"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 backed by Interpol, the EU and Dutch police specialising in environmental crime. It involved more than 24,500 checks on vehicles and people across 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 detained in Guyana on suspicion of gold smuggling and money laundering after officers seized unprocessed gold and about $590,000 (440,000) in cash. Investigators said the suspects were believed to be part of an organised 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 lands relied on by Indigenous communities."
Police and prosecutors from Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname arrested nearly 200 people in a joint cross-border operation targeting illegal gold mining in the Amazon. The operation was backed by Interpol, the EU and Dutch police specialising in environmental crime and involved more than 24,500 checks on vehicles and people across remote border areas. Authorities seized cash, unprocessed gold, cylinders of mercury, firearms, drugs and mining equipment. Three men were detained in Guyana on suspicion of gold smuggling and money laundering after about $590,000 in cash and unprocessed gold were seized. Investigators suspect organised crime links and potential ties to a major Guyanese gold exporter. Illegal mining is driving deforestation, river pollution and mercury contamination, with mercury reportedly hidden inside solar panels and transported by bus. Rising global gold prices have pushed miners deeper into remote forests, increasing profitability for cross-border organised crime.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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