Law enforces have detained 17 individuals and seized four vehicles during the standoff between the illegal amber miners and the authorities in Manevichy district of Volyn region.
On September 21, the regional police office obtained information on the ongoing illegal amber mining in Manevichy district by a group of 300 people, the press service of the Interior Ministry has told UNIAN.
Nearly 1,000 regional police, security service officers, national guards, emergency service and forestry officials, as well as activists from public organizations were involved in restoring order.
Police reinforcement from other regions has also arrived on the scene. APCs and some agricultural equipment was also used in complex measures aimed to stop the illegal activity.
Read alsoRecord batch of illegally produced amber seized in Rivne As of 08:00 on Wednesday, September 23, law enforcers have detained four vehicles and 17 individuals. Illegally extracted amber was seized, as well as mining equipment.
Criminal proceedings were opened under Part 2 of Article 240 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Violation of rules on protection and use of mineral resources).
As of 11.00, some 200 individuals arrived at the scene, and 20 vehicles were trying to get through to the site of illegal mining.
Read alsoLicenses for amber production revoked According to a source in the regional division of the Interior Ministry, familiar with the matter, yesterday, on September 22, the law enforcers failed to find common language with amber diggers, who had not let the police officers through to the extraction area.
According to the source, nearly 1,000 illegal miners, mostly from neighboring Lviv, and Rivne regions, gathered in the woods in Manevichy district last night. Today, their number has decreased. But they demand a permit to mine amber and also demand a meeting with Volodymyr Hunchyk, head of Volyn Regional State Administration, stressing that the production of amber is their main income.
Read alsoSpecial regime may be introduced to combat illegal amber productionThe miners also threat to block the international Kyiv – Manevichy-Warsaw” highway.
The press service of traffic police in Volyn region has told UNIAN that it had not yet registered an official statement on traffic blocking.