Rio authorities declare shantytown under control

Sao Paulo, Brazil (CNN) -- Rio de Janeiro's special police forces declared Sunday that they were in full control of one of the city's biggest and most notorious shantytowns, Rocinha, after a predawn operation aimed at wresting control from drug traffickers.

The operation, involving 3,000 police and security forces, had successfully occupied Rocinha and neighboring slums Vidigal and Chacara do Ceu, the Rio de Janeiro government said on its website.

"The next stage will be looking for the criminals that were able to get out of the places we are working," military police Col. Alberto Pinheiro Neto told reporters Sunday morning.    More Read