Rio Police Heavily Patrol Tabajaras Favela Community in Copacabana

By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This morning, Tuesday, October 31st, Rio’s Civil Police announced a large patrol operation of the Tabajaras favela community, in Copacabana. According to authorities, the action was in response to the latest robberies in the neighborhood, both of residences and commercial venues.

Having started around 5AM, the operation engaged 120 Civil Police agents from 25 different teams. Rio’s Capital General Police Department and the Coordination for Special Resources (CORE) were leading the operation.

Besides searching for the robbery suspects, the troop also aimed to arrest the drug dealers who supplied guns to the assailants.

There is no record of shootouts or suspects who were arrested in the action, which was also reinforced with the helicopter of the Aeropolice Service (SAER).

This patrol operation happened a day after an intense gun battle between BOPE officers and the drug traffic in Tabajaras. The fighting flared up early yesterday (October 30th), when BOPE forces entered Euclides da Rocha Street (which starts at the Tabajaras Slope). Locals claim that some of the residents were physically assaulted by BOPE’s agents.

According to Rio’s Military Police, three people, who were injured by stray bullets, were sent to Hospital Miguel Couto, in Leblon.

The Civil Police informed that the victims have already been identified and one still remains hospitalized. “All the denouncements on this case were forwarded to the responsible sector”, said the command of Tabajaras’ UPP. The 12th Police Station, in Copacabana, is now in charge of the case.

Rio’s Civil Police is responsible for investigating a crime after its record, while the Military Police’s duty is to prevent it to occur.