Largest drug incineration in history in AM destroys 14 tons of cocaine and skunk

The Government of Amazonas carried out, this Tuesday (07/05), the largest drug incineration ever recorded in the state. In total, 14 tons of drugs were destroyed, including skunk marijuana and cocaine. All the material was seized from the work carried out by the Military (PMAM) and Civil (PC-AM) police in Manaus and the interior of the state and represented damage of R$478.2 million to organized crime.

The destroyed material is part of the seizures carried out by the Amazonas Security forces in 2023 and in the first four months of 2024. In total, 41.3 tons of drugs were seized during the period, which were removed from circulation.

According to the secretary of the Amazonas Public Security Secretariat (SSP-AM), Colonel Vinícius Almeida, the investments made in security intensified the commitment to combating crime, mainly against drug trafficking.

“Governor Wilson Lima has made a very large investment in the area of ​​public security. Just last week, 13 million weapons and equipment were delivered and the result is the commitment of the Military Police and Civil Police demonstrated here today through numbers and tons. We directly affect the collection possibilities of these organizations and this drug also stops reaching the streets”, stated the secretary.

The entire action was carried out with the authorization of the Court of Justice of Amazonas (TJAM). In total, 14 tons of drugs were destroyed. Of this total, 3.6 were cocaine and 10.41 were skunk marijuana. The general delegate of PC-AM, Bruno Fraga, recalled that the majority of the destroyed drugs were seized at the end of last year and beginning of this year, through various investigations.

“There were several operations that culminated in these seizures. A robust investigative work that takes place due to the investments that the State Government makes in the Civil Police, allowing us, with technology, to demonstrate to the Judiciary and reach the places where these drugs are stored”, said the delegate- general.

The deputy general commander of PMAM, Colonel Thiago Balbi, highlights that the increase in the seizure of narcotics is the result of the work of all Public Security bodies.

“We have been intensifying actions, using integrated work with the Civil Police, bringing us closer to the specialized police stations of Denarc, DRCO and Core in joint actions. Using the intelligence of the Security Secretariat, together with our intelligence to understand the criminal factions, the dynamics of drug trafficking and be able to carry out this specialized fight”, highlighted the deputy commander.

Seizures 2024

Between January and April 29, SSP-AM seized around 13.2 tons of drugs, in operations launched by PC-AM and actions carried out by PMAM to combat drug trafficking in the capital and interior of the state. The number is 22.33% higher than the seizures made in the previous year, which was 10.6 tons.

The result is the result of the work of the Security Forces and also of investments by the Government of Amazonas. In the last four months, more than R$26 million were invested in vehicles, weapons and equipment for the entire Security System.

Among the notable seizures is the one recorded on February 19 of this year, when police officers from the Narcotics Investigation Department (Denarc) seized 1.5 tons of drugs and weapons of war. All the drugs were found in a warehouse, in the Parque das Laranjeiras complex, Flores neighborhood, central-south area of ​​Manaus. The damage to organized crime was estimated at R$24 million.

Still on February 6, in a new action, PC-AM arrested two people, which resulted in the seizure of around a ton of drugs in the Solimões River, near Coari. The investigation identified a group that transported drugs from Japurá to Manaus, with an estimated loss of R$9.5 million.

The integrated work between overt and intelligence policing has also resulted in major seizures by Military Police (PMAM) teams. It was from this integration that, on February 5th, police officers from the Special Operations Command (COE), together with teams from the Arpão 2 River Base, located another 435 kilos of narcotics.

Furthermore, another operation, called Jomini, led by the Organized Crime Repression Department (DRCO), on February 2, resulted in the seizure of 2.8 tons of drugs, weapons, a speedboat and an S10 pickup truck, and the arrest of three people, with an estimated loss of R$50 million. The place where the operation took place served as a warehouse for drug traffickers, who broke up and distributed the material.

Last year

Throughout 2023, the integration of the Security Forces resulted in the removal of more than 28 tons of drugs from the hands of criminal organizations. The number, according to a survey carried out by the Integrated Center for Security Statistics (Ciesp), shows that Amazonas seized more narcotics than the sum of seizures recorded in all other states in the North region.