Taking advantage of this migration wave and the fact that the district was ill prepared to receive the sudden population influx, a number of criminals organized themselves to make the area a drug trade point. with the arrival of drug gangs the incidence of violence and crime became a worrying priority for the government.

in 2002 the film city of god, about 70's drug gangs, gained international fame. Unfortunately it  reinforced the stigma of a dangerous and violent community, which in turn worsened prejudice and discrimination against the area and its residents.  in 2009 the movie was named as as one of the top 100 films of all time by time magazine.