The mega-operation by security forces in the Alemão and Penha complexes, in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, left at least 60 people dead, including four police officers. Two were civil agents: Rodrigo Veloso Cabral and Marcus Vinícius Cardoso de Carvalho, known among his colleagues as “Máscara”. The information is from G1.
Two others were military police officers from BOPE (Special Operations Battalion), Cleiton Serafim Gonçalves and an agent identified only as Herbert.
According to the Rio de Janeiro government, this is the most lethal operation in the state’s history, with 81 arrests confirmed as of Tuesday afternoon (28).
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Marcus Vinícius
Marcus Vinícius joined the Civil Police in June 1999, and his first assignment was at the Narcotics Repression Police Station (DRE), under the command of inspector Marina Magessi, who died in 2017. It was there that he received the nickname that would accompany him throughout his career: colleagues said that the police officer resembled the character “Máskara”, played by Jim Carrey in the cinema.
Over more than two decades of service, the commissioner — the highest position in an investigator’s career — served in several units, including the 18th DP (Praça da Bandeira) and the 53rd DP (Mesquita), where he headed the Investigations Sector.
In September of this year, he participated in an operation that dismantled a gang linked to Comando Vermelho, responsible for vehicle thefts in the North Zone, the Center of Rio and Baixada Fluminense.
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On the eve of the operation, “Máscara” had been promoted to commissioner, crowning a career marked by recognition and loyalty to the corporation.
Rodrigo Cabral
The other civilian agent killed, Rodrigo Veloso Cabral, had only 40 days of service in the Civil Police. Stationed in the 39th DP (Pavuna), he worked in one of the most violent regions of the city, responsible for the area that covers the Chapadão and Pedreira complexes, in the North Zone.
Rodrigo was part of the team mobilized for the mega-operation against Comando Vermelho (CV), which sought to capture leaders of the faction and contain reprisal actions in the communities. Colleagues reported that, even though he had just arrived, he showed enthusiasm and commitment to his new career.
The operation
Named Operation Containment, the joint action by the Civil and Military police mobilized around 2,500 agents, armored vehicles, helicopters and drones. The objective, according to the state government, was to dismantle the central nucleus of the CV and arrest fugitive leaders.
The clashes were concentrated in the communities of Alemão and Penha, but reprisals spread to other regions of the city.
Palácio Guanabara confirmed that the operation is still ongoing in strategic points in the North Zone.
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