Plane carrying over 1,100 pounds of drugs intercepted in Brazil’s Amazon

A plane carrying over a thousand pounds of drugs crashed in the Brazilian Amazon after making a forced landing during an interception by the country’s air force, officials said. The aircraft had illegally entered Brazil from Peru.

The Brazilian Air Force intercepted the plane on Sunday morning after it crossed into the country clandestinely from Peru, according to a statement. After being ordered to land, the aircraft made a forced landing on a dirt runway in the Amazon, where it collided with trees.

Approximately 1,100 pounds (500 kg) of marijuana and hashish were incinerated from the plane, which was an EMB-810 Seneca model with registration PT-RFU. The pilots set the aircraft ablaze before fleeing the scene after the crash.

The aircraft was detected by the Brazilian Aerospace Defense System (SISDABRA) radars upon entering Brazil’s airspace. An A-29 Super Tucano, an E-99, and an H-60 Black Hawk were deployed for the interception, along with the use of satellites to gather intelligence, according to Brazil’s Air Force.

The plane crashed about 50 miles from Manaus, a city deep inside the Amazon rainforest. The aircraft was manufactured in 1980 and it had a flight certification valid until January 18, 2026, according to Peruvian media.

The interception was part of Operation Ostium, a multi-agency security operation aimed at suppressing criminal activities along the border.