Nearly 200 Arrested in Cross-Border Crackdown on Illegal Amazon Gold Mining
Nearly 200 people were arrested in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname during a joint cross-border operation targeting illegal gold mining in the Amazon region, authorities said. The coordinated law enforcement effort was supported by Interpol, the European Union, and Dutch police specializing in environmental crime.
The operation involved more than 24,500 checks on vehicles and people, according to The Guardian. The crackdown highlights the intersection of environmental crime, resource exploitation, and organized crime, underscoring the need for international cooperation to protect the Amazon rainforest from further devastation caused by illicit activities.
Cash, gold, mercury, and firearms were seized during the operations. The illegal gold mining site was located in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region of Guyana. The joint effort signifies a growing international commitment to combating environmental crimes that threaten the Amazon rainforest and its surrounding communities.
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