Report Links Environmental Policy Changes to Illegal Gold Mining Issues

A report from the Financial Accountability & Corporate Transparency Coalition examines how reductions in environmental crime enforcement programs may impact efforts to combat drug trafficking organizations. The research suggests illegal gold mining has become a significant revenue source for transnational criminal groups, in some cases generating more income than drug trafficking itself. The report indicates that since 2025, there have been reassignments of environmental crime prosecutors and reductions in staffing at agencies focused on these issues.