At least 64 people have died in a large-scale police raid targeting a gang in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, security officials told CNN Brasil. Four Brazilian police officers are among those who died, officials said. And initial reports suggest some bystanders were struck by stray bullets, according to Al Jazeera. Rio de Janeiro State Governor Cláudio Castro said the death toll may climb as the operation continues. In addition, 81 people have been arrested. The operation involved 2,500 military and civilian police personnel, aiming to “combat the territorial expansion” of the criminal gang, Comando Vermelho. The group, translated as “Red Command,” emerged during the military dictatorship that reigned over Brazil until 1985, and is involved in drug trafficking and extortion. Tuesday’s operation is the largest and deadliest in the city’s history, according to Reuters and the state government. In a post shared on X, authorities say they seized 42 rifles in the operation. Last year, Rio saw 700 people die during police operations — a rate of almost two per day.
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