Zé Pequeno
Brazilian drug trafficker
About Zé Pequeno
Lived 1957 – 1985 (aged 28). Zé Pequeno was a Brazilian drug trafficker.
José Eduardo Barreto Conceição (1957–1985), better known by the nickname Zé Pequeno (and formerly as Dadinho), was a Brazilian drug trafficker. He was a major criminal figure in the Cidade de Deus favela of Rio de Janeiro during the 1970s and 1980s. He rose to posthumous fame, thanks to the success of the 2002 Brazilian film City of God, in which he was played by Leandro Firmino (as an adult) and Douglas Silva (as a child). Starting out as a petty thief, Zé Pequeno became notorious in the favela for his cruel methods. He had a longstanding rivalry with Mane Galinha, and was eventually killed by the Valzinho gang in 1985.
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Important facts
People in Zé Pequeno's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Zé Pequeno's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Zé Pequeno?
Brazilian drug trafficker (1957–1985)
When was Zé Pequeno born?
Zé Pequeno was born on 11 April 1957 in Rio de Janeiro.
When did Zé Pequeno die?
Zé Pequeno died on 25 December 1985 in Rio de Janeiro.
What was Zé Pequeno's occupation?
Zé Pequeno was a drug trafficker.
What nationality was Zé Pequeno?
Zé Pequeno was Brazilian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Zé Pequeno. https://biography.guide/ze-pequeno/
MLA: "Zé Pequeno." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ze-pequeno/.
Chicago: "Zé Pequeno." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ze-pequeno/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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