Peruvian forces intensify raids on illegal gold mines encroaching protected Amazon reserve

In a series of helicopter insertions, eight Peruvian navy members landed near illegal gold-mining camps along the Malinowski River in Madre de Dios, a biodiversity hotspot. The troops dismantled pumps, batteries, fuel tanks and high-value motors—each worth up to $45,000 and capable of extracting tens of grams of gold daily—while also burning structures and supplies. Indigenous federation representative Edy Reynaldo Dariquebe warned that criminal groups are operating inside protected Indigenous territories, and deputy prosecutor Ronald Flores Yáñez confirmed that hundreds of dredges have entered the Tambopata National Reserve.

The raids follow Operation Mercury, a 2019 military-police initiative, but miners have since shifted toward protected zones, prompting a renewed effort that includes satellite and aerial monitoring by NGOs such as Global Conservation. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Renato Miranda emphasized that destroying engines hits miners where it hurts most, yet officials admit that high gold prices enable rapid replacement and that a broader strategy targeting the money flow is needed. The campaign aims to make illegal mining unsustainable for both the environment and the communities dependent on the river’s fish.