At the same time, cocaine began to arrive in Rio de Janeiro and Brazil became a central player in the drug route between South America and Europe, as well as having its own market for low quality produce. Trade with weaponry, such as pistols, machine guns, rifles and grenades also proved lucrative and started gaining momentum.

In the 1980s the group began to take control of hills in the north of the city. Their main base was the Complexo do Alemão (German Complex), and from there they organized their expanding drug dynasty. At this time, Pablo Escobar, in Colombia was the world's largest cocaine dealer, and he was Rio de Janeiro's principal supplier  forming a major economic partnership with the emerging faction - confirming its role in the national and international drug trade.