Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping public security package worth around $2.25 billion, aimed at crippling the finances of organised crime groups, reclaiming control of prisons, and curbing arms trafficking — with an eye firmly on October's presidential election, now just five months away.

The plan targets Brazil's two dominant criminal factions: the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), which has an estimated 40,000 members, operates in around 30 countries, and generates roughly $2 billion in annual revenues; and its historic rival, the Comando Vermelho (CV, or Red Command), with some 30,000 members. Both groups exercise control over vast stretches of Brazilian territory, from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to remote parts of the Amazon rainforest, engaging in drug and arms trafficking and extortion. The plan also targets militias composed of former police officers and smaller regional outfits.