New details which have emerged in the aftermath of Brazil's deadliest police operation are casting doubts over whether the raid really struck at the heart of one of the country's most powerful criminal gangs, as was its stated aim.
One hundred and twenty one people, among them four police officers, were killed in the raid on 28 October in Rio de Janeiro.
The governor of Rio de Janeiro state, Claudio Castro, described the police operation as a success, posting a photo showing the more than 100 rifles seized by police.
But rights groups have sharply criticised the security forces pointing to the high death toll and what they have described as the brutality of their actions.
The operation was the largest ever carried out by Rio's security forces and saw 2,500 officers deployed to the Alemão and Penha neighbourhoods.
It targeted the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) criminal gang, which rules over the nine-million-square-metre area.
But when BBC Brasil cross-checked the list of the deceased published by police against the 68 names on the list of suspects provided by prosecutors, it found that none of them matched.
Local media have also pointed out that even though scores of suspects were arrested during the raid, the man considered the gang's most powerful leader, Edgar Alves de Andrade, also known as Doca, was not among them.
Early reports stated that the goal of the operation was to capture high-ranking leaders of the Comando Vermelho (CV), Carlos Schmidt-Padilla, professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, told BBC Brasil.
By that metric, it is fair to say the operation failed.
At a Senate hearing, the deputy intelligence secretary for Rio's military police stated that the raid had had a negligible impact on dismantling Comando Vermelho.
Residents of the Alemão and Penha have also told the BBC that it has done little to loosen the tight grip the CV has on their favelas.
They said that their daily lives had barely changed since the mega-operation, describing seeing armed men roaming the community the very next day, even as the bodies of those killed were still being removed.
Comando Vermelho (CV) and groups like it enforce strict rules in the areas they control.
These criminal enterprises have moved beyond the sale of drugs and now hold the monopoly for the provision of gas, cable television, internet and transport. Residents report being charged over the odds for gas cylinders, often having to pay one third more than in zones not under gang control. Rules imposed by gang members affect everyday life.
As CV has banned cars working for ride-hailing apps from entering the favelas, locals are restricted to using motorbike taxis and vans which have been authorised by the gangs to operate there.
Even people's clothing is policed by the gang. In 2020, residents of Penha were told not to wear Chelsea football shirts.
The gang members impose harsh punishments for those who break their rules, and there is little indication that the recent police operation has truly diminished their authority.
Despite the brutal crackdown, Rio's gang dynamics remain largely intact, depicting a worrying status quo for the community.
