Interpol crackdown exposes Amazon deforestation links to global companies

Interpol's latest Latin America operation led to 233 arrests and exposed cross-border company links to Amazon deforestation. The probe shows how illegal mining, logging and wildlife trafficking depend on global financial networks.Bogota,Oct 7, 2026 13:26 ISTAn international crackdown on environmental crime across Latin America and the Caribbean has led to 233 arrests and exposed links between large-scale Amazon deforestation and companies across several continents, Interpol said on Wednesday.The two-month operation targeted illegal logging, gold mining and wildlife trafficking in nine countries. It identified about 60,000 hectares, or 148,000 acres, of illegally cleared forest, an area 10 times the size of Manhattan Island, while investigators widened their focus from ground-level operators to the companies, financial networks and overseas buyers suspected of benefiting from the destruction.In one investigation that began in Colombia, authorities identified 11 foreign companies suspected of involvement in the clearing of more than 52,000 hectares, or 128,500 acres, of protected Amazon forest. Interpol said intelligence gathered during the latest operation revealed links to another 161 companies and 65 people across several continents. Investigators also found suspected permit fraud and the alleged use of shell companies and foreign investment mechanisms. Colombian authorities arrested 16 people and seized digital evidence, while Interpol issued international notices seeking information or action involving suspects linked to the network."Following the money, whether from an illegal gold mine in Panama to a buyer in North America, Europe or Asia, helps a case move beyond the individuals physically harvesting the timber, handling the animal or extracting the gold," Krandall Gullock, head of Interpol's Regional Bureau for Central America, said in a statement. Interpol said environmental crime is becoming increasingly intertwined with organised crime across Latin America, especially in remote forest areas where illegal mining, logging and wildlife trafficking use the same routes and financial networks as other illicit trades. Gold remains particularly attractive to criminal groups because of its high value, portability and ease of sale. As gold prices have risen, illegal mining has expanded in parts of the Amazon, driving deforestation and polluting rivers with mercury and other toxic substances. In August, AP accompanied Peruvian security forces as they raided illegal gold mines moving into the Tambopata National Reserve in the Amazon, where authorities are increasingly trying to go after the financial networks behind the operations because miners often return after raids. Earlier this year, nearly 200 people were arrested in the first coordinated cross-border operation against illegal gold mining involving Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname, in which authorities seized gold, cash, mercury, firearms and mining equipment.The latest Interpol operation also highlighted the scale of the chemicals used in the trade. In Costa Rica, authorities seized about 4.6 metric tonnes of cyanide and 11 containers of mercury, both used in gold extraction. Mercury is highly toxic and can contaminate rivers, wildlife and people, while cyanide can also cause severe environmental damage if it is mishandled or released. The crackdown, called Operation Madre Tierra VIII, ran from June 1 to July 31 and involved Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. More than 330 cases were reported, with 312 people identified as suspected of involvement in environmental crimes. It followed a similar Interpol operation last year that resulted in 225 arrests and uncovered more than 400 environmental crimes, including illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, mining and pollution. Wildlife trafficking was another major focus this year. Authorities recovered more than 1,000 live animals, including endangered Bengal tigers, lions, jaguars, ocelots, parrots and macaws. Interpol said some were found along routes also used by criminal networks to move drugs and other illicit goods. Authorities also seized 165 kilograms of dried shark fins worth an estimated USD 280,000. "These cases demonstrate the transnational nature of environmental crime, with biodiversity-rich countries increasingly targeted as sources of high-value commodities destined for illicit markets around the world," said Thomas Ungerbuehler, Interpol's assistant director of environmental security. Overall, the operation combined arrests, seizures and cross-border investigations to target the networks behind deforestation, illegal mining and wildlife trafficking across the region.With PTI Inputs- Ends