Cuito – A group of 16 alleged gold panning was dismantled on Tuesday, in the municipality of Andulo, Bié Province by the National Police.
According to the spokesperson for the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) in Bié, Simão Lucas Londaca, the accused were mining gold on the banks of the Cutato river and at the source of the Tchicute river, in the village of Camuco (Embala Ndulo).
He explained that they were detained during a micro-operation conducted by police officers, as part of the fight against illegal mining and the illicit extraction of strategic minerals.
During the police operation, several panning equipment were seized and 17 shelter were destroyed and approximately 10 stones of supposed gold were also seized.
Simão Lucas Londaca said that some citizens involved in this activity fled, stressing that the corporation will continue operations to discourage this practice. AS/BAN/JL/MRA/DOJ
