A Federal Police (PF) operation with support from the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) destroyed equipment used in an illegal mining operation in the municipality of Tartarugalzinho, in the interior of Amapá.
The agents' inspection work took place on Thursday (16).
According to the police, around 16 engines were found in operation at the location where the workers were, indicating that they were engaged in mining, and not mineral exploration, as permitted by the area's license.
The PF reported that the miners fled when they saw the arrival of the inspection teams.
In the city center, the inspection went to an establishment known for selling products that subsidize mining activity in the region, which was identified as a point of sale for mercury.
The owner, aged 46, was interviewed and found in possession of the product, which is frequently used in illegal mining activities.
He was arrested and taken to the Federal Police Headquarters for legal proceedings, and remains at the disposal of the courts

Source: Amazon Agency