PF discloses operation against illegal mining in Yanomami Indigenous Land

The Federal Police (PF) released, this Tuesday (14), the result of the first month of operation against illegal miners in the Yanomami Indigenous Land, located in the states of Roraima and Amazonas. During the period, 84 barges or vessels, two aircraft, 172 power generators, 11,400 liters of fuel, as well as machinery for extracting ore, chainsaws, mercury and a ton of supplies from illegal miners were seized or destroyed. 200 camps were also destroyed, with weapons and ammunition, and 27 tons of cassiterite ore were seized. The recorded data gather information from joint actions by the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), the Federal Police (PF), the National Public Security Force, the Federal Highway Police (PRF) and the National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples. (Funai). According to the director of Environment and the Amazon (DAMAZ) of the Federal Police, Humberto Freire, the operation demonstrates that the protection of the Amazon forest will be one of the priorities of the Federal Police and the Brazilian state. “We are attentive to the expectations that Brazilian society and the world have regarding issues related to the Amazon and the environment in general, and we will act to guarantee the rights of the affected populations, facing organized crime with the objective of reaching all links in the criminal chain of illegal mining”. The Yanomami Indigenous Reserve has been in a state of public health emergency since January 20 due to the scenario of lack of health care for the peoples who live in the territory. The measure was taken after teams from the Ministry of Health found children and elderly people in a serious state of health, with severe malnutrition, in addition to many cases of malaria and acute respiratory infection (ARI).

Agência Brasil