Overview
- Conducted between May and June, Operation Madre Tierra VII brought together Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and six Central American states.
- Investigators documented more than 400 offenses and detected over 50,000 hectares of illegal deforestation tied to organized networks.
- Seized contraband included reptiles, turtles, primates and tigers as well as 2.4 tons of shark and ray fins, 875 kilograms of totoaba and 7 kilograms of dried sea cucumbers.
- In Panama, authorities uncovered large-scale illegal gold mining linked to child labor, human trafficking and mercury contamination.
- Interpol says trafficking routes extend to Europe and Asia, and officers also seized weapons and boats during the operation.