Peru Deploys Navy Helicopters in Amazon Gold Mining Crackdown

Peru has launched an aggressive campaign to combat illegal gold mining in the Amazon rainforest. The latest move involves sending navy helicopters into the region, where troops have been destroying equipment and machinery used by miners.

The operation is a response to the high price of gold, which has made it profitable for miners to continue their activities despite government efforts to stop them. According to Navy Lt. Cmdr. Renato Miranda, the motors used in these operations can pay for themselves quickly at current gold prices.

The focus of the operation is on destroying pumps, batteries, dredging equipment, fuel, and engines that keep the mining sites running. In the past three months, officers have destroyed around 115 motors during weekly operations. However, this number suggests the scale of the problem is much larger than initially thought.

The government has been struggling to combat illegal gold mining in the region, with Operation Mercury launched in 2019 failing to completely eradicate the issue. The damage caused by these activities is not limited to the mine itself and has led to deforestation and mercury contamination affecting nearby communities.