At least 10 bank robbers were shot dead on Thursday, after Brazilian military police busted a gang trying to blow up ATM machines near Sao Paulo.
A manhunt is under way for the rest of the assailants after they fled two banks in Guararema municipality, 80 kilometres north-east of Brazil’s biggest city, the Sao Paulo state government said in a statement.
Some of the attackers forced their way into a house where they held the occupants hostage.
The hostages were later freed by military police.
Around 25 assailants were involved in the early morning raid, according to the statement.
During a search of the area police found seven rifles, four pistols, explosives and bullet-proof vests.
Brazilian TV showed one of the banks targeted by the gang was located next to a police station. The other bank was at the end of the same street.
