AMAPÁ, BRAZIL - The Civil Police of Amapá carried out Operation Purificatio Midae on Thursday morning (August 28), targeting illegal gold mining on the Vila Nova River in Porto Grande, a municipality in the interior of Amapá, northern Brazil.

The operation was conducted in collaboration with the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama).

Authorities discovered a barge actively engaged in clandestine gold extraction.

The operation aimed to crack down on the exploitative use of rivers and mineral resources for unlawful profit.

During the inspection, agents encountered a scene of severe environmental degradation.

The river showed signs of siltation, sandbank formation, and alterations to its natural course, threatening aquatic wildlife and the livelihoods of local riverine communities.

The barge was equipped with engines, dredges, and mercury—tools commonly used in illegal mining.

Ibama imposed fines and destroyed the equipment to halt the activity and mitigate further environmental damage.

The Civil Police identified a woman believed to be the barge’s owner. She is already under investigation for environmental crimes and for the unlawful appropriation of federal assets. The case remains under investigation.

The Amapá Civil Police stated it will continue conducting operations to protect the environment and the state’s natural resources.

amazonagency.news