RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's armed forces and police carried out a large-scale operation in four favelas in the center of Rio de Janeiro on Friday, in order to seize weapons and drugs.
The operation began in the morning in the areas of Sao Carlos, Zinco, Querosene and Mineira, with about 2,500 operatives involved, including 1,700 soldiers and 10 armored vehicles, while helicopters hovered overhead.
According to Rio's secretariat of security, at least 20 people had been arrested by early afternoon.
This operation took place the day after a military police colonel, Luiz Gustavo de Lima Teixeira, was shot dead in the city.
On Thursday night, at least five battalions of the army and 300 military police officers carried out raids in Meier and Complexo do Lins, both in northern Rio de Janeiro.
The death of Teixeira brought the number of military police killed in the state of Rio in 2017 to 112, including two others in the last three days.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's most popular state with tourists, is living a severe financial crisis which has led to a sharp rise in violent crime, including more than 4,000 violent deaths this year.
