Brazil Raids Rio's Largest Slum

Upwards of 2,000 members of the Brazilian police and military, backed by armored vehicles and helicopters, swept through Rio's biggest slum before dawn today, in the biggest anti-gang action since last November, reports the AP. But unlike the previous raid, which was precipitated by a rash of gang violence, this time authorities were able to plan their operations carefully, and there was little violence. They also captured the city's most-wanted drug trafficker during Thursday preparations for the raid.

Today's raid concentrated on the Rocinha slum, the mountainside home of more than 100,000, and a thriving drug center due to its location between several of the resort city's richest areas. "The pacification of Rocinha means that authorities have closed a security loop around the areas that will host most of the Olympic and World Cup activities," said a security consultant. (More Rio de Janeiro stories.)