As a military helicopter roared overhead and soldiers fired the first warning shots, six wildcat miners rushed onto a boat and tore downriver. Another plunged into the water and swam after them, leaving behind a makeshift camp that would soon go up in flames. The scene in a dense, remote jungle south of the Amazon was part of an operation by Peruvian troops to blow up as many engines and fuel supplies as possible.
The aim was to disrupt illegal gold mines growing out of control as the precious metal’s high prices create fresh demand. At best, this type of mission can slow the pace of deforestation and pollution. Halting it is another story.
Even when operations go according to plan, it’s only a matter of days — or even hours — before miners return with new equipment, said Ronal Ramon Flores, a federal prosecutor involved in the operations.
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