Sao Paulo, Jan 17 (AP) Brazilian police killed six suspects Friday during an operation to dismantle a gang accused of planning large-scale bank robberies, authorities said.

Police in the southern state of Parana said that officers raided the gang's hideout at a ranch in Ponta Grossa, where the suspects were allegedly planning to rob a bank or an armoured vehicle.

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The suspects, who had been under surveillance since December, opened fire as officers arrived, police said. Authorities reported seizing a .50-caliber machine gun, rifles and explosives at the site.

Large-scale bank heists have become common in Brazil in recent years, often involving hostages used as human shields.

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In October 2021, police killed 25 suspects in a similar operation targeting a gang. Two months earlier, in August 2021, robbers had terrorised another city, marching hostages through the streets and strapping some to their cars during their escape. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)