45 people dead in Brazil police raids: Report

 BRASILIA: At least 45 people have died in police raids targeting drug gangs across three states in Brazil, the media reported.

In the latest operation on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, the police said that 10 people were killed during a shootout in the Complexo da Penha — a group of favelas in the north of the city, the BBC reported. Local media reports have said that the victims included a drug trafficking kingpin, while four people were also injured.

The city’s military police said the operation in Complexo da Penha was launched after intelligence information suggested that a meeting of drug traffic ringleaders would be taking place in the area. Schools around Complexo da Penha did not open on Wednesday, forcing about 3,220 students to stay at home. Rio de Janeiro is one of Brazil’s most violent states.

Meanwhile in the north-eastern state of Bahia, clashes between police and gang members occurred between July 28 and Monday in the three cities of Salvador, Itatim and Camacari, the BBC reported.

In Camacari, seven people were killed on July 28, while Itatim reported eight fatalities during violent clashes on Sunday. In Salvador, clashes between police and armed suspects led to the deaths of four people, while schools also remained shut on Tuesday. Guns, phones and drugs were seized during the Bahia operations.

During a five-day police raid in Sao Paolo state dubbed ‘Operation Shield’, 16 people were killed and 58 others arrested. The operation began on July 28 after a special forces police officer was killed the previous day in the coastal town of Guaruja.

But the police operations have also received widespread condemnation, reports the BBC. The operation in Guaruja was criticised by Justice Minister Flavio Dino, who said the police’s reaction was not proportional to the crime committed. (IANS)

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