International police operations target gold smuggling and environmental crime

Police in Germany and the Netherlands, supported by Europol, conducted a major international operation targeting a criminal group suspected of money laundering and gold smuggling. Approximately 450 officers searched about 40 residential and business properties across several German states and near Rotterdam. The investigation follows a 2023 incident where over 55 kilograms of gold and nearly 500,000 euros in cash were seized. Authorities suspect the group, primarily consisting of men of Turkish origin, laundered tens of millions of euros annually, much of it derived from narcotics trafficking.

In a separate large-scale action, Interpol conducted Operation Madre Tierra VIII across nine Latin American and Caribbean countries to combat environmental crime. The operation resulted in the arrest of 233 individuals and the discovery of approximately 60,000 hectares of illegally deforested land. Investigators identified international criminal networks linked to markets in Europe and Asia, involving illegal logging, mining, and wildlife trafficking. The operation uncovered connections to 161 companies and highlighted the use of shell companies and permit fraud to facilitate these activities.