Comando Vermelho leader Wagner William Amâncio arrested in Rio

Police from the Duque de Caxias Civil Police and the Drug Repression Division carried out a joint operation on Monday, March 8, in the Parque das Missões area of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro. They arrested Wagner William Amâncio, known as “Waguinho,” a 32‑year‑old figure identified as a principal logistics leader of the Comando Vermelho (CV) gang in the Baixada Fluminense region.

Investigators say Waguinho coordinated a large‑scale scheme to steal cargoes and vehicles on highways such as the Rio‑Petrópolis route, supplied weapons to thieves, and organized the distribution of stolen automobiles to CV‑controlled communities, notably the Complexo da Penha in Rio's north zone. He also participated in drug trafficking and was linked to fellow trafficker Edgar Alves de Andrade (“Doca”). The arrest was part of Operation Containment, a broader campaign that has already resulted in more than 345 arrests, 137 neutralized suspects, and the seizure of 477 firearms—including 190 rifles—and over 51,000 rounds of ammunition. Two additional drug traffickers were detained during the same raid.