Peru seizes over $3 million in illegal mining gear in Madre de Dios

The Peruvian National Police, supported by the Army and the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office, carried out two coordinated raids in the Madre de Dios region’s Inambari district and the Franca Cajal sector. The operations recovered machinery, diesel engines, hydraulic pumps, chainsaws, electric drills, metallic tubing, more than 600 gallons of fuel, and small amounts of mercury, along with documents and ammunition. The first seizure, near the “Km 102 – Peaje” checkpoint, was valued at over S/300,000, while the second operation seized assets worth more than S/1.6 million, bringing the total estimated value to roughly S/3.6 million (about $1 million USD).

Authorities said the raids are part of a broader government strategy, under Legislative Decree No. 1100, to disrupt illegal gold‑mining networks that cause deforestation, mercury contamination, and social harms in the Amazon rainforest. The seized equipment is intended for the extraction of river sediments and the operation of clandestine mining camps, which also link to other crimes such as human trafficking and tax evasion.