Nearly 200 arrested in cross-border crackdown on gold mining in Amazon | Americas

Police and prosecutors from Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname have arrested nearly 200 people in their first joint cross-border operation targeting illegal gold mining in the Amazon region, authorities said.

The operation was supported by Interpol, the EU and Dutch environmental crime police. This involved more than 24,500 checks of vehicles and people in remote border areas and led to the seizure of cash, unprocessed gold, mercury, firearms, drugs and mining equipment, Interpol said.

Among those arrested were three men arrested in Guyana on suspicion of gold smuggling and money laundering, after officers seized unprocessed gold and around $590,000 (£440,000) in cash. Investigators said the suspects are believed to be part of an organized crime group and may have links to a major gold exporting company in Guyana.

Illegal gold mining has become a major driver of deforestation and river pollution in the Amazon, contaminating waterways with toxic mercury and damaging the lands that indigenous communities depend on. In recent years, the business has grown rapidly as global gold prices have reached near-record highs, pushing miners deeper into remote forest regions and making gold one of the most profitable commodities for organized crime operating across borders.

Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said in a statement: “Illegal gold mining is growing rapidly and causing serious damage to the environment and local communities, particularly in remote and fragile areas. »

Authorities have seized bottles of mercury worth more than $60,000 in Guyana and Suriname. Mercury is commonly used in illegal gold mining to separate gold from other materials, but it is very toxic and can contaminate rivers, wildlife and humans. Interpol said the mercury had been hidden in solar panels and transported by bus.

Police in South America have carried out coordinated checks along shared borders, including inspections on both sides of the rivers that separate the countries. Officers searched vehicles, boats and small riverside stores that sell fuel, tools and other supplies commonly used in illegal mining. Some stores are suspected of contributing to the smuggling of gold and mercury across borders.

During the operation, police also seized counterfeit drugs, alcohol and cigarettes worth more than $40,000, as well as mining pumps, mats used to collect gold, firearms and cell phones.

Authorities said officers stopped a bus carrying undocumented migrants, including several minors. Some children are suspected of being victims of forced labor or sexual exploitation, highlighting the human impact of illegal mining networks.

Interpol said the operation, known as Operation Guyana Shield, marked a significant step forward in cooperation between countries in the Amazon region, where dense rainforest, long distances and porous borders have long made monitoring illegal mining difficult.