SUMMARY

The drug trafficking gangs Bonde do Maluco (BDM) and Katiara both originated in the state of Bahia. Katiara maintained a neutral stance with several gangs in the state, including PCC, Comando Vermelho and Ajeita, particularly within the city of Salvador. In contrast, BDM, despite its connection to PCC, rivaled most of the gangs active in Bahia.

Territorial disputes over the control of drug trafficking points often sparked violence between the gangs. The neighborhoods of Valéria, Cajazeiras and Águas Claras were frequent stages for violent confrontations between BDM and Katiara. Around 2016, BDM started expanding their reach in Salvador and beyond the city, targeting the region of the Recôncavo Baiano, where Katiara was created and maintained control.

Apart from the territorial disputes, internal discord also motivated the conflict. A high-ranking leader of Katiara, Lucas Campos Miranda, betrayed the group and allied with BDM, becoming one of their “managers”. This defection led to complications in maintaining control over members for the founder of Katiara, Adilson Souza Lima, who has been incarcerated since 2012. The conflict was characterized by shootings, executions, torture, territorial invasions and imposition of curfews as well as sending threatening messages through social media or graffiti. The fighting between the gangs often affected civilian life in the occupied neighborhoods, disrupting the circulation of public transportation and school classes.

The non-state conflict between the Bonde do Maluco and the Katiara was first included in UCDP data in 2021, when clashes between the groups surpassed the 25 battle-related deaths threshold.