4 arrested in Brazilian police raids against gang running illegal ride-hailing app in Rio

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SAO PAULO (AP) — Police in Rio de Janeiro carried out raids against a criminal group Friday that allegedly operated a clandestine ride-hailing app that generated monthly profits of up to 1 million reais (about $185,000), authorities said. At least four people were arrested.

Officials said in a statement that Comando Vermelho, one of Brazil’s most notorious criminal organizations, coerced motorcycle drivers into installing a ride-hailing app developed by the group and using it in Vila Kennedy, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro.

More than 300 drivers were registered with the app, and the revenue was funneled through shell companies to finance drug trafficking operations.

Police have arrested four people so far and executed 12 search and seizure warrants in Rio and neighboring cities. Authorities said the ride-hailing operation was run by two well-structured groups: one that threatened and extorted drivers, and another that collected the profits and transferred them to the local drug lord.

Comando Vermelho, which translates to Red Command in English, is one of Brazil’s oldest and largest criminal gangs. Originating in Rio de Janeiro’s prison system in the late 1970s, the group has expanded its operations into other criminal businesses, including international cocaine trafficking, and it also controls territory in several of Rio’s working-class neighborhoods.

Armed groups that dominate these areas often manage basic services such as gas, internet and transportation. Brazilian media recently reported that Comando Vermelho has banned the use of popular ride-hailing apps like Uber and 99 from operating in certain areas.

Motorcycle taxis are a longstanding and popular mode of transportation in Rio and other Brazilian cities. Uber launched its motorcycle ride service in Rio in January 2023 and, two years later, the company said in a statement that it had transported 3 million users and registered 100,000 drivers.

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