Brazilian drug traffickers open fire on Santa Claus
NOT even Santa Claus is safe as the violent city of Rio de Janeiro celebrates Christmas.
Drug traffickers opened fire on a helicopter ferrying a Santa to a children's party, after apparently mistaking it for a police chopper. "They thought it was a police operation and started shooting. Luckily, nobody was hurt," a police official said.
Two bullet holes were later found in its fuselage.
Police said the pilot was flying towards Rio's Nova Mare slum when it was fired upon when over the neighbouring Vila Joao shanty town. Most of Rio's 700-plus slums are controlled by drug traffickers. They are not regularly patrolled by police, who instead enter them in military-style raids, often using helicopters and armoured vehicles.
Needless to say, Santa didn't let the children down. He later returned to Nova Mare by car to distribute Christmas presents.
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Weather for Edinburgh
Tuesday 14 February 2012
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