Carrefour Brazil has announced the dismissal of six employees from one of its Rio hypermarkets after they were accused of assaulting a customer. Caught shoplifting, the customer was allegedly escorted away by three security guards who deposited her with drug dealers ordered to “punish” her. According to the plaintiff, the dealers assaulted her then deposited her on a pile of car tyres before threatening to set fire to her.


The six employees include the three security guards, who have already been imprisoned, and three store managers. The president of the Commission for Human Rights, part of Rio’s Legislative Assembly, has announced there will be an inquiry to investigate whether Carrefour’s security policy involves hiring drug dealers to punish shoplifters.