Mafias behind Sand Trafficking in Latin America

Only 50 miles from Rio de Janeiro’s World Beaches, one of the most powerful gangster in the city found a fortune made of sand.

Before he returned to the authorities on December 2023, Luis Antonio da Silva Braga, alias “Zinho,” led militia in Zinho. And beyond the criminal interests of Rio, the group acts in the neighboring city of Seropédica to use a lawgiver in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Satellite pictures showed extent to take between the years 2011 and 2017.

Most illegal mines are used in the construction sector for materials such as concrete and bricks as well as for bedding beds. It is cheaper than the legal mines of sand, and lacks the authorities throughout America and the Caribbean makes sand and low risk for criminal activities throughout the region.

In addition to filling the coffers in a violent criminal groups, taking illegal sand that causes environmental damage such as wildlife waters, flooding waterways, and increased waterways .

But crime is difficult for police, because the difference between the sand that is legal and illegal is always impossible.

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“If you get a truck in an illegal sand, it looks similar to a legal truck marked sand,” Vince Beiser, Author of a History of People ‘Used Crime.

Braaril

Taking illegal sand is a most useful industry that is not banned in Brazil, and in most of the country, illegal sand used legal sand.

Strong militias such as theft of the sand of Zinho to supply the irregular real estate market, then continue to make money monopolize services for residents in illegally constructed buildings.

Lack of effective regulations brings some apartment buildings crushed. the Kill Rio Councenswoman Marielle Franco is connected to his combat against illegal construction projects.

In addition to controlling the spaces in which taking is illegal, the mafias’ sands prefer their order of commercial acquisition companies, an experator in Brazilian fernatory police.

“The legal areas of the sand, the profit of the Militia who controls the Municipality in Seropédica, in Rio de Janeiro, can reach 100,000 REAIS – about $ 18,000 – every month,” he said.

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Getting illegal sand in this region affects the Gurandu River, emphasizing the water of 9 million people in Rio de Janeiro.

Small groups, known as CarrocirosThe states of Espírito Santo, São Paulo, Bahia, and Paraíba, were found. Although they do not operate the industrial size seen in Seropédicica, they are accused of recruited minors and used people who are in slave conditions.

“Carrociros Sold the sand in the construction of material stores moving outside the law, encouraging the abstinence of illegal sand, “Ramadon told the crime.

Colombia

On neighboring Colombia, criminal groups – some with political and economic elites – has become sandy sand to influence their bad businesses and increase their profits.

The sand mining has gained a prominent in Colombia during the 1990s, with an increase in Urbanization of the Caribbean Coast in the country. As half the sand used in Colombia can be ministered illegally, according to certain estimates.

The Caribbean department in Magdalena is affected. Authorities have responded to May in reports of illegal sand in the rural area of ​​Pivijay and captured people who took sand without permission.

Magdalena’s political elite was previously tied to the trade. In 2017, the government said the acquisition of illegal sand which occurs in the property of a famous lawyer who later runs for the mayor in the area.

In the nearby Caribbean Caribbean department, the sandwiches are as willing to kill for their business. Colombian journalist Rafael Moreno was killed in 2016 after he Denounced Taking illegal sand involved in a family famous family.

Mexico

In Mexico, taking illegal sand has also been re-tied to elite corruption.

Legal registered companies with permission of my sandal terms of legal regulations, and are protected by corrupt local officers, researchers said. Getting illegal sand is often not known for fears of violent changes for whistleblowers.

Some Mexican sand mafias can export their product to the United States, although the issue has not received many attention from the authorities as drugs and people across the border.

Beiser says legal mining of sand is publicly acquired by its effects on the water quality, which can push firms in the border region to use illegal sand.

“I would never be surprised to know that illegal marine is feeding San Diego’s market today,” Beiser said.

Selected Image: A miner seizure of what he can with the police destroyed at the Didre de Dios police Region of Peru, Friday, AP Photo / Rodrigo Abd.