Brazilian police tackles US$1.2B illegal gold mining operations

The Federal Police launched an investigation, called Operation Eldorado, on Wednesday morning to arrest suspected leaders of operations smuggling Venezuelan gold.

The criminal organisation was smuggling illegal gold into Brazil, which would then be used as payment for the export of food to markets in the states of Roraima and Amazonas, according to the police. Hired transport companies would hide the gold and clandestinely enter Roraima before sending the ores to illegal mining companies to pay food distributors.

The court granted two preventive arrest warrants and 40 search and seizure warrants in the states of Roraima, Amazonas, Goiás and the Federal District.

According to the investigation, the main suspects are also involved in illegal gold mining on the Yanomami indigenous lands and illegal mining operations across other states.

Operations Lupi and Emboabas

In addition to Operation Eldorado, the federal police launched two further investigations on the same day.

Operation Lupi is aimed at investigating a criminal organisation dedicated to the illegal mining and export of gold extracted from indigenous reserved and federal conservation units and money laundering. The court issued five search and seizure warrants and a preventive arrest warrant.

Together with the Federal Revenue Service, the police launched Operation Emboabas in Amazonas, which identified evidence of gold smuggling from Brazil to Europe. The police arrested a person transporting 35kg of gold for delivery to New York.

Two preventive arrest warrants and 16 search warrants were served, in addition to an order to seize more than 5.7 billion real (US$1.16 billion).