Nine countries were involved in the latest operation, in which 312 individuals were also suspected of involvement in environmental crimes
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International environmental crime networks have been dismantled across nine countries in Latin America and the Caribbean by INTERPOL in an international operation leading to 233 arrests, the recovery of more than 1,000 live animals and the identification of 60,000 hectares of illegally cleared forest.
The operation, known as Madre Tierra VII, took place from 1 June to 31 July and involved nine countries – Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama.
Across more than 330 cases reported by the nine participating nations, investigators identified 312 individuals suspected of involvement in environmental crimes. Investigators also found illegal timber and wildlife trafficking networks were operating on an industrial scale along the corridor connecting Central and South America together.
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In Costa Rica, authorities intensified action against illegal mining, seizing 4.6 tonnes of cyanide and 11 containers of mercury – chemicals commonly used in illicit gold extraction. These can have devastating human and environmental impacts on water, biodiversity and surrounding communities.
The illegal gold mining industry is often carried out by poorly trained and ill-equipped individuals, often driven by organised crime.
The practice is also extremely dangerous: in Ghana’s illicit gold mining sector, thousands of children work 14-hour days in hazardous conditions. Meanwhile, in 2025, hundreds of miners illegally operating in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa were trapped, killing 87 individuals. Workers are also exposed to contaminants like toxic dust, which leads to health problems such as chronic pulmonary disease and asthma.
Outside of illegal gold mining, the recent operation also uncovered wildlife used by criminal networks.
In Mexico, authorities recovered several big cats utilised in criminal networks to move narcotics and other illicit commodities. These big cats included two endangered Bengal tigers – one of which was a rare white tiger – as well as jaguars, ocelots and lions.
Nicaragua saw law enforcement recovering a significant number of CITES-listed exotic birds, like parrots and green and red macaws. Across the region, around 165 kilograms of dried shark fins – with an estimated value of $280,000 – were also seized.
The illegal wildlife trade stands as the second largest direct threat to global biodiversity and species survival, and is the fourth biggest illegal trade in the world – worth an estimated £15billion annually.
‘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 INTERPOL assistant director of environmental security Thomas Ungerbuehler.
‘They highlight the importance of sustained international cooperation to identify, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks driving this trade and threatening global biodiversity.’
