;November 21 :In the afternoon, six heavily armed individuals incinerated two cars at
Linha Vermelha, one of Rio's most important highways. Since then similar attacks started occurring throughout the city and another group of criminals opened fire against a
Brazilian Air Force Vehicle. ;November 22 :A police captain was shot at Dom Helder Camara Avenue. In addition to the attacks on cars, mass robberies happen in some streets. The government implies that "a small criminal faction" is responsible for the attacks and patrolling is increased. Three people were killed. ;November 23 :A large scale operation from Rio's Military police invaded several slums of the city in search of those responsible for the series of attacks. Some sources indicate that the order for the attacks came from drug lords imprisoned in the
Catanduvas Federal Maximum Security Prison. Three people died and five were arrested. ;November 24 :The attacks on civilian and police targets intensify. The government declares an order calling all able members of the police force to reinforce patrols including those on license and performing administrative duties. Eight criminals imprisoned in the city responsible for taking part in the crisis are transferred to the Catanduvas Prison. Fifteen suspects were killed and at least thirty were arrested. The local government asked for the
Brazilian Marine Corps' support to launch a counter offensive on the criminals. ;November 25 :The Rio's Special Task Forces (BOPE) invades one of the city's most dangerous areas at the
Vila Cruzeiro with the aid of several Marine Corps' armored vehicles. Dozens of criminals desperately fled to their nearby headquarters at the
Complexo do Alemão. Details of the operation, including the criminals' run, are broadcast by the local TV stations to the whole world. ;November 26 :The Brazilian government sent hundreds of soldiers from the Army and members of the Federal Police Force to further increase security in the city and put the Complexo do Alemão under siege. So far more than 100 vehicles were destroyed and around 40 people killed since the start of the crisis. The President
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declares that the Federal Government fully supports Rio's government to end the situation as soon as possible. Spouses and lawyers of some of the imprisoned leaders of the criminal factions are arrested on suspicion of relaying their orders to start the attacks to their cohorts out of prison. ;November 27 :The Joint task force composed of members of the local police, Army and Marine Corps gives an ultimatum to the criminals at the
Complexo do Alemão to surrender while residents evacuate the premises in spite of the impending invasion. The wave of attacks on civilian targets start to fade. ;November 28 :The Complexo do Alemão is taken over by the police with little resistance, but only a few criminals supposed to be hiding in the place are arrested. Further investigations point that the majority managed to escape through rough terrains around the Complex or through a network of illegal water canals built under the favelas.
Aftermath Just after the occupation of the Complexo do Alemão and Vila Cruzeiro by the Army, the attacks on vehicles stopped and crisis came to an end. The police managed to apprehend around 40 tonnes of
marijuana and 250 kilos of
cocaine along with many other illicit drugs, dozens of weapons including pistols, assault rifles, explosives, machine guns, hundreds of stolen motorcycles and more than 30 stolen cars. The drugs were destroyed while the police were charged with the task of returning the stolen vehicles to their rightful owners. The losses suffered by the criminals are stated to surpass 200 million reais (around 120 million US dollars), not including the confiscated houses belonged to the faction's main leaders, fully equipped with many luxury items including multiple pools, jacuzzis and high level electronic hardware. Through a deal between the State government and the Federal government, the troops remained stationed in the occupied area until a permanent police force was installed to maintain security. Despite the fact that most of the criminals managed to escape, the operation was considered by the local media as a major victory against crime in Rio de Janeiro and a turning point in the war against drug trafficking in Brazil. ==See also==