SUMMARY

Ajeita and Bonde do Maluco (BDM) were two drug trafficking gangs fighting for territorial control in Salvador, Bahia state. The former was created in the mid-2010s as a splinter group of the BDM inside a prison unit at Serrinha by Whashington David da Silva “Boca Mole”.

Nevertheless, the alliance between Ajeita and BDM was not entirely broken. Ajeita maintained its association with the PCC, the most important ally of BDM. Despite these links, Ajeita and BDM frequently clashed with each other due to territorial disputes. Their conflict revolved around control over drug trafficking in neighborhoods of Salvador, resulting in violent confrontations. Both gangs used similar tactics against each other, including shootings and executions.

The non-state conflict between Bonde do Maluco and Ajeita was first included in UCDP data in 2022, when clashes between the groups surpassed the 25 battle-related deaths threshold.