Based on the book, Elita Da Tropa by Luiz Eduardo Soares, The Elite Squad (Aka: Tropa De Elite) tells the story of two childhood friends who decide to enlist in Rio de Janeiro's Military Police Department. After juggling their police jobs and college, both make up their minds to try out for a Special Operations Squad whose mission is to take down the drug-lords that plague the city. Both men struggle to survive, facing the daily challenges of dealing with pressure at home and fighting an unnamed war on the streets.