Brazilian police seize Rio's Rocinha favela

Brazilian police were in full control of Rio de Janeiro's largest favela Sunday after launching a dawn assault to eject narcotraffickers who controlled the area for 30 years.

Reuters/Sergio Moraes

"I have the pleasure to inform you that Rocinha and Vidigal [a neighbouring shanty town] are under our control. There were no incidents and no shots were fired. We don't have any information on arrests or weapons seized," Alberto Pinheiro Neto, chief of the military police, told a press conference.

Built on a steep hillside overlooking the city and located between two wealthy areas, Rocinha is home to 120,000 people.

Rio has one of the highest murder rates in Brazil.

The long-anticipated "Shock of Peace" operation is part of a campaign, launched in 2008, to restore security in the city before the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, which Brazil will host.

Authorities estimate that some 200 criminals remained inside Rocinha following last week's capture of local drug kingpin Antonio Francisco Bonfim Lopes, also known as Nem.

Nem was caught hidden in the trunk of a car, along with several accomplices and a few corrupt policemen who were protecting them.

The capture of Rocinha, the 19th favela to be pacified by police, recalled the huge operation launched by joint police and military forces to seize control of Rio's Alemao favela, home to 400,000 people in November 2010.

Alemao was retaken after three days of clashes that left 37 people dead.

Endemic and chronic urban violence has long tarnished the image of Rio, where more than 1.5 million people live in 1,000 slums spread throughout the city.