Overview
- PNP commander Óscar Arriola says illegal mining has overtaken narcotrafficking as Peru’s top criminal economy, generating roughly six times more revenue.
- Authorities link the mining boom to surging extortion and contract killings in hotspots such as Pataz in La Libertad and Madre de Dios.
- Operations target criminal logistics through the destruction of machinery and the seizure of illegally extracted minerals to regain territorial control.
- Multisector actions include explosive-use checks with Sucamec and tighter oversight of SIM card and mobile sales with Osiptel and the Interior Ministry.
- A new law extends the Reinfo formalization registry to December 2026, as police maintain emergency migration controls at the Chile border and deploy 36 officers to secure Mexico’s embassy in Lima.