Interpol announced on Tuesday that a significant operation aimed at curbing illegal gold mining across West Africa has led to the arrest of 200 individuals and the confiscation of hazardous chemicals, explosives, and narcotics.
This extensive initiative, which involved countries like Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, and Senegal, revealed extensive networks responsible for this illicit activity, causing severe environmental harm and serious health risks to communities.
Authorities highlighted the alarming toll on the miners, discovering vast amounts of painkillers used to mitigate the harsh effects of toxic materials involved in gold extraction processes. Chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, which are frequently utilized in small-scale mining operations, pose significant health dangers, with long-term exposure potentially resulting in irreversible damage.
The operation, coordinated by Interpol—an international policing organization based in France and comprising 195 member countries—took place from July to October 2024 and involved collaboration with the U.K. Home Office.
“This operation illustrates the power of international cooperation in tackling these serious threats,” stated Valdecy Urquiza, the agency’s Secretary General, in a press release.
In a related incident, a separate rescue mission is ongoing at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine in South Africa, where hundreds of illicit miners have been trapped underground in an abandoned shaft for months. Since Friday, at least 24 bodies have been recovered along with 34 survivors, but reports indicate that over 500 individuals may still be stranded below, facing critical conditions as reported by nonprofit organizations.
Illegal mining remains prevalent in South Africa, particularly as mining companies vacate unprofitable sites, leaving informal miners to extract residual deposits unlawfully.
The West African police operation, named Operation Sanu, also represented a significant step towards addressing illegal sand mining in Gambia. Raids conducted in the Kombo and southern coastal areas resulted in seven arrests as well as the confiscation of sand-laden trucks and mining equipment, according to Interpol’s report.
The rise in sand mining poses a growing threat, leading to the degradation of local ecosystems and adversely affecting the livelihoods of surrounding communities.
