Brazilian police kill 25 suspects allegedly part of bank robbery gang

Congressman hails historic clean-up' after police raids on farmhouses in Minas Gerais

Police in Brazil have killed 25 suspects as part of what authorities called an unprecedented offensive against heavily armed bank robbers whose brazen heists have brought several major cities to a standstill.

The alleged criminals were gunned down in the early hours of Sunday in the south-eastern state of Minas Gerais, where police claimed they had been poised to unleash an attack.