Brazil, Interpol destroy 277 dredges in Amazon gold mining crackdown

Brazil's federal police, backed by Interpol, have carried out a major crackdown on illegal gold mining in the Amazon, destroying hundreds of dredges used by criminal groups, officials said on Monday.

Along the Madeira River, one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon, police destroyed 277 dredges with an estimated total value of about $7 million, Interpol said in a statement.

More than 100 officers took part in the joint operation, which was supported by Interpol and security forces from Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Peru and Suriname. The total economic losses to the criminal networks involved were estimated at roughly $193 million, including lost profits and environmental damage.

It was the first coordinated mission under the new Amazon International Police Cooperation Centre (CCPI Amazônia), based in Brazil. The centre was set up to improve cross-border investigations and intelligence sharing among Amazonian nations in the fight against environmental crime.

"This operation marks a new chapter in our collective effort to protect the Amazon," said Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.

Illegal gold mining is one of the biggest environmental threats in the Amazon, causing deforestation, river pollution and mercury poisoning among local communities. Environmental groups estimate that thousands of illegal mines operate in Brazil alone.