National Force will fight organised crime, environmental and drug trafficking in the AM

Priscilla Peixoto – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – The Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Flavio Dino, authorized, on Thursday, 5, the employment of the National Public Security Force in actions in the states of Amazonas and Rio Grande do Sul. The announcement was made through social networks.

“I authorized the employment of the National Security Force in actions in the States of Amazonas (Operation Arpão) and Rio Grande do Sul (Indigenous Land Guarita)”, posted Flávio Dino, complementing that, in the Amazon, police officers will support the fight against organized crime, drug trafficking and environmental crimes.

“In the case of the Guarita Indigenous Land, we are extending until March 12 the employment of the National Force in activities and services essential to the preservation of public order and the safety of people and property. Already in Amazonas, the police will support the Operation Harpoon 1, to combat organized crime, drug trafficking and environmental crimes, in the channel of the Rio Negro and Solimões”, said Dino.

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Harpoon Base

The Base Arpão is coordinated by the Amazonas Secretary of Public Safety (SSP-AM), through the Office of Integrated Management of Borders and Currency (GGI-F), acting in the channel of the Solimões River, since August 2020, and integrating the actions to combat crime within the State.

As data from the Government of Amazonas, from January to December 2022, the agents of the Base Arpão seized 3.5 tons of narcotics, 21 tons of illegal fish, 13 boats, 24 firearms and 1.7 thousand ammunition, in addition to making the arrest in flagrante of 106 people by the practice of illicit.

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For this year, activities are planned for the Base Arpão 2, which will contribute to the river patrols in the region of the Rio Negro. The base is located in the municipality of Barcelos (399 kilometres from Manaus), in the channel of the Negro River.

According to the State, the “reform work of the Base Arpão 2 was already 70% completed, at the end of last year. The expectation is that the base starts operating already at the beginning of this year”.