographic metrics indicate that 90% of detainees are male, nearly 28% of adult arrestees are aged 18 to 21, and over 38% have not completed primary education. In response, police authorities emphasized that arrest statistics alone do not reflect investigatory progress, such as suspect identification and crime group disruption.
01/09/2026 – On Tuesday (1st), Civil Police launched “Operação Sinal Livre” against Terceiro Comando Puro (TCP) traffickers enforcing an illegal internet monopoly in the Boogie Woogie community on Ilha do Governador. Investigating officers executed eight search warrants against clandestine providers after evidence showed gang members threatened utility technicians, sabotaged legitimate infrastructure, and forced residents into using illicit networks. Upon arriving at the scene, police were fired upon by traffickers, resulting in a stray bullet lightly injuring an elderly resident who was promptly rescued. Agents seized stolen cables, servers, financial logs, and electronic devices, which were placed under forensic audit as part of ongoing prosecutions, including criminal association and utility service disruption.
02/09/2026 – On Wednesday (2), Civil Police launched an operation targeting “Equipe Astro”, the armed wing of the Comando Vermelho (CV) responsible for violent territorial expansion across Rio de Janeiro’s Southwest Zone. The unit, led by fugitive kingpin Rubens Mateus Lisboa Ribeiro (“Astro”), utilized military-style training and organized logistics to invade rival territories in Curicica, Camorim, Rio das Pedras, and Muzema. Specialized police units executed 25 search warrants, arresting five individuals and apprehending one minor, while the police presence forced the temporary closure of 15 local schools and multiple health clinics.
03/09/2026 – On Thursday (3), the Military Police’s Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) established an advanced tactical base in a wooded area between Muzema and Rio das Pedras in the Southwest Zone. The indefinite deployment aims to suppress ongoing territorial warfare between rival drug factions and militias, which escalated after clashes over the weekend resulted in four deaths and 14 hijacked buses used as barricades. Supported by local area battalions and special operations units, Bope forces will use the encampment as a launchpad to patrol strategic transit corridors and intercept criminal movement along forest trails, following a preliminary raid in nearby Tijuquinha that yielded multiple rifles, shotguns, and ammunition.
04/09/2026 – On Friday (4), a suspect forcibly pulled a 16-year-old girl into his vehicle in an attempted kidnapping on Rua Dona Romana in the Engenho Novo neighborhood, North Zone. The victim, who was returning home from school and initially believed she was being robbed, defended herself by spraying pepper spray into the driver’s face and leaping from the moving car, sustaining abrasions before finding help at a nearby residential building. Following a joint investigation by the 23rd, 44th, and Anti-Kidnapping Police Divisions using municipality surveillance footage to trace his abandoned getaway car, Civil Police officers tracked down and arrested the suspect in São Pedro d’Aldeia on Tuesday (8).
04/09/2026 – On Friday (4), Penal Police officers discovered 26 contraband cellphones and a significant quantity of illicit drugs hidden inside the facility walls at the Benjamin de Moraes Prison, a unit housing Comando Vermelho (CV) gang members within Rio de Janeiro’s Gericinó Complex, in the Bangu neighborhood. The raid followed a similar action on Thursday (3), at the Jonas Lopes de Carvalho Prison (Bangu 4), where agents targeted the rival Terceiro Comando Puro (TCP) faction and seized 30 cellphones along with narcotics. Executed under “Operation Illicitus”, the targeted searches formed part of an ongoing intelligence-led sweep aimed at severing communication lines between incarcerated cartel leaders and outside criminal operatives. Prison authorities seized all contraband items and initiated internal investigations to identify the inmates, visitors, and corrupt prison staff responsible for smuggling the contraband into the penitentiary.
04/09/2026 – On Friday (4), a 19-year-old Brazilian man engaged in international drug trafficking by attempting to smuggle 5.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed within false bottoms of his backpack and carry-on luggage onto a flight to Barcelona via Madrid. Federal Police officers intercepted the illegal cargo during routine passenger screening at Rio de Janeiro’s Galeão International Airport. Law enforcement officers arrested the suspect in the act and transferred him to the state prison system, where he remains in custody facing international drug trafficking charges.
04/09/2026 – On Friday (4), an armed assault turned fatal in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, in the Southwest Zone, when an off-duty Military Police officer shot and killed a suspect during an attempted robbery. Intercepted near Avenida Ailton Henrique da Costa, the officer opened fire in self-defense, striking the assailant, who died at the scene. Officers from the 31st Military Police Battalion reinforced security in the area, while the Capital Homicide Division (DHC) launched an investigation and conducted crime scene procedures.
05/09/2026 – On Saturday (5), three armed suspects driving a stolen car with fraudulent license plates collided with an Environmental Police Command (CPAm) cruiser on Estrada dos Bandeirantes in Vargem Grande and attempted to hijack the official police vehicle following a firefight between rival gangs. Officers from the 31st Battalion (Recreio) and 27th Battalion (Santa Cruz) intercepted the suspects, seizing the stolen vehicle, two handguns, ammunition, mobile phones, and various narcotics, including marijuana, cocaine, and crack. Two of the three men were shot during the encounter.
07/09/2026 – On Monday (7), Military Police officers from the 31st Battalion (Recreio) apprehended eight adolescents inside a shopping mall on Avenida das Américas in Barra da Tijuca, Southwest Zone, following reports of theft and vandalism across two retail stores. Private security guards detained part of the group prior to police arrival, recovering stolen merchandise valued at approximately R$ 440, including clothing, cosmetics, and food items. Background checks revealed that one of the minors had an active apprehension warrant issued by the Capital Youth Court.
07/09/2026 – On Monday (7), a 39-year-old woman stabbed her 73-year-old mother inside their apartment in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Southwest Zone, following a history of family disputes and resentment over past psychiatric hospitalizations. Military Police officers responded to neighbors’ reports of screaming, finding the victim covered in blood; she was rushed to Lourenço Jorge Municipal Hospital but died from her injuries. The suspect confessed to the attack at the scene and surrendered the knife.
08/09/2026 – On Tuesday (8), the Military Police Special Operations Command (COE) conducted targeted actions in the Vargem Grande region, West Zone, to counter criminal expansion. In the Cesar Maia community, Shock Police Battalion (BPChq) officers seized unquantified narcotics and two vehicles, including an improvised armored car equipped with custom gun ports (seteiras) cut through its glass for territorial clashes. Simultaneously, in the Taboinhas community, Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) agents surrounded a residence, arresting an armed suspect spotted on a rooftop who disclosed the location of a concealed arsenal.
08/09/2026 – On Tuesday (8), a 27-year-old Namibian national engaged in international drug trafficking by attempting to smuggle three kilograms of cocaine concealed inside metal cans hidden in her luggage onto a flight bound for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, via Dubai. The illicit cargo was intercepted during routine screening at Galeão International Airport following intelligence sharing between the Federal Police and the Federal Revenue Service. Federal agents apprehended the suspect in the act and transferred her to the state prison system, where she remains in custody awaiting judicial proceedings on international drug trafficking charges.
08/09/2026 – On Tuesday (8), an armed robbery attempt turned fatal at the intersection of Rua Corrêa Dutra and Rua do Catete, South Zone, when an off-duty police officer shot and killed a suspect. Riding a motorcycle, the assailant targeted a newsstand before attempting to snatch a gold chain from the officer, who drew his weapon and fired, killing the man at the scene. Responding officers from the 2nd Military Police Battalion (Botafogo) seized a .32-caliber revolver, live ammunition, a mobile phone, cash, and the suspect’s motorcycle.
09/09/2026 – On Wednesday (9), an illicit online network utilized social media profiles and messaging apps to market and distribute illegal abortifacient medications, publishing instructional videos and directing buyers to private channels. The scheme involved falsifying therapeutic products, inciting crime, and deploying multiple digital identities to evade law enforcement. Agents from the Cybercrime Repression Division (DRCI) uncovered the operation through digital intelligence and data requests to tech firms, culminating in “Operation Fallen Angel”, during which officers executed search-and-seizure warrants against five primary targets across the Campo Grande and Cosmos neighborhoods in the West Zone to confiscate electronic devices, financial records, and contraband.
09/09/2026 – On Wednesday (9), armed drug traffickers hijacked four public transit buses in the Complexo do Chapadão area, North Zone, using them as street barricades along Estrada Rio do Pau and Rua Alcobaça. The retaliatory blockades aimed to disrupt a Military Police operation launched by the 41st Battalion (Irajá) to dismantle cartel obstacles and combat organized crime, forcing 12 bus routes to reroute and leading to local school and clinic closures. Municipal authorities and police forces ultimately cleared the blockaded roadways, restoring traffic flow while maintaining active security operations throughout the community.
09/09/2026 – On Wednesday (9), Military Police launched targeted operations across the Gardênia Azul, Pombo Sem Asa, and Cascatinha communities in the Southwest Zone to curb local organized crime and prevent gang territorial expansion. During searches conducted by the Shock Police Battalion (BPChq) at a construction site along Estrada da Cascatinha, officers recovered an arsenal containing seven improvised hand grenades, live ammunition, and camouflage clothing. While Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) teams simultaneously swept Gardênia Azul (forcing seven public schools to cancel classes) police seized all combat gear and submitted the materials to the 42nd Police District in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, with no arrests reported.
09/09/2026 – On Wednesday (9), agents from the Robbery and Theft Division (DRF) raided an illegal scrapyard in the Carobinha area of Campo Grande, West Zone, seizing nearly two tons of stolen public infrastructure materials, including over 400 road signs, traffic lights, train tracks, fire hydrants, copper wiring, and manhole covers, as well as discovering a clandestine electrical connection. The owner of the establishment claimed the items were donated but failed to provide proof of origin, leading to his arrest in flagrante for qualified theft and handling stolen goods under “Operação Caminhos do Cobre”.
10/09/2026 – On Thursday (10), police officers executed a preventive arrest warrant on Estrada dos Bandeirantes in the Vargem Grande neighborhood, apprehending a fugitive religious leader who leveraged his position as a pastor to sexually abuse more than 10 women across Rio de Janeiro, Pará, and Maranhão. Intelligence teams from the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Subsecretariat (SSINTE/SEPOL), working alongside Pará authorities under the Ministry of Justice’s “Projeto Captura”, tracked and captured the suspect near the César Maia community. Following his arrest, officers processed the suspect to be transferred to the state penitentiary system, while authorities investigated additional allegations against him in Amazonas and Rio Grande do Sul.
11/09/2026 – On Friday (11), during the early morning hours, four armed men invaded a residence on Rua Jagoroaba in Vila Valqueire, Southwest Zone, threatening the occupants and stealing approximately R$ 1, 500 in cash, a gold necklace, and a wedding ring. Military Police officers from the 18th Battalion responded to the scene, prompting one suspect inside to flee over a wall while officers caught a 32-year-old accomplice waiting outside in a car containing stolen cellphones, bags, 9mm ammunition, and tools. His three accomplices fled.
11/09/2026 – On Friday (11), agents from the Cargo Theft Division (DRFC-CAP) executed court-ordered search and seizure warrants, apprehending a teenager linked to the Terceiro Comando Puro (TCP) for his role in an August 13 armed hijacking in the Pavuna neighborhood, North Zone. Investigations revealed that the minor boarded a delivery truck with a firearm, holding the driver hostage at gunpoint while the gang stole meat cargo valued at over R$ 500,000. Officers processed the adolescent under statutory juvenile justice procedures while continuing operations to track down and arrest his co-conspirators.
13-14/09/2026 – Between Sunday (13) and Monday (14), two off-duty Military Police officers were killed in separate incidents in Rio de Janeiro. In Senador Camará, Corporal José Luiz Porto Junior was shot with his own gun during a physical struggle with drug traffickers; police later arrested the shooter and recovered the weapon. In São Gonçalo, Corporal Rayllan Machado Carino was fatally shot near a shopping center, and the Homicide Division (DH-NIT/SG) is investigating while searching for the escaped perpetrators. These incidents bring the total number of violent police officer deaths in Rio de Janeiro State to 32 since January (21 off-duty, 7 on-duty, and 4 retired).
14/09/2026 – On Monday (14), Civil Police officers from the 15th Police District (Gávea) intercepted a vehicle in Copacabana, South Zone, arresting three men belonging to a criminal ring specializing in the “lottery ticket fraud”. The investigation began after a September 2, 2026 incident in Gávea, where suspects manipulated an elderly victim into transferring R$ 60,000 for a fake R$ 10 million winning ticket, claiming religious restrictions prevented them from redeeming it. Police seized multiple lottery tickets and transaction logbooks from the intercepted vehicle, booking the trio for larceny by trick/fraud and criminal association while working to locate a fourth identified accomplice.
15/09/2026 – On Tuesday (15), the Auto Theft Division (DRFA-CAP), supported by CORE and DGPE units, launched an operation in the Complexo do Lins and Grande Méier regions, North Zone, targeting a Red Command (CV) vehicle theft and cloning ring. Police executed arrest warrants against 12 targets, including serving four warrants to suspects already incarcerated, and arrested three individuals. The operation was part of “Operação Contenção”, aimed at disrupting CV logistics, armed auto robberies, and financial fraud schemes across the North Zone.
15/09/2026 – On Tuesday (15), Military Police from the 9th BPM (Rocha Miranda) raided Morro do Fubá, North Zone, following intelligence reports that Red Command (CV) operatives were gathering to launch an invasion against a rival community. Officers were met with gunfire upon arrival, triggering a shootout in which a 23-year-old faction operative (identified as a key member of the violent “Equipe Caos” invasion squad who had an outstanding warrant for drug association) was shot. Surveillance drone footage captured accomplices disarming the fallen suspect of his assault rifle and leaving him behind in the brush; police recovered a backpack containing five rifle magazines and ammunition at the scene, and the wounded operative died from his injuries.
16/09/2026 – On Wednesday (16), state prosecutors (GAESF/MPRJ) and intelligence units arrested the former attorney general of the Instituto Rio Metrópole (IRM) in Rio de Janeiro after new smartphone evidence prompted the 1st Specialized Court in Criminal Organizations to issue a preventive arrest warrant against him. Recovered messages from “Operação Ouroboros” revealed that the official directed his former partner to establish a microenterprise to receive R$ 30,000 in kickbacks from contractor Engeconsult in exchange for favorable legal opinions, altering internal electronic system records, and bypassing external auditing bodies. Following the discovery of these covert transactions, prosecutors expanded the indictment against the suspect to include six counts of passive corruption and six counts of money laundering, carrying out his arrest as part of the ongoing investigation into the illegal diversion of R$ 86.28 million in public funds.
16/09/2026 – On Wednesday (16), the Public Security Institute (ISP) reported that while Rio de Janeiro saw monthly August reductions in intentional homicides (-7.9%), cell phone thefts (-21%), and vehicle robberies (-18%), cumulative figures for January–August 2026 spiked dramatically compared to 2025. Violent lethality rose 47% (2,796 homicides, up 48%), driven by surges in femicides (86%), robbery followed by murder (60%), and police intervention deaths (38%). Meanwhile, vehicle robberies surged 61% to 24,647 cases, and cell phone robberies reached an all-time historical record of 22,710 reported incidents (up 29%), averaging 94 cases per day.
16/09/2026- On Wednesday (16), around 18:00, an armed robbery attempt occurred on Professor Manoel de Abreu Avenue near Maracanã, North Zone, targeting a 43-year-old vascular surgeon driving an armored vehicle. Attackers deployed a side-mirror ruse where an initial motorcycle bumped the driver’s side mirror to prompt the victim to lower his window before two accomplices on a second motorcycle ambushed him to demand his wallet and phone; when the victim dropped his phone inside the cabin, one of the assailants opened fire, shattering the surgeon’s left humerus. The wounded driver drove himself to a South Zone hospital for emergency reconstructive surgery, while Civil Police detectives at the 12th DP (Copacabana) initiated video forensic canvassing to identify the fled suspects.
17/09/2026 – On Thursday (17), Civil Police officers from the 6th DP (Cidade Nova), supported by Federal Police, arrested a Pure Third Command (TCP) operative at Galeão International Airport upon his disembarkation from a flight originating in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Operating out of the Complexo do São Carlos in Central Rio, the suspect led a network specializing in receiving stolen iPhones from South Zone muggings, hacking into personal bank accounts to execute fraudulent financial transfers, and reselling the devices to fund TCP narcotics trafficking. Authorities executed a preventive arrest warrant for criminal association and receiving stolen goods following intelligence monitoring of his social media posts showcasing luxury vehicles and designer purchases in Dubai.
20/09/2026 – On Saturday (20), off-duty Military Police Sergeant Wallace da Silva Oliveira, 38, assigned to the 15th BPM (Duque de Caxias), was shot dead on Frei Martinho Street in Vargem Grande, West Zone. Preliminary reports indicate the officer became involved in an altercation near Ninho do Urubu with an individual identified by residents as an extortion collector for the local militia operating in the Taboinha community. After the sergeant drew his firearm and shot the suspected militia member during the argument, an armed accomplice returned fire, striking the officer multiple times and killing him at the scene; accomplices evacuated the wounded suspect and fled before police units arrived, prompting the Capital Homicide Bureau (DHC) to open an investigation to track down the paramilitary faction members involved.
20/09/2026 – On Sunday (20), a helmeted motorcyclist robbed three teenagers in just 25 seconds on Abaçaí Street in Oswaldo Cruz, North Zone. Security camera footage captured the suspect approaching a group of six adolescents returning from a party at 22:46, falsely claiming to be an app driver before announcing a robbery and stealing three mobile phones. Detectives at the 30th DP (Marechal Hermes) are analyzing the video footage to identify the suspect for major robbery, while public safety statistics from the Public Security Institute (ISP) highlight a 19.8% reduction in mobile phone robberies across the municipality of Rio de Janeiro during the first eight months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.
21/09/2026 – On Monday (21), Military Police recruits from the Soldier Formation and Improvement Center (CFAP) aboard a transport bus were caught in intense gunfire along Avenida Brasil near Cidade Alta, North Zone. Escort officers and recruits took cover on the roadside during an active shootout triggered by a police operation inside the Pure Third Command (TCP)-controlled Complexo de Israel, holding positions until the shooting ceased before resuming transit to practical training at the Special Operations Command (COE); no injuries were reported.
21/09/2026 – On Monday (21), the State Secretariat of Penitentiary Administration (Seppen) announced the 50-day cumulative results of “Operação Illicitus”, an ongoing sweep targeting illicit communications and contraband across Rio de Janeiro correctional facilities. Integrated intelligence, operational units, and internal affairs agents seized 1,000 mobile phones, over 20 kilograms of narcotics, chargers, modems, routers, and a Starlink satellite antenna hidden inside concrete bunk beds and wall cavities. Authorities arrested 12 visitors attempting to smuggle contraband and caught two correctional officers facilitating illicit access, directly disrupting communication networks utilized by imprisoned faction leaders.
21/09/2026 – On Monday (21), Civil Police officers from the Capital Cargo Theft and Robbery Division (DRFC-CAP) executed search warrants in Parada de Lucas, Cordovil (Complexo de Israel), and Barra da Tijuca, targeting a Pure Third Command (TCP) cargo theft ring. The network is linked to four armed hijackings that caused over R$ 2 million in commercial losses and involved the systematic removal of over 40 truck tires and wheels, utilizing heavy machinery, backhoes, and forced transshipment into TCP strongholds like Maré, Chapadão, and Complexo de Israel. Armed clashes occurred in Vigário Geral during the operation, briefly closing Avenida Brasil, while DRFC detectives apprehended a minor involved in the thefts and identified transport vehicles and commercial establishments engaged in receiving stolen goods.
22/09/2026 – On Tuesday (22), Federal Police officers executed three Supreme Court (STF)-issued search and seizure warrants across Barra da Tijuca, Recreio dos Bandeirantes, and the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Chamber as part of Phase 7 of Operação Unha e Carne (under the “Missão Redentor II” task force). During the raid at his residence, agents arrested Rio City Councilor and retired Military Police officer Jorge Eduardo Barreto de Andrade Filho (known as “Jorge Canella”) in flagrante after seizing two military rifles and a submachine gun held without legal authorization. Transported to the PF Regional Superintendency, Canella was booked for illegal possession of restricted-use firearms, following prior phase investigations into gas station money laundering networks moving over R$ 7.6 billion across Rio de Janeiro.
22/09/2026 – On Tuesday (22), the Civil Police Internal Affairs Division (Cgpol) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ) launched “Operação Ícarus” across Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Alagoas, arresting eight key operatives (including primary target Boss in Maceió and two Military Police officers providing armed security) and filing charges against 15 members of an interstate Red Command (CV) drug trafficking and money laundering ring that moved over R$ 70.4 million. Initiated after authorities seized ledger spreadsheets from imprisoned faction leader My Thor at the Catanduvas Federal Penitentiary (Paraná), the investigation dismantled a network utilizing commercial transport logistics firms to supply tons of cocaine and cannabis from São Paulo to Rio, while an implicated Civil Police officer managed the financial core and negotiated wholesale supplier contacts.
22/09/2026 – On Tuesday (22), a group of foreign tourists was targeted in an armed robbery attempt on Dias de Barros Street in Santa Teresa, Central Rio. Security camera footage captured two assailants arriving on a motorcycle, one of whom dismounted to confront the pedestrians; the tourists reacted, tackling and attempting to immobilize the perpetrator on the pavement. During the physical altercation, the second assailant returned and discharged a firearm at close range near one victim’s head, enabling both suspects to flee with a stolen watch while leaving behind a helmet and a mobile phone. A German tourist sustained injuries during the fall (initially misreported by Military Police as a graze gunshot wound) and received medical attention at a local health facility, while the Tourist Support Police Station (DEAT) seized the left-behind evidence to identify the fleeing perpetrators for major robbery.
23/09/2026 – On Wednesday (23), civil police officers from the 38th DP (Brás de Pina), with support from São Paulo Civil Police and Rio’s Municipal Secretariat of Public Order (SEOP), launched “Operação Caminhos do Cobre”, executing 19 search and seizure warrants across Rio de Janeiro (Santa Cruz, Bangu, Magalhães Bastos) and São Paulo. The cross-state investigation targets an organized crime group that buys stolen telecommunications and power copper cables from scrap yards in Rio, burns them to conceal company markings, and transports them via trucks to São Paulo for illicit resale and financial integration. Agents seized cell phones, tablets, storage devices, five vehicles (including four luxury cars), and financial ledgers as part of an investigation into qualified handling of stolen goods, qualified theft, criminal association, and money laundering.
23/09/2026 – A 12-year-old girl escaped her family home in Vigário Geral, North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, and sought help from a patrolling Military Police officer, reporting systematic statutory rape committed inside the residence by her grandmother’s partner and her maternal uncle. Following forensic medical examinations and specialized protective placement of the victim, Civil Police detectives from the 24th DP (Piedade) tracked and arrested both suspects on Wednesday (23), executing temporary arrest warrants.
23/09/2026 – A 46-year-old salon owner, Elaine Ferreira Ourique Mattos, was murdered in a domestic femicide inside her Maria Joaquina Street home in Pavuna, North Zone, on Wednesday (23). Responding firefighters discovered her partially charred body with facial trauma on a sofa alongside a deformed bullet casing on the kitchen floor, exposing an attempted arson staged to conceal the crime. On the morning of the murder, the victim’s 34-year-old partner transferred R$ 3,400 from her business account to his personal bank profile and hid her mobile phone in his vehicle, continuing a pattern of coercive control, tracking, and family isolation documented by witness statements. Detectives from the Capital Homicide Division (DHC) arrested the 34-year-old suspect on Thursday (23), executing a temporary arrest warrant.
23/09/2026 – On Wednesday (23), Civil Police detectives from the 9th DP (Catete) dismantled a card-swapping taxi fraud ring operating in the South Zone, arresting three suspects from São Paulo in flagrante. Using a disguised taxicab equipped with interchangeable license plates, the group targeted elderly passengers and tourists by refusing cash or Pix, forcing card payments through modified card readers that captured personal PINs via mobile software before covertly swapping genuine bank cards with ones taken from previous victims. Assisted by the Civitas surveillance system, officers intercepted the taxicab near Largo do Machado in Catete and subsequently raided the group’s temporary hideout in Santo Cristo, seizing 85 stolen bank cards, 10 POS card terminals, five vehicle license plates, and the taxicab used in the operation; all three individuals were booked for fraud, qualified theft, and criminal association.
24/09/2026 – On Thursday (24), Civil Police officers executing “Operação Captura” arrested a 53-year-old man at a relative’s residence in Barra da Tijuca, Southwest Zone. The convict was serving a six-year prison sentence for attempted homicide following a 2021 incident in Itanhangá, where he retrieved a revolver and shot a guest attending a neighboring party after a dispute over street parking and noise levels. The Judicial Branch issued a bench warrant revoking his provisional release after he breached mandatory court-ordered compliance conditions, returning him to custody to serve his sentence.
24/09/2026 – On Wednesday (24), Civil Police officers designated former Rio de Janeiro city councilwoman and businesswoman Veronica Costa (PL) a fugitive from justice after failed attempts to execute a bench warrant across several addresses in the West Zone. During a raid on her Recreio dos Bandeirantes apartment, detectives found the residence empty except for two abandoned dogs left behind during her flight. The arrest warrant follows the exhaustion of appeals before the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) and the Supreme Federal Court (STF), finalizing her 10-year prison sentence in initial closed regime for torture and false imprisonment against her former husband, Márcio Costa, alongside four co-defendant family members who also remain unapprehended.
TRENDS & ADVICE
- Mass robberies and thefts in tourist spots are some of the most notorious security risks in Rio de Janeiro, especially in the city’s South Zone.
- When moving through crowded places and their vicinities, visitors should be cautious and refrain from exposing valuables.
- Avoid any display of wealth (jewelry, cell phones), but always carry a small amount of money (R$50) to hand over to muggers.
- In case of robbery: cooperate, do not try to run after the assailant as he or she might not be alone or turn violent.
- Rio is famous for its favelas, and most are affected by the presence of gangs. Disputes for territory between rivals and police operations lead to gunfights. Therefore, these locations should never be visited.
- Shootouts may also occur outside such communities, in this case:
- Lay on the ground and seek cover behind a solid object, such as the engine block.
- When it is safe to do so, find the nearest building, stay away from any windows, and do not move unless you are sure that the gunfire has ended.
- Shootouts may also occur outside such communities, in this case:
- Avoid walking alone in poorly lit areas or beaches after nightfall. Avoid walking/biking through tunnels, especially Túnel do Leme.
- As sexual aggressions are on the rise, women should pay special attention to the environments where they go alone and avoid empty and dark places.
- During a night out, never accept offers of food and beverages from strangers, and pay attention to yours, as they can add drugs to them.
- Men and women alike are targets of such crimes.
- Be always cautious, even in the areas considered safe, such as Downtown, Botafogo, Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, and Barra da Tijuca.
- Exercise caution in the Centro (downtown) during the day and avoid the area after nightfall and during the weekends, as it is relatively deserted during such periods.
- Be careful when using the GPS, as it may lead you to unsafe areas controlled by organized crime.
- Remain on the main streets and roads and avoid the rush hours.
- Prefer cooperative taxis instead of driving yourself or using a ride-sharing App.
- Stay away from any protests that normally occur in Av. Presidente Vargas, Av. Rio Branco, Praça da Cinelândia, and Av. Atlântica.
- Attention to scams that may reach you through a WhatsApp message, e-mail, SMS, or a call.
- Keep in mind useful numbers: Emergency police number (190), and Rio de Janeiro tourist Police. Phone: (21) 2332-7949
