Criminal networks operating across the Americas are increasingly using illegal gold mining to conceal and move money generated from the cocaine trade, according to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).
The issue was highlighted on Wednesday as more than 80 senior law enforcement officials gathered at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) in Guyana for the 27th INTERPOL Americas Regional Conference.
The two-day meeting is focused on organised and transnational crime, with officials expected to examine emerging threats and strengthen cooperation among law enforcement agencies across the region.
INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said authorities have been tracking a growing connection between cocaine trafficking and illegal mining, as criminal groups search for ways to launder their illicit earnings.
“Cocaine remains the financial lifeblood of groups across Central and South America. Yet, the very scale of these drug trade creates a massive problem for cartels – how to move, hide and clean illicit cash. A growing number of syndicates are solving this by moving their drug capitals straight into illegal gold mining,” Urquiza stated.
That growing link was among the concerns that prompted Operation Guiana Shield in December 2025, which INTERPOL described as its first transnational operation specifically targeting illegal gold mining.
The operation brought together authorities from Guyana, Brazil, Suriname and French Guiana and targeted illegal mining, environmental offences and other crimes connected to organised criminal networks.
INTERPOL President Lucas Philippe said the operation uncovered much more than illegally mined gold.
“Not only did officers find gold, but they also seized firearms, cash, drugs, mercury and mining equipment, thus uncovering a much wider criminal eco-system. INTERPOL is adapting to this new normal,” Philippe said.
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, who is performing the duties of President, said operations such as Guiana Shield demonstrate the importance of countries working together against criminal networks that operate across borders.
Phillips said Guyana has been strengthening intelligence-led policing and improving communication among local law enforcement agencies, efforts which he said are also important to wider regional cooperation.
“Guyana therefore approaches this conference with a practical purpose: We seek an intelligence system in which reliable information can be exchanged without unnecessary delay and converted into lawful operational action,” Phillips said.
The Prime Minister stressed that delays in sharing intelligence can give criminals an advantage, particularly when investigations involve several jurisdictions.
He said discussions in Georgetown should therefore translate into faster information-sharing and clearer coordination when criminal investigations extend beyond national borders.
