Zero Tolerance Program: Rio City Hall begins second phase with the closure of two illegal warehouses in Copacabana.

The Rio de Janeiro City Hall, in conjunction with the State Government, shut down two illegal warehouses in Copacabana, in the South Zone of Rio, this Thursday (July 23). The crackdown on illegally used storage spaces is part of the second phase of Zero Tolerance, which aims to dismantle the criminal logistics chain responsible for supplying and financing illegal commerce along the South Zone coastline.

– The Zero Tolerance Program establishes a permanent public policy based on territorial occupation, integrated intelligence, continuous monitoring, and coordinated action between the City Hall and the State Government. The objective is to prevent the reorganization of illegal activities, protect legally authorized workers, recover public spaces for the population, and disrupt the logistical and financial structure that sustains illegal commerce in the area encompassing Leme, Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon – explained the Municipal Secretary of Public Order, Marcus Belchior.

Agents arrived simultaneously at the Ritz Copacabana Gallery, on Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, and at Espaço Casa de Pedra, on Rua Sá Ferreira, at 9:00 AM. Nine tons of equipment and 55 kilograms of food unfit for consumption and in poor sanitary conditions were seized, which had the capacity to generate a daily income of approximately R$ 8.800,00 for organized crime.

During the inspection, it was necessary to completely block Rua Sá Ferreira, between Rua Raul Pompéia and Rua Bulhões Carvalho, and one lane of Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, between Rua Figueiredo de Magalhães and Rua Siqueira Campos. Both establishments, which did not have any valid license for the commercial activity of warehouses, were fined due to the illegalities found. Carts that were on Ladeira Saint Roman were also seized.

Electricity theft was identified in three shops and three stalls in the Ritz Gallery. The seized goods and structures were sent directly to the Bonsucesso Municipal Public Warehouse in the North Zone. Any object or merchandise can be recovered by its owners upon presentation of the invoice and compliance with the legal administrative regulations.

The Municipal Secretariat of Urban Development and Licensing (SMDU), in conjunction with the Municipal Secretariat of Economic Development (SMDE), is investigating the inspected properties with the aim of giving these locations a new public purpose. Agents from the Municipal Institute of Sanitary Surveillance (IVISA-Rio), Comlurb (Rio de Janeiro's municipal cleaning company), the Municipal Guard, CET-Rio (Rio de Janeiro's traffic engineering company), as well as the State Secretariat of Public Security, the Rio de Janeiro Military Police, and the concessionaires Águas do Rio and Light (Rio de Janeiro's electricity companies) also participated in the action.

The actions were carried out based on intelligence reports produced by SEOP, with information shared with the State Secretariat of Public Security (SESP) and the Institutional Security Office of the State Government (GSI).

Zero Tolerance Program

Established in early July, the new permanent urban planning policy was implemented along the Leme, Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon beachfront, with daily actions to reclaim public spaces, combat criminal commercial activities, protect those who work within the law, and prevent the reoccupation of monitored areas. Coordinated by SEOP, the program is based on continuous territorial occupation, visible patrolling, and integrated enforcement, using monitoring technologies. In its first phase, it focused efforts on the permanent territorial occupation of the boardwalk, restoring the free circulation of pedestrians.

It is worth noting that the Rio de Janeiro City Hall guarantees adequate spaces for legalized activities, such as the Copacabana Night Market and the Feirarte (craft fair), in addition to two properties designated for the establishment of legalized warehouses in the region.