Since Sunday (5), the Federal Police and Ibama have been carrying out Operation Xapiri, which aims to combat illegal mining in the Vale do Javari Indigenous Land, in Amazonas.
According to the PF, so far the task force has destroyed 26 dredgers, eight boats, four tugboats and 42,500 liters of diesel. Nine Starlink antennas and 3.2 kg of mercury were also seized.
The operation is carried out on the Jandiatuba, Boia, Jutaí, Igarapé Preto and Igarapé do Mutum rivers.
According to the PF, the xapiri “are invisible guardians of the forests, spirits into which the animal ancestors of the Yanomami people were transformed.” “They are evoked in shamanic rituals to refresh the earth, heal the body and ward off epidemics.”
Of the 26 dredgers destroyed between Sunday and this Thursday (9), six were large, valued at around R$5 million. It is estimated that they removed 1 kg of gold per month from the region.
The boats and tugs were used to support the miners, and the 42,500 liters of diesel fueled the dredger engines.
“The antennas made it easier for criminals to communicate about the presence of inspections,” informed the PF.
The researchers highlight that the spread of illegal mining threatens the people of the Javari Valley, which has the largest concentration of isolated indigenous groups in the world.
In times of drought, indigenous people move closer to rivers in search of water and food, increasing the likelihood of contact with criminals.
The drought makes it difficult for dredgers to move long distances, favoring air raids by Ibama and the PF.
Environmental damage caused by mining dredgers includes the destruction of water sources, river banks and streams. The dredged material is released into rivers, causing siltation.
The PF found that the increase in sediment in the river makes it difficult for fish and plants to breed, impacting the food chain and communities that make their living from fishing. The mercury used to purify gold contaminates water, causing serious damage to the environment and health.
In recent months, the PF-Ibama task force launched two phases of Operation Draga Zero, with the aim of combating illegal gold extraction in Amazonas.
The first stage of the operation began at the end of August and lasted for twelve days, destroying more than 302 ferries spread across stretches of the Madeira River. Its second phase was carried out in early October, and nine more dredgers were rendered unusable.
Source: CNN Brasil
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