image: ASCOM PMERJ / dpa
04/09/2026, 07:2604/09/2026, 07:26
The police seized almost 50 tons of marijuana in the Brazilian metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, making it the largest drug discovery in Brazilian history. “Impressive, a historic seizure, the largest in Brazil,” said the commander of the military police dog squad, Lieutenant Colonel Luciano Pedro, to the news portal “G1”.
Around 48 tons of the drug were discovered on the roof of an abandoned building in the Complexo da Maré, a group of several favelas in the north of the city. The hiding place was discovered thanks to the use of sniffer dogs, explained Pedro. “They are trained precisely to recognize these odor particles of the drug in any environment and to alert the patrol.”
A bunch of marijuana.image: ASCOM PMERJ / dpa
Millions lost to organized crime
The police estimate the seized drug inventory to be worth the equivalent of around 50 million reals (around 8.4 million euros). According to authorities, the discovery represents a significant economic loss for organized crime.
More than 250 officers were involved in the operation, which lasted several hours. Transporting the drugs took around five hours and required several trucks. In addition to the marijuana, the emergency services also seized several rifles and pistols.
Brazil is considered one of the largest consumer markets for cannabis in South America, while a significant portion of the product comes from neighboring Paraguay and is smuggled in via overland routes. Criminal groups usually organize their trade in a decentralized manner, which means that large warehouse discoveries are comparatively rare. (pre/sda)