#fightingorganizedcrime

"A lie told a thousand times becomes the truth".

The famous quote by Joseph Goebbels, propaganda minister in Nazi Germany, allows us to reflect on the impact of "Fakes News" on our society.

With information just a click away, we are inclined to more easily share alarming or emotional news.

According to recent surveys, more than half of Brazilians have already shared some fake news without knowing it. This takes on ever-greater proportions when the person sharing the false information is a famous personality.

As news of fires in the world's largest rainforest spread, so did a misleading statement: "The Amazon is the lung of the world, and represents 20% of the oxygen produced on the planet."

This claim has appeared in the news and on social media posts by politicians and celebrities such as French President Emmanuel Macron, Vice President Kamala Harris, and actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio.

However, this value is invented. The Amazon's contribution to the oxygen we breathe is around zero, as the forest also carries out the breathing process.

"There are a number of reasons why you would like to keep the Amazon whole, but oxygen is not one of them." - Michael Coe, geoscientist.

Trees just don't exhale oxygen, they also consume it.

The real lungs of the world are marine algae, which produce more oxygen for photosynthesis than they need for breathing, and the excess is released into the atmosphere.

All these events serve to show us that many personalities that guide the public debate have no idea what they are divulging.

An integrated action between the Federal Government and the states, Operation Samaúma was already responsible for the apprehension of R$ 1.2 million of environmental offenders in less than a month of operations. Through the initiative, members of the Armed Forces are strengthening the prevention of environmental crimes in indigenous lands, in federal environmental conservation units and in areas owned or held by the Union.

700 m³ of wood, six sawmill machines, four rifles and 12 cartridges, two tractors, a backhoe and a flatbed truck were also confiscated. Until this Friday morning (16), three fines had been applied, with a total value of R$ 173.5 thousand.

Operation Narco Brasil, which took place in all states and the Federal District, during the month of June, seized about 535 tons of drugs.

The amount represents about 745 kg of narcotics removed from circulation every hour in the country.

The unprecedented action is coordinated by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), through the Secretariat for Integrated Operations (Seopi), and was promoted by the civil and military police of all Federation Units.

Brazil seized 673 tons of drugs at the borders in 12 months.