broadly speaking, the drug trafficking trade inside the favelas is controlled by a few main factions, often fighting among themselves and causing innocent bystanders to be caught in the crossfire.

the most referred to of the three main groups, was created in the late 70's inside a now deactivated prison on ilha grande, now a most beautiful destination outside rio and recently proposed as world's natural heritage by unesco (united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization).

It was therefore a lethal combination of ideological, and intelligent guerilla activists, and often violent, badly educated prisoners, who organized a series of bank robberies and kidnappings and also resorted to drug and weapon trading to gather resources.