The Federal Police informed the Federal Supreme Court (STF), on Monday (24), that it was unable to examine the videos of Operation Containment, sent by the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro. 945 files were made available only in the cloud, making expert examinations unfeasible, according to a letter sent to the Court.
Launched in October 2025, the Operation Containmentagainst the Comando Vermelho faction, left 122 dead. Some of the bodies were abandoned in a forested area in Complexo da Penha, in the north of the city, and lined up on one of the main roads in Vila Cruzeiro after the rescue. On the day, families and community agents reported signs of execution.
Body camera videos used by Civil Police officers were requested by the office of minister Alexandre de Moraesin the context of the Allegation of Non-compliance with Fundamental Precept 635, called ADPF das Favelas.
The procedure sought to impose limits on police action in favelas, due to the high lethality on these occasions. Among the measures determined by the judges was the obligation to preserve crime scenes (deaths), in addition to the installation of cameras in vehicles. The use of equipment in uniforms was already mandatory.
However, despite the STF’s determination, the Civil Police only provided access to direct reproduction of the 945 videos.
“As the download was not active, it was impossible to extract the files for the purposes of preservation, technical feasibility analysis and possible expert examination”, complained the deputy general director of the PF, William Marcel Murad, in a letter to the STF. He requested access to the material on physical media.
The Civil Police said that less than half of the agents used body cameras in the operation due to technical failures in the equipment. Among the requested material, it is believed that there are audiovisual records of the autopsies of the dead, at the request of the Public Defender’s Office of the State of Rio de Janeiro.
Wanted by Brazil Agencythe corporation did not comment on the Federal Police letter and did not say when it would make the material available.
Investigation
After the operation in the Penha and Alemão Complexes, the Federal Public Ministry and the Federal Public Defender’s Office questioned compliance with the rules established by the ADPF. The accusations gained strength after six police officers were reported to the Military Justice Audit for the crimes of embezzlement, home invasion, illegal restraint, theft and refusal to obey superior orders.
According to investigations, the police broke into houses, entered properties without need or authorization, ransacked rooms and embarrassed residents under threat. By analyzing body images, the State Public Prosecutor’s Office, author of the action, identified the theft of a cell phone and a rifle abandoned by a fleeing criminal.
Repeated attempts to hide or obstruct cameras attached to uniforms were also identified, which is not permitted.
