26 arrested in major crackdown on illegal deforestation in South America

In mid-October 2023, Paraguayan authorities conducted a major operation targeting illegal deforestation, resulting in the arrest of 26 individuals along the border with Brazil and Argentina. Interpol supported the operation, which involved collaboration from fourteen different agencies, employing border inspections, aerial monitoring, and waterway surveillance to uncover the extensive illegal activities occurring in the region. The operation successfully resulted in the seizure of approximately 1,000 logs, predominantly including prized quebracho wood, known for its density and high tannin content. According to Interpol, the arrested individuals were linked to 12 companies allegedly involved in various illegal activities, including logging of native tree species, illegal timber trafficking, and use of fraudulent documentation. Furthermore, two criminal networks were identified as operating within this illegal trade. The spokesperson emphasized that these actions highlighted the complexity of illegal deforestation, which includes a range of offenses from document fraud to money laundering and corruption. Kat Henn, Interpol’s assistant director of environmental security, stated that the operation demonstrated the urgent need for ongoing cooperation among multiple agencies to confront these environmental crimes. The Tri-Border area, comprising parts of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina, has been identified as a hotspot for a broad spectrum of illegal activities, driven largely by organized crime. The area's geographical characteristics, with rivers creating numerous entry points, have facilitated these operations, further raising concerns about how organized crime has increasingly made forested regions their operational bases. In addition to deforestation, such activities raise significant environmental concerns, including erosion, biodiversity loss, increased flooding risk, and the diminishment of essential carbon sinks to mitigate climate change. Environmental experts, including Gabriel Funari from the Amazon Observatory of Illicit Economies, have pointed out a worrying trend: transnational criminal organizations, which have diversified into illegal markets out of drug trafficking profits, are now heavily investing in sectors like timber, wildlife, and minerals in regions like the Tri-Border. Fighting these well-established criminal networks is crucial for the protection of forest resources in South America. Although there have been strides to mitigate deforestation in countries like Brazil and Colombia, the data still reflects a troubling reality, with Latin America reportedly losing 138 million hectares of forest between 1990 and 2020, as per a United Nations report. With these insights, the interrelation of criminal activities and environmental degradation in South America presents a complex challenge that requires sustained action and cooperation to address effectively.