MANAUS, BRAZIL - An operation dismantled an illegal gold mining site inside the Juami-Japurá Ecological Station, in the interior of Amazonas state, on Tuesday (26). The joint action involving the Federal Police (PF) and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) resulted in the destruction of machinery and the issuance of fines against those responsible.

According to environmental agencies, illegal mining activities in the area are causing irreversible damage by destroying riparian forest and contaminating local waterways.

The operation received strategic support from the Amazon Protection System Management and Operational Center (Censipam). The main objective was to locate and neutralize infrastructure used by organized crime groups operating in the region.

During the operation, teams also found weapons, ammunition and portions of narcotics in camps used by illegal miners. Authorities also seized gold and mercury, a highly toxic substance used in the process of separating the precious metal.

Amazon Agency