The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) and the Civil Police have conducted a successful operation that resulted in the destruction of two clandestine sawmills in Senador José Porfírio, located in the southwestern region of Pará, Brazil. This joint operation took place over the weekend and focused on combatting illegal logging activities in the Xingu region. Both sawmills were reported to be operating without the necessary documentation and had been operating illegally despite previous enforcement actions taken against them.

These sawmills had been previously embargoed on November 6, 2025, due to their operations which involved burning solid waste openly, contributing significantly to pollution in the area. Investigators found around 70 cubic meters of processed wood during the inspection, indicating a substantial illegal operation. The ongoing illegal activities were particularly concerning as the sawmills sourced wood from deforested areas and utilized fraudulent documentation to disguise the illegal origins of their stock.

The persistence of these illegal operations highlights a significant challenge in enforcing environmental laws in Brazil, particularly in regions like Pará, where logging and deforestation are rampant. The authorities’ ability to discover and shut down these operations points to a robust commitment to combating environmental crimes, but it also raises questions about the effectiveness of current regulatory measures and the ongoing battle against illegal logging in the Amazon rainforest.