Rio prison break attempt fails

Brazilian guards turned back 20 armed men intent on busting convicted Italian drug smuggler Alessandro Castiglioni out of a Rio de Janeiro prison hospital on April 6, according to a story by Reuters UK.

Guards exchanged fire with the men, who reportedly wore black and were heavily armed. No one was hurt. The 20 men sped off in several cars.

Castiglioni, who has been jailed since 2003, was found with two other inmates as they attempted to scale a wall at the prison hospital.

Rio's 'Carnival of Death'

A recent story by Jens Glusing of Spiegel Online International explores the violence of this year's Carnival season in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

According to the story, dozens of mutilated corpses have been discovered within stolen cars. The victims had been tortured, possibly due to a violent rivalry between competing drug gangs. Those gangs have also engaged in recent firefights in city streets.

The violence reportedly did not disturb Rio's enormous pre-Ash Wednesday parades and other celebrations.

Governor Sergio Cabral said he will consult with Colombia, which has had success battling gang violence in Bogota and Medellin, on methods for resolving the problem.

Brazil's Finance Minister, Guido Mantega, was briefly taken hostage when hooded gunmen broke into the home of businessman Victor Garcia Sandri during a Carnival barbecue on Tuesday, according to an Associated Press story. About 10 guests were with Sandri at the time. The gunmen threatened a "bloodbath" if the guests did not give them money. Authorities say the assailants did not recognize Mantega.

Sao Paulo is also experiencing violence. FoxNews reported that two teenage couples were killed by unidentified gunmen at a plaza in the city's eastern section yesterday. Three of the teens were killed immediately. The fourth died at a local hospital. They were sitting at the plaza having a conversation when gunmen opened fire from an automobile.

18 dead in Brazil gang attacks

As Brazil's tourist season opens, authorities are battling heavily armed drug gangs on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, according to a story by Larry Rohter of the New York Times.

Gangs attacked police stations and other targets on Dec. 28. At least 18 people were killed in the violence. The gang assaults are believed related to a change in the local governor. Sergio Cabral took office on Monday, and some speculate that gang leaders were sending him a warning.

Since May, gang attacks in Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo, have taken 200 lives.

Brazil sends Alite home to U.S.

The Brazilian government turned reputed Gambino Crime Family bigshot John Edward Alite, 44, over to U.S. law enforcement agents earlier today, according to a story on CNN.

The agents immediately brought Alite back to the United States. He faces a list of racket-related charges in connection with a Gambino family branch that operated in the Tampa, Florida, region.

Four men, believed to be Alite's underworld accomplices, were convicted in November in Tampa. Alite was fighting extradition from Brazil at the time of that trial.

The four - Ronald "Ronnie One Arm" Trucchio, Steven Catalano, Kevin M. McMahon and Terry L. Scaglione - are to be sentenced in March. Trucchio and Catalano face possible life prison sentences. McMahon and Scaglione could be jailed up to 20 years.

One member of Gambino crew in Tampa, Michael Malone, earlier pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against his former associates.

Earlier this month, the November jury verdict was called into question, as one juror claimed that she was pressured into voting guilty and that she observed improper behavior by some jurors.

Related MobNews items:
Tampa jury frightened by Trucchio investigators 12-08-2006
Gambino's Tampa crew convicted 11-30-2006
Trucchio defends himself, for now 10-18-2006
Tampa Gambino crew goes on trial 10-16-2006
Gotti tapes link him & dad to Uva murders 06-23-2006