The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) has submitted a denuncia to the Supreme Federal Court alleging that a criminal organization led by former Civil Police chief of Rio de Janeiro, Rivaldo Barbosa, has exploited a 'market for hired killings' in the state. According to the MPF, this group has taken advantage of a climate of impunity surrounding homicides linked to militias, gangsters, and illegal gambling operations. Since the early 2000s, the rise of criminal enterprises, particularly after the attacks related to the Garcia clan, has contributed to the establishment of this murder marketplace, driven by territorial disputes and illicit activities.

The MPF indicates that this organized group has been influencing law enforcement proceedings specifically to impede investigations into contract killings and other associated crimes. The report suggests that their operations gained significant traction following the assassination of known criminal figure Waldomiro Paes Garcia, also known as Maninho, in 2004, which ignited fierce battles for control of both the gambling sector and his illicit assets. Consequently, this understanding fosters a grim picture of the extent to which crime penetrates state mechanisms aimed at upholding law and order.

This situation illustrates a deep-rooted culture of corruption and compromise within the Rio de Janeiro law enforcement institutions, highlighting how systemic issues can enable the persistence of crime under a façade of legitimate governance. The implications of this denuncia are substantial, as they may lead to broader investigations into the intersection between organized crime and state officials, raising urgent questions about public safety and the integrity of police operations within the state.