Rio de Janeiro's Civil Police identified 109 people killed in Operation Contenção, launched on October 28 in the Alemão and Penha complexes. The operation, the deadliest in the country's police history, resulted in 121 deaths, including four agents. The update raised the number from 99 identified on Friday to 109 on Saturday.
Operation Contenção was launched on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, in the Alemão and Penha complexes in Rio de Janeiro's north zone, aiming to arrest Comando Vermelho leaders such as Edgar Alves de Andrade, known as Doca, who remains at large. The operation resulted in 121 deaths: 117 suspects and four police officers, making it the deadliest in Brazilian police history.
On Saturday, November 1, the Civil Police confirmed the identification of 109 bodies, up from 99 reported on Friday, October 31. Of these, 43 had pending arrest warrants and at least 78 had criminal records. Additionally, 54 were from other states, including Pará, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceará, Goiás, and Espírito Santo, underscoring the faction's national reach with leaders in four of the country's five regions.
The complexes serve as command, training, and decision-making centers for Comando Vermelho, handling about 10 tons of drugs per month and trading 50 rifles monthly. One-third of those arrested in the operation are from out of state. Police seized 120 weapons, including 93 rifles, explosives, ammunition, and military equipment valued at R$12.8 million, originating from countries like Venezuela, Argentina, Belgium, and Russia, featuring models such as AK-47, AR-10, and G3.
"Each rifle removed from circulation represents a life saved," said Governor Cláudio Castro (PL), describing the operation as a "success." Civil Police Secretary Felipe Curi emphasized that tracking the weapons is essential to target the factions' financial and operational cores.
The operation caused shootouts, fires, road blockages, and criminals using drones to launch explosives at agents and residents. On Friday, families and residents held a peaceful "Enough of the Massacre" protest, demanding justice and an end to violence against Black and peripheral populations, with demonstrations in capitals like São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Fortaleza, and Brasília.
The Public Defender's Office requested oversight of autopsies at the Medical Legal Institute, but the request was denied, with access limited to civil police and the Public Ministry. The office cites the ADPF das Favelas ruling by the Supreme Federal Court. Of the 109 identified, 99 bodies have been released to families after examinations supervised by the Public Ministry.