Brazilian militias

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Brazilian militias (Portuguese: Milícias), mainly in Rio de Janeiro, and some other cities of Brazil, are illegal mafia-like paramilitary groups made up of current and former police (Civil or Military) officers as well as Military Firefighters Corps officers, criminals, politicians, and military officers, operating also as a regular mafia by trade extortion and political influence.^[1]

Militias carry out both vigilante and organized crime activities. In the favelas, drug gangs like ADA and Red Command control trafficking and violence networks, openly selling drugs and carrying weapons as well as acting as the de facto authorities, building infrastructure and enforcing their own brand of law and order. These police-backed militias historically force out the drug traffickers in order to set up their own protection rackets, extorting residents and taxing basic services.^[2][3][4][5]