Nem da Rocinha

Antônio Francisco Bonfim Lopes
Born	(1976-05-24) May 24, 1976 Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Other names	"Nem" "Nem of Rocinha" "Dono do Morro" ("King of the Hill")
Predecessor	Orlando Jose Rodrigues
Criminal status	Incarcerated
Spouse	Fabiana Escobar
Criminal charge	Drug trafficking and smuggling
Penalty	12 years imprisonment

Antônio Francisco Bonfim Lopes (born May 24, 1976), also known as "Nem", is a Brazilian drug lord and one of the leaders of "Amigos dos Amigos". Lopes had a net worth of R$100 million ($60 million), was the undisputed head of all drug trafficking operations in Rocinha and branded by the Brazilian government as "Public Enemy #1".

Early life

Lopes was born in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro. His parents moved from Paraíba, a state in northern Brazil to escape the poverty there. Before he became involved in drug trafficking, Lopes worked as a delivery boy for a magazine company.

Criminal career

Lopes became an enforcer and security guard for the leader of Amigos dos Amigos, Erismar Rodrigues Moreira, also known as "'Bem-Te-Vi'". When Moreira was killed in 2005, Lopes murdered Moreira's successor, Orlando Jose Rodrigues, and seized power as the new leader in 2007. Under his reign over Rocinha, Lopes had 120 armed hitmen and was responsible for more than 60% of consumed cocaine in Rio. He had connections with Bolivian cocaine dealers and brought 200 kilograms of cocaine from Bolivia per month. Lopes lived in a luxurious 3-story mansion in Rio and earned a reputation for his parties and relationships with many celebrities.

2011 arrest

On November 10, 2011, police arrested Lopes, who was hiding inside a Toyota Corolla, heading out of Rocinha. Lopes attempted to bribe the police $570,000 but they refused, while the driver claimed diplomatic immunity. Lopes was sentenced to 12 years in a maximum-security prison for drug charges. Following his arrest, Rocinha was occupied by a Pacifying Police Unit.