Inside Brazil's Comando Vermelho: The Powerful Gang Behind Rio's Deadly Police Raids

Nov 01, 2025 02:20 pm CST

Brazil's deadliest police operation targeted Comando Vermelho, one of the country's oldest criminal organizations. With origins in 1970s prisons, this powerful gang controls Rio's drug trade and has expanded into the Amazon region. The recent raids, leaving 121 dead, come ahead of major international events in Brazil and reflect escalating territorial gang conflicts across the country.