I've not been to Rio, but the police uniforms must be a superb sight.

Are reindeer not more traditional? And considerably less likely to be taken for a police operation I imagine.

..and get a bullet proof sack too.

"They thought it was a police operation and started shooting."

says who? charvers with guns are _still_ charvers with guns, even when Santa's involved.

They expected santa to arrive by helicopter? What are they teaching kids in Brazil these days?

Anyway - give those drug dealers a cigar (and a supply of SAMs) - I always did hate xmas

Bah humbug

Oh the news is just great today, thank El Reg for bringing these gems to our screens today.

The president of the local residents' association described the children as "very sad as they had expected Santa to arrive by helicopter" ... " and had to put away the SAMs they'd borrowed from their elder brothers for the occasion".

To hold up Santa and steal ALL of his presents! Thats all these drug traffickers were doing - it had nothing to do with them thinking he was a cop!

Had they used reindeer to pull the helicopter, then we'd shoot them anyway to eat the damn things! I've heard they are part of many a popular dish in Sweden...

The first three words I read were "A Brazilian Santa" and I suddenly thought of that hair removal thing...

poor Santa.