Brazilian police arrest 21 in anti-drug raid in Rio de Janeiro

At least 21 people were arrested Wednesday in an anti-drug trafficking raid in a northern slum of Rio de Janeiro, the police announced.

During the operation, which involved over 450 officers, two suspected criminals and one police officer were shot, although none are in serious condition.

In a statement, Brazil's civil police stated that the investigation into this drug ring had begun in August 2015, with agents going undercover into the Complejo de Alemao slum to identify the leaders of the gang.

This slum, housing around 70,000 people, was known for decades as a bastion of drug trafficking in Rio de Janeiro until a police pacification campaign in 2010. That campaign saw police stations built inside slums to stop drug activity and to kick out drug traffickers, who essentially controlled them.

However, in recent months, a flare-up in drug gang activity has led to campaigns such as these reoccurring.

(APD)