Favela Máfia by Pouria Khojastehpay documents the violent life and self-portrayal of (young) Brazilian traffickers and hitmen on social media between May 2017 and November 2020.

The portrayed gangsters are members of Rio de Janeiro’s infamous criminal organizations. They are engaged in high-intensity drug and arms trafficking operations as well as assassinations and contract killing. These crime groups operate under a military command structure, but rather than having a strict hierarchy, they work with independent divisions to maintain wide territorial control.

This book invites you to observe Rio de Janeiro’s young drug gang members’ social identities and daily life through photos they took themselves.

Dedicated to the youth inside the belly of the beast.