RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — At least five people were killed and three others injured on Monday in an intense shootout between police and suspected drug traffickers here in the Mare favela, according to police sources.
The dead and injured were suspected drug traffickers, police said.
The pre-dawn gunfight took place after Rio police intelligence services were informed that a group of drug traffickers were set to invade the turf of a rival faction in the favela.
According to police, 26 people were arrested after the shootout. In addition, weapons, including a grenade, a ton of marijuana and 20 stolen vehicles and motorcycles were seized.
The shootout forced the closure of 35 schools, four healthcare centers and a university campus. It also paralyzed traffic on the Red Line expressway, one of Rio’s main access and exit routes. — NNN-XINHUA
