(MENAFN) An Indigenous group in Brazil reported on Wednesday that its members had apprehended 12 individuals suspected of illegal mining in the Amazon and handed them over to authorities. The Urihi Associação Yanomami, a non-profit organization, stated that the incident occurred on Tuesday in Roraima, a northern state bordering Venezuela. The group's action aimed to prevent potential water contamination from mercury used in mining activities.

Officials from Brazil's Indigenous Peoples Ministry confirmed that the alleged miners, consisting of 10 men and two women, were under police custody following the incident. Video footage released by the Yanomami group showed its members escorting the detainees to the authorities, with some armed with bows and shotguns. The detainees did not provide any comments in the video, and no spokesperson for them was identified by the Associated Press.

The Yanomami community, recognized as the largest Indigenous tribe in the Amazon, has faced challenges due to the impact of widespread illegal gold mining. Many of its members have been exposed to mercury contamination, as reported by Brazil's leading public health institute. The Yanomami territory, spanning an area equivalent to Portugal and inhabited by 27,000 people, has long grappled with illegal mining activities. The issue has intensified during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, which concluded in 2022.

Criticism has been directed towards the administrations of successive Brazilian presidents, including Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, for their perceived failure to address the persistent presence of illegal miners in Yanomami territory.

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