Rio de Janeiro targets scrap yards to combat copper wire theft

Authorities in Rio de Janeiro have launched a joint operation between security forces and the municipal government to combat the theft of copper wiring. The crackdown targets scrap metal yards suspected of receiving stolen goods, aiming to dismantle criminal logistics chains.

Between 2021 and 2025, copper theft resulted in losses exceeding R$ 69 million to municipal coffers. Specifically, the Traffic Engineering Company (CET-Rio) reported the theft of nearly 500 kilometers of traffic light cables, costing R$ 27 million, while the public lighting company RioLuz suffered R$ 42 million in losses due to the theft of over 1.8 kilometers of electrical network cables.

During the operation, officials expropriated two scrap yards in the Sampaio neighborhood and demolished an illegal structure under the Armando Coelho de Freitas Viaduct to prevent the theft of signage plates and wiring.