Authorities bring down illegal mining site in the Peruvian Amazon

Officials from Peru’s National Police Force and the National Prosecutor’s Office dismantled an illegal mining site in an area known as La Pampa in the southeastern Madre de Dios region.

In a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, the officials explained that they burned nine engines and 10 boats, as well as sized 10 hoppers, 200 metres of PVC pipes, 300 gallons of fuel and six motorbikes. They also destroyed some camping gear found in the area.

The Madre de Dios region is located in the Amazon Basin and in the past five years has seen a surge in illegal mining operations. According to a Mongabay investigation, such unregulated activities have devastated 20 hectares of forest land and severely polluted the Pastacillo brook.