Interpol, an international police organization based in Lyon, France, announced that 233 people were arrested and more than 1,000 wild animals were seized during a major operation in Latin America and the Caribbean. The operation, named Madre Tierra VIII, took place in June and July across nine countries. It focused on criminal networks involved in trafficking wild animals, deforestation, and illegal mining. According to a statement from Interpol, investigators from the involved countries identified 312 individuals and organizations linked to these activities. They used intelligence from past operations and followed financial trails to uncover those responsible. Krandall Gullock, director of Interpol's regional office for Central America, said that by tracing money flows, investigators can go beyond the people directly involved in cutting down trees, handling animals, or mining for gold. Instead, they can target the companies that fund, manage, and profit from these illegal activities. Wildlife trafficking routes from Central America to Europe and Asia were identified during the operation. These routes often overlap with those used for drug trafficking, highlighting the complex connections between different types of organized crime. Among the seized animals were a Bengal tiger, lions, ocelots in Mexico, and exotic birds in Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, 165 kilograms of dried shark fins were also seized, valued at around 280,000 US dollars. Regarding deforestation, investigators used data from a 2025 operation that had already identified 11 companies suspected of clearing 52,000 hectares of the Amazon rainforest—equivalent to about 73,000 football fields. This time, they uncovered 161 more companies and 65 individuals involved in similar activities across several continents. Colombia arrested 16 of those individuals. Interpol expressed concern over the use of toxic chemicals in illegal mining, which can have "devastating consequences" for both people and the environment. During the operation, large quantities of these substances were seized, including nearly 4.6 tons of cyanide and 11 containers of mercury, used to extract gold. These materials were found in Costa Rica and are known to be highly dangerous if not handled properly.