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The photographer

A reporter who observed the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people brought back disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan described. The total contained those of police officers.

One individual was discovered headless - while others appeared "severely damaged", he said. Many also had what appeared to be knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation in the city.

The photographer explained that he was first alerted about the operation in the early hours by community members from the Alemão area, who contacted him alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness made his way to the healthcare center, where the bodies were being brought.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from going into the operation zone, where the operation was under way.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in that neighborhood, explained he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he continued until the next morning.

He described that Tuesday night, local residents started looking the hillside that borders the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for family members whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation.

Community members living in Penha organized the discovered victims in an open area - the documented evidence reveal the emotions of the people there.

"The harsh reality of what occurred impacted me profoundly: the sorrow of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, crying, furious relatives," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The governor of the region announced that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 officers was designed to preventing an illegal organization referred to as Red Command from increasing their control.

At first, the Rio state government maintained that sixty individuals and four police officers" had been killed during the action.

They have since said that early calculations indicates that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has put the total number of fatalities as 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has been able to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, alongside another major gang, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

Based on reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and acting as "commercial associates".

The gang focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, gold, fuel, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and officials reported that during the raid, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the state, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as "heroes".

However, the count of fatalities in the operation has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "horrified".

In a media appearance the next day, the state leader defended the police force.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We intended to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He continued that the situation had escalated because the suspects fought back: "It occurred of the retaliation they carried out and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The governor also said that the bodies presented by community members in Penha were "altered".

In a post on social media, he asserted that certain victims had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, vests, and firearms" had been removed from the casualties and showed footage seemingly depicting a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse