The multinational operation Mother Earth identified more than 400 crimes, ranging from wildlife trafficking and illegal logging to mining linked to human trafficking.
A broad international deployment against environmental crimes in Latin America, known as Operation Mother Earth VII, has culminated in the arrest of 225 people. The initiative, coordinated by Interpol, exposed more than 400 criminal incidents that severely affect the region’s ecosystems, revealing a complex network of illegal activities.
The operation took place between May 1 and June 30, 2025. It was managed from the Interpol Regional Office for Central America, with crucial support from the organization’s Environmental Security unit. Police forces from nine nations —Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama— participated to exchange intelligence and act in critical areas.
The breakdown of crimes shows a clear predominance of logging and forest crimes, with 203 cases reported. This is followed by 138 incidents of wildlife trafficking, 26 of illegal fishing, 23 of unauthorized mining, and 16 directly linked to pollution. The intelligence analysis managed to identify 15 cases with clear transnational components, uncovering multiple routes of species trafficking and resources to markets in Asia and Europe.
The seizures reflect the severity of the exploitation. Authorities rescued diverse wildlife, including primates, big cats, birds, and turtles. They also seized 2.4 tons of shark fins and ray, 7 kg of dried sea cucumber, and 875 kg of totoaba, the latter a species in critical danger of extinction.
In the forestry sector, shipments of pine, oak, laurel, and cypress were intercepted. Among the most significant findings are high-value woods protected by the CITES Convention, such as cedar, whose value on the black market ranges between 200 and 900 dollars per cubic meter, and rosewood, which can exceed 6,000 dollars per cubic meter.
The Operation Mother Earth VII confirmed the direct link of these crimes with powerful organized crime networks operating across continents, responsible for deforestation hotspots exceeding 50,000 hectares.
A landmark case in Panama uncovered a vast illegal gold mining operation. This activity not only caused severe mercury contamination, but investigations linked it to related crimes such as child labor and human trafficking. The investigations also detected smuggling of mercury and widespread contamination of water sources, representing a serious risk to public health.
During the interventions, firearms, vehicles, boats, and communication equipment used by the criminal networks were also confiscated.
🚨 Americas: Environmental crime operation leads to 225 arrests, identifies hundreds more suspects
Operation Madre Tierra VII, led by INTERPOL’s Regional Bureau for Central America with support from the Environmental Security unit, brought together officers from nine countries… pic.twitter.com/zMD2jAdFTq
— INTERPOL (@INTERPOL_HQ) October 24, 2025
This effort was carried out within the framework of the GAIA Project, an initiative funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUKN) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The work was conducted in close coordination with the Commission of Chiefs and Directors of Police of Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Colombia.
