Brazil’s Federal Police said Tuesday it found more than 70 workers subjected to degrading, slavery-like conditions in southern Amazonas state illegally mining gold.
In a statement, the police stated that the agents began, last Friday, together with the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) and other organizations, Operation Dark Mining, to investigate complaints of illegal mining activity in the city of Maués, in the South. of Amazonas, and lifeguards in situations similar to slavery.
According to Brazilian police, the workers found were extracting minerals in a well, operating underground, without any personal protective equipment. “In addition, the practice of debt bondage was identified, highlighting the inhumane exploitation of workers,” the statement reads.
According to investigations, it was one of the sites of illegal mineral extraction most profitable in all of Latin America, with a daily production of more than 6 kilos of gold. “This joint action aims not only to stop illegal activities, but also to protect the rights of workers and preserve the environment,” added the Brazilian Federal Police.
The police authority highlighted that those responsible for the illegal mining area “will respond before the law, while measures will be taken to guarantee the rescue and adequate assistance to workers who are in a vulnerable situation.”
Source: Observadora
