Rio Transfers Seven Comando Vermelho Leaders to Federal Maximum-Security Prisons

Overview

• A Rio court authorized seven transfers after recent attacks tied to a megaoperation in the Complexos do Alemão and Penha, approving seven of ten requests and leaving three pending due to legal issues.
• The inmates were moved from Bangu 1 to the Galeão air base under heavy escort by the Tactical Intervention Group before being handed to federal authorities for flights to federal facilities.
• Officials say the measure is designed to weaken command-and-control by cutting communication between the faction’s leaders and rank-and-file members.
• The transferred leaders were identified by authorities, including figures known as Irmão Metralha, Naldinho, Choque (Coroa), My Thor, Bicinho, Cabeça and Criam.
• Court and media records report combined sentences of 427 years, 11 months and 17 days for the group, and some coverage cites an unconfirmed plan to initially house them together at the Catanduvas federal penitentiary with possible later rotations.