The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and partner organizations have launched a global initiative to dismantle criminal networks whose activities are causing large-scale deforestation while generating billions of dollars in illicit profits.
According to a report by Lusa, these activities include illegal logging for timber trafficking and gold extraction.
The initiative was announced ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), scheduled to take place from November 10 to 21 in Brazil. The conference will place particular focus on tropical forests, especially in countries such as Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
“Criminals are making billions from stealing the world’s forests,” said Interpol Secretary-General Valdecy Urquiza in a statement. “The only way to stop them is through determined law enforcement action and strong international cooperation,” he added.
This latest phase of the Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) to Reduce Tropical Deforestation was announced in Rio de Janeiro during the UN Wildlife Summit. The initiative is led by Interpol — which assists national authorities in organizing operations and sharing intelligence — in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The announcement came shortly after a major Brazilian police operation, supported by Interpol in the Amazon Basin, resulted in the destruction of 270 illegal gold dredging structures on the Madeira River.
Authorities stated that the operation dealt a significant blow to criminal networks involved in gold mining activities operating across Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru.
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly emphasized that illegal deforestation “undermines the rule of law and finances organized crime,” highlighting that the joint operation aims to ensure criminals are held accountable while also supporting judicial systems and local communities.
Launched in 2018, the LEAP initiative initially focused on mapping timber trafficking routes before evolving into a framework for international coordination, which has already led to the seizure of timber and minerals worth millions of dollars.
Meanwhile, Interpol-led operations have uncovered hundreds of environmental crimes, destroyed numerous illegal gold extraction sites across the Brazilian Amazon, and resulted in the arrest of dozens of individuals in nine countries for wildlife and timber trafficking.
In its new phase, the operation will focus on illegal mining in the Amazon Basin — one of the main drivers of deforestation and mercury pollution — while strengthening information sharing among law enforcement agencies worldwide.
