Behind Bars: Urso Branco, Brazil | World’s Toughest Prisons | Free Documentary

[Music] a different world like hell on earth [Music] it's a time bomb here zero tolerance [Music] spread your legs against the wall head down all this behind bars gangs violence [Music] drugs harassment [Music] a daily survival of the fittest [Music] [Applause] in the toughest prisons in the world six meter high walls secured by three rows of fences heavily armed guards here endeavor to keep 3 000 inmates under control they're just waiting for us to make a mistake behind the walls rival drug gangs battle it out portuguese is located in brazil's northwest it is a city of 500 000 inhabitants on the edge of the amazon just as stones throw across the rio madera are bolivia and peru two of the largest cocaine producers in the world in the last two years alone police have seized 2.5 million dollars worth of cocaine at the border just a fraction of what drug gangs are smuggling into the country [Music] monday morning portugal police station [Applause] anyone cut with drugs or weapons ends up here first and the police holding cells 28 year old naom was arrested by the police on saturday evening he had tried to rob a bar while high on cocaine i've done nothing wrong it's a misunderstanding i'm innocent but the police see things differently [Music] he was caught with this weapon while committing a robbery [Music] it's impossible to distinguish it from a real weapon brazilian law makes no distinction between real or toy weapons only the crime counts if found guilty naom faces up to 15 years behind bars [Music] i'm desperate my family really needs me at the moment if they don't release me i'll miss the birth of my daughter i admit that i sometimes do take drugs and drink too much alcohol i'm sorry about it i have a drug problem but other than that i haven't done anything i don't know what to do now but instead of going back to his family naomi's going to be held in a pre-trial prison he will remain there until a judge decides whether or not he will go to trial [Music] even for a seemingly small fry like naom the security measures are extremely high brazil has the world's second largest cocaine market after the usa police and drug gangs are at war right across the country several police vehicles accompany every prisoner transport the motorcade's destination the puerto vallar prison complex seven prisons in total constructed one after the other to cope with the increasing number of criminals [Music] the most notorious of these prisons is the pre-trial prison or the white bear one of the worst jails in all of brazil riots have been taking place here almost every year since two thousand two battling for control of the drug business are also fighting it out behind bars they use every opportunity to eliminate rival gang members in the past 20 years more than 100 people have died in riots behind the walls of urzu branco a sad record for brazil the situation in orzo branco remains a powder cake despite the government tightening security in recent years sanitary conditions are catastrophic cells are desperately overcrowded guards face the constant risk of attack [Applause] something can happen at any moment instead of the usual batons guards here carry shotguns with live ammunition this is the only way they can keep the situation under control fights between inmates take place repeatedly fights that can quickly develop into the next riot before the new arrivals are taken inside the prison they are screened by the guards go into that room over there everyone has to go through a body scanner this is to prevent new detainees from being used to smuggle drugs or even weapons into the jail naom is then put behind bars at least until it is decided whether he will be charged the police hand him over to the guards at orzo branco [Music] like all new inmates naomi's first put in a cage the newly arrested here are waiting to be heard by a judge the hearing will take place later by video conference taking the inmates to court would be far too dangerous naom is still hopeful of being out in a few hours so the waiting begins meanwhile it is now late morning the sun beats down mercilessly temperatures rise to well over 30 degrees celsius despite the roof the heat in the cages is almost unbearable but the new inmates receive nothing but water if it comes to trial naom will end up in another block the pre-trial prison has a total of eight blocks inmates there are segregated according to crimes block g is for new arrivals and sex offenders block h for crime such as robbery or fraud block i for suspected murderers block j for those arrested for domestic violence the large main building is made of four blocks all drug criminals end up there segregated according to gang membership it also has solitary confinement cells the prison is surrounded by a six meter high and one and a half meter thick wall it has two functions in the event of riots guards can keep the prisoners in check from here the wall also serves as a bulwark against attacks from the outside 19 guards per shift are responsible for the nearly 600 inmates this means just one guard for every 30 prisoners clayton and his colleague diego are doing the rounds and checking cells that we have a clear view to see what the inmates are doing in yourself the guards are heavily armed and always carry loaded weapons each rifle contains a cartridge with special anti-riot ammunition made of rubber but it can be reloaded with live ammunition [Music] the main wing is next where the drug criminals are held several colleagues have already died in [Music] he fired at my colleague and hit him here in the side exactly where the vest has no protection for you a guard earns the equivalent of 500 a month just over half the average income in brazil even though they risk their lives every day at work no matter where we are at home or the drug gangs will stop at nothing they threaten the guards on the street even snatch their children while they're playing or at school at the moment everything is okay i say at the moment because things can change quickly inmates get two hours per day in the prison courtyard two hours when they are not crammed into the fully overcrowded cells most inmates use the time for exercise a freedom that the new inmates do not have after four hours in the blazing heat naomi eventually gets a video hearing with the judge and the judge dashes any hopes naom had the bar owner the alleged victim has unexpectedly testified no final decision has been made as yet to whether the case will go to trial but gnome's chances look bleak so it's back into the cage the judge believes the victim more than me but that's probably always the case if i were to tell people now that i'd been robbed people would believe me the final decision on whether to press charges will eventually come by mail now can do nothing but wait he cannot afford a lawyer if convicted in a trial he'll be taken straight from the urzo bronco pre-trial detention center to here the shorshe tiago aguiar afunsu maximum security prison known as 603 for the number of inmates it can hold heavily armed guards three rows of fences the prison built in 2019 has the highest security standards in the country the prison represents the state's declaration of war on drug gangs [Music] the start of a shift at the maximum security prison senior guard antonio briefs his team on the day's schedule here too rifles with live ammunition are part of the guard's standard equipment first up is exercise in the courtyard inmates are allowed out of their cells for two hours a day it's the worst moment courtyard exercise [Music] kind of competition among the prisoners who can kill someone the prison has three wings with 20 cells each prisoners are segregated according to which gang they belong to block a is for members of the commando vermelu brazil's largest drug gang block b and c are from members of the primero commando da capitao also a powerful gang the biggest rival gang originating in sao paulo's favelas another floor exists above the cells it has one purpose only extra locking for the cells below courtyard exercise begins an elaborate procedure which is exactly the same every time first antonio unlocks the cells from below each cell has two locking systems one down here one up there the locks on the lower floor can be unlocked first but the inmates can't get out until the locks are opened up there that's our security system [Music] the first rule for dealing with prisoners reduce direct contact to zero whenever possible after unlocking the lower locks antonio and his men withdraw [Music] only now does a colleague from the floor above open the second locks on the cells these security measures are having an impact so far no one has succeeded in attacking a guard at the maximum security prison but everyone knows they can't drop their guard for a second the inmates are just waiting for them to do so antonio and his men use every courtyard session to carry out searches they randomly search the empty cells they will try to turn anything into weapons and then hide it that's what we're mainly looking for the guards are extremely thorough they are well aware that they would be the first victims of a self-made weapon finished a short break in two hours the inmates will have to return to their cells but for some inmates even these security measures are not enough these prisoners have a special wing isolated from the rest and with even stricter security measures [Music] we isolate these people here from the others they are senior gang members and have very long sentences they must not have any contact with the others asis is one of the most notorious prisoners here sentenced to 499 years his cellmate francisco has been sentenced to 113 years due to their high sentences and brutal acts they have a notorious celebrity status within the prison in a prison riot a cease killed twenty-eight members of the opposing gang and the he hasn't seen him since his family wants nothing more to do with him asis and francisco spend 23 hours a day in approximately eight square meters of space isolated from everyone else the only things to do are crocheting and bible reading [Music] there is no running water no electricity and even the view from the window is grim the cell is much too small it's actually just for one person when it rains water comes through the ceiling this makes it even more difficult for us to live together i was here first so i get to sleep in the bed he's only got that space over there and has to sleep in the dam and the mattress is always in the way i can't even stretch out properly but we have to get along even early release would be no consolation both have stated that they no longer want to be part of the gang what they could now expect on the outside would be far worse than jail [Music] you have belonged to one gang and have drawn blood from another gang that has killed a lot of the opposing gang members and then you decide to turn your back on the whole thing you've then got both gangs i'll have to try to leave the country as soon as possible or i'll leave it in another way it doesn't sound nice but that's the reality your former gang might still locked up in a maximum security prison or dead the prospects for asis and francisco are bleak [Music] back in urzu branco naom still doesn't know if and for how long he will stay here the judge has adjourned the decision until the next day now must therefore spend the night in the pre-trial prison [Music] everything just sucks i just want to get out of here [Music] all new inmates spend their first days in cell g1 whatever the crime and whatever the gang affiliation get back get away from the doorway go go to the back [Music] only when the prisoners are all at the other end of the cell do the guards open the cell [Music] shut the door pull it shut naum shares the cell with 19 other inmates 19 men who are in custody here for robbery murder rape and drug trafficking [Music] inside is cramped and the sanitary facilities are catastrophic as the new guy naom is at the bottom of the pecking order [Music] i guess i'll have to sleep on the floor get you yanking lag what's worse is that the situation behind bars can escalate at any time like in 2002 back then one of the worst prison riots in brazil broke out in urzu branco the guards withdrew and left the prisoners to their fate almost 40 prisoners were brutally murdered many were injured only the military were able to bring the situation back under control for the past two years ancientism fejera chi susa has been security chief in ursul branco every day he and his men battled to maintain control of brazil's most notorious prison under his leadership there has been no major rioting we only have 580 prisoners now instead of more than a thousand previously this of course makes things a little easier we try to ensure quick transfers so that the numbers don't increase again the president used to be way too crowded in the meantime we've got more guards more weapons and better training unlike prisons in most other countries in the world guards here carry live weapons under fejera de sousa how prisoners are handled has also been tightened up as far as our security concept is concerned we treat all inmates the same because any of them could pose a threat at any time any of them could attempt to escape or start a riot [Music] we need to keep a close eye on don't be deceived even a seemingly harmless inmate can be manipulated by a more dangerous prison that's why we treat everyone with the same caution no matter what they're here for he and his men have been successful yet again behind the walls of ursula another day has come to an end without incident the night passes quietly there have been no issues for inmate naom it will be decided today whether he will see his family again soon [Music] it's it gives me courage to cope with i miss being able to just go anywhere if charges are brought the law permits naom to be held in pre-trial detention for a maximum of 30 days but the reality is different the courts are overwhelmed and trials delayed inmates often remain behind bars for years like giovanni for example he's among those inmates who have been the longest in ursula he was charged with domestic violence he's been waiting for his trial for a year and a half due to good behavior he eventually landed a prison job there are no earnings but he can use the job to reduce any prison sentence we then clean up the trash and wash down the box for corridors the biggest risk to workers tuberculosis one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world every year one and a half million people die from it the disease is highly prevalent in brazilian prisons due to poor sanitary conditions workers like giovanni work everywhere throughout the prison they are therefore particularly at risk of contracting the disease and spreading the infection but the jobs are still highly sought after the workers have their own building and can enter their cells as they want and compared to the normal cells theirs are quite luxurious they also enjoy many privileges [Applause] this is a brazilian tradition that we are allowed to continue here a total of 12 workers share the space in the evening we put the mattresses here and the fans outside the greatest luxury a bathroom [Music] the toilet most cells don't have electricity but we have electricity and light this is the difference between ourselves and the others because giovanni won't enjoy these privileges much longer even though he doesn't know it yet [Music] [Applause] in another place a decision has been made the judge has ordered that naom be charged with aggravated robbery it is now certain that he'll be staying longer after registration for melodies hair shaving is scheduled a procedure that awaits every inmate sooner or later this feels like total crap i don't want any of this now home is now officially part of the system a merciless system security chief ajini song has scheduled a cell search for today not only for reasons of security but also as a demonstration of power the guards are supported by a special unit referred to as guppy the unit was founded in 2017 in response to the many riots these men are specially trained to take out rioting prisoners and regain control of the prison [Music] how many of you are in the cell come out in groups of two every inmate must leave the cell for the search the action moves so fast that the prisoners don't have time to resist [Applause] you can go [Music] the security guards check whether anyone is still hiding in the cell they take the prisoners to the courtyard the inmates will have to wait there until the end of the cell search although the men are only being held in pre-trial detention the security forces treat them like serious criminals squats start three times [Music] the other [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] if you end up in jail in brazil you have practically no rights regardless of whether you are being held in pre-trial detention or have been convicted and the majority of inmates can't afford a lawyer anyway the cell search is conducted by security chief achini song himself inmates may only possess hygiene products and food that relatives send even cigarettes are banned opportunities to hide things from the guards are not great so inmates get creative the security chief looks for hiding places in the ceilings walls and floors they make holes for drugs and disguise them extremely well you need to check everything with a knife to find the holes [Music] the inmates mattresses are next they are a good hiding place for self-made weapons the prisoners store their few belongings in plastic bags [Music] tobacco or drugs could be hidden here they often use waistbands the security chief has found nothing so far but then a simple note catches his attention there are phone numbers on it and names he suspects it could be contact information for a gang and it is there could also be dates and numbers or names in this looks like a book but it's a bomb the chief of security is satisfied with the results of his search this shouldn't be here after more than an hour in the blazing sun the prisoners are allowed back into their cells punishment for the owner of the note can range from a ban on visitors to solitary confinement [Music] it is now early evening food for the inmates is provided by an external company giovanni and his colleagues pick it up at the entrance a good way to smuggle drugs into prison [Music] i've been here so long by the time i get to court olive almost served my sentence [Music] but giovanni is not as exemplary as he appears at the moment it'll become clear later there is no canteen far too risky inmates get food handed to them in their cells the doors are not even open to hand over the food nevertheless the workers are repeatedly attacked and throw coffee and water bottles at us that's a coffee burn here the inmates get meals three times a day there's no menu to choose from if you don't like it you're out of luck [Music] [Applause] after the main wing it's the turn of the outer cells the newcomers get their food last for security reasons cutlery is not provided it would be too easy for the inmates to make weapons out of it [Music] i fold it into a spoon that's how you do it at least the food doesn't look that bad but hunger is the least of naum's problems a bigger priority is getting through urzu branco unscathed i don't talk to anyone here in a place like this it's better to keep your mouth shut now is clinging to the hope that the illegal bar owner will not appear in court to testify then there would be insufficient evidence to convict him and he could go home to his family [Music] a little later something extremely rare happens in urso branco another cell search is scheduled in the wing for the workers an unusual measure the reason for this search [Music] the guards have caught inmate giovanni smuggling giovanni has been supplying drugs with the food and the hope that the gang would get him a lawyer no one knows how long he's been doing it [Music] the search will reveal the extent of the smuggling and whether other workers are involved well the first thing we do is that we take everything away from the walls and put it in the middle in a big pipe then we have to take the clothes things are often hidden the guards are being thorough it takes them almost an hour to turn the cell upside down [Music] the search has been completed this won't change anything for giovanni he'll spend at least two weeks in solitary confinement and will lose all his privileges even worse he'll end up in one of these cells and be at the mercy of the laws and rules of life in brazil's urzo bronco prison a prison that is certainly one of the most dangerous and harshest in the world [Music] you

Channel: Free Documentary

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Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, BBC documentary, jail, ukraine, behind bars, crime, prison, prison documentary, jail documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), toughest prisons, toughest prisons in the world, toughest jail, toughest jails in the world, dangerous prison, dangerous jail, crime documentary, 4k, 4k documentary, 4k prison, prison brazil, brazil prison, toughest prison brazil, brazilian prison, Urso Branco

Id: 6jCYP0acub8

Length: 48min 14sec (2894 seconds)

Published: Sun Nov 28 2021