ACRE, BRAZIL — Two thousand cannabis plants were destroyed and burned on Wednesday (23) after being found inside the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve (Resex), in Brasiléia, in the interior of Acre. (Watch the video above)

According to the Civil Police, two men who were at the site fled into the forest when they noticed the arrival of the officers and were not found.

The plantation covered an area of approximately one hectare and was located last Tuesday (22) during an investigation into an attempted homicide. A sample of the plants was collected for forensic analysis.

According to police chief Erick Maciel, the investigation began after a report was filed on Branch Road 59, in the rural area of Brasiléia.

The case involved two people and an attempted homicide with a bladed weapon following a disagreement during a party.

“Following this crime, the investigative team in Brasiléia began gathering information and, during these investigative efforts, obtained information that they were growing cannabis at the Chico Mendes Reserve,” the police chief explained.

According to Erick, on Tuesday, a team went to the area to verify the information. The officers located the plantation and, after confirming it, requested support to return to the site during the early morning hours.

Access to the site required traveling about 54 kilometers along an unpaved road from the BR-317 highway, toward Brasiléia-Assis Brasil.

“It is an area that is difficult to access, requiring approximately one hour of walking through the forest. We collected a sample for forensic analysis. The plants were about 50 centimeters tall,” he said.

The Civil Police are now trying to identify those responsible for the cultivation. Investigators are also looking into the possible involvement of other people in the activity.

One line of investigation is the suspicion that residents of the region may have been recruited to assist with the cultivation. Police are also investigating the presence of people from other states who may have arrived in the area.

“We also suspect that local farmers and land occupants may have been recruited. We have indications that people from other states may have been arriving in the area and carrying out this recruitment,” the police chief said.

For police, the location of the plantation and the infrastructure required to maintain the operation are factors that will be considered in the investigation into who is behind the cultivation.

“It is unlikely that someone from the area would know the exact location to establish the plantation, its location and all the logistics. So the suspicion is that people from outside may have come, together with the recruitment of people from the area,” he added.

Amazon Agency