Campo Grande (MS) – From July 18 to 27, the Armed Forces, in cooperation with the Public Safety and Inspection Agencies (OSFP), carried out the activities of Joint Operation Ágata Oeste¹ 2022 along the entire border line of the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, which corresponds to 2,523 kilometers.
The actions, led by the Ministry of Defense, have the participation of the Brazilian Navy (MB), the Brazilian Army (EB) and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), in cooperation with various federal and state agencies: the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police, the Internal Revenue Service, the Civil Police, the Military Police, the Environmental Military Police, the State Animal and Plant Health Defense Agencies, the Border Crimes Suppression Bureaus, ABIN and the MPF.
Besides the primary mission of intensifying the presence of the State in the border region, the Operation promotes preventive and repressive actions against cross-border illicit and environmental crimes and strengthens the interaction among the various participating public security agencies.
Employment of resources and activities carried out
In Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, about 4,230 military personnel from the Naval, Land and Air Forces, more than 730 OSFP agents, as well as 268 vehicles (13 armored), which covered about 80 thousand km; 41 vessels (six ships), which navigated more than 3,700 km; and 17 aircraft, which totaled 81 hours of flight time during the operation, were employed.
With the use of naval, land and air resources, preventive and repressive operations were carried out, such as river and land patrols; naval inspections; establishment of road and waterway blockade and control posts; search of vehicles and vessels; air defense missions; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance missions; air logistics transportation; and cargo launching. All the actions were based on the cooperation with other State agencies and on the rigorous respect for the legal diplomas.
As tangible results, we highlight the significant seizures of marijuana and cocaine, which caused a loss of millions to drug trafficking. During the 10 days the actions were carried out, there were also seizures of aircraft, pesticides, contraband and vehicles, as well as arrests, recovered vehicles, and fines for illegal fishing in the Paraguay River.
Pre-Ágata
In the period from July 1st to 17th, inspection and repression activities were carried out against organized crime, in the Pre-Ágata context. During the period, tons of cocaine and marijuana were seized, in addition to the seizure of other drugs and contraband.
Brazil-Paraguay Bilateral Cooperation
For the first time, Paraguay and Brazil acted in a combined and cooperative manner in the fight against transnational organized crime. Operation Basalto (and Pre-Basalto) also carried out interventions of various types along the shared border, with very significant results. During the period, tons of marijuana and cocaine were seized.
Civic-Social Actions
As part of the actions of the Joint Operation Ágata Oeste 2022, the Hospital Assistance Ship (NAsH) “Tenente Maximiano” provided medical and dental care in Porto Murtinho, in the south of MS, on the border with Paraguay, from July 21 to 24.
In total, the three forces provided 404 medical and dental consultations, 228 exams, and distributed 62 dental kits to the population.
Source: Western Joint Command *** English version by the DEFCONPress Team ***
¹Ágata Oeste – Ágata West