Rio de janeiro: At least 20 people have been killed in Rio de Janeiro, in a police operation against the Comando Vermelho, or Red Command, crime syndicate, according to Brazilian media reports on Tuesday.

According to Ghana News Agency, the dead included 18 suspects and two police officers, as reported by TV Globo. Additionally, nine police officers and three civilians suffered gunshot wounds during the operation. Criminals reportedly set barricades on fire, dropped explosive devices from drones, and opened fire on the officers.

Media accounts stated that 56 suspected gang members were detained during the large-scale operation in the Alemo favela and the Penha district, located in the north of Rio. At least 2,500 police officers participated in the operation to execute 100 arrest warrants, with videos showing black plumes of smoke rising over the districts.

Comando Vermelho is known as one of the largest crime syndicates in the South American country, primarily engaged in drug trafficking. During the operation, authorities detained a regional leader of the group and the finance chief of one of the gang’s top bosses.