Federal Government’s destruction of first illegal airstrip inside Yanomami territory brings damage to criminal miners to BRL 209 million

Joint effort spearheaded by Government House, Armed Forces demolished illegal airstrip within Indigenous land (Terra Indígena/TI). Another 44 airstrips have already been in the surrounding area

Published in Sep 23, 2024 03:06 PM

Governo Federal destrói primeira pista de pouso clandestina no interior da Terra Yanomami

Airstrip found in Surucucu region, within an area known as Garimpo do Rangel (the Rangel mining site) — Image: Bruno Mancinelle/Government House

Brazil’s Armed Forces destroyed the first airstrip within the Yanomami Indigenous Land (Terra Indígena Yanomami/TIY) on Wednesday, September 18. This operation marked the beginning of a new stage in the Federal Government's efforts to combat illegal mining in the Surucucu region. The airstrip was previously used to support illegal mining operations.

The government is demolishing this infrastructure to disrupt key supply routes for garimpeiros (illegal miners), making it more difficult for them to access remote areas where illicit activities occur. In addition to this airstrip, 44 others have been destroyed between March and September of this year, all located around the Yanomami territory (TIY).

These clandestine routes have been mapped through the deployment of reconnaissance flights, satellite imagery and advanced technology from the Management and Operational Center of the Amazon Protection System (Centro Gestor e Operacional do Sistema de Proteção da Amazônia/CENSIPAM), which identifies mining operations within the region. The SABER M60 radar, a Radio Frequency Emission-Based Air Target Tracking System (Sistema de Acompanhamento de Alvos Aéreos baseado em Emissão de Radiofrequência), developed by the Army, was used to track clandestine air traffic based on radiofrequency emissions.

Images and intelligence data collected and analyzed by the Armed Forces was forwarded to the Government House, which coordinated the interdiction operation with military personnel. The destruction of illegal airstrips is of the utmost importance to dismantle the logistics of garimpeiros and prevent the creation of new routes in the Yanomami territory (TIY).

"The dismantling of airstrips will significantly impact the logistics of illegal mining," stated Government House Director Nilton Tubino. He emphasized that without these air access routes, garimpeiros will face significant challenges in continuing their activities, which could discourage them from remaining in the Indigenous area.

Ongoing monitoring of illegal airstrips

The Federal Government continuously monitors for illegal airstrips and plans new operations as part of the plan to clear the Yanomami Land (TIY) of all criminal activity. The deployment of advanced technologies in conjunction with rigorous surveillance is a critical factor in the success of this strategy.

Government House releases report for March-September 2024

From March to September 2024, the government intensified its efforts, resulting in estimated losses of BRL 209 million (USD 38 million) for garimpeiros. During this period, 1,812 operations have been conducted, resulting in the destruction of 20 aircraft, 96 Starlink antennas, 45 airstrips, 11 all-terrain vehicles/ATVs, 761 engines, 86,560 tons of cassiterite, 239 generators, 298 clandestine camps, and 93,854 liters of diesel fuel.