UAE-led operation 'Green Shield' busts criminal networks in Amazon

In a major milestone for international environmental law enforcement, Operation Green Shield, led by the UAE Ministry of Interior through the International Initiative of Law Enforcement for Climate (I2LEC), succeeded in dismantling major criminal networks operating across the Amazon Basin.

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The operation resulted in the arrest of 94 individuals and the seizure of illicit assets worth over $64 million.

Over a two-week period, the operation-code-named "Green Shield"-carried out more than 350 field operations with the participation of over 1,500 officers in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

The campaign was coordinated from a central command centre in Bogotá and overseen strategically by the UAE Ministry of Interior. The operation built on the success of “Operation Green Justice” in 2024, achieving deeper cooperation and real-time intelligence sharing, which enabled participating countries to secure even stronger results this year.

Key outcomes included the seizure of over 310 tonnes of illegally extracted raw minerals, 61 tonnes of calcium oxide, and 3,800 cubic metres of illegally harvested timber, in addition to more than 39,000 gallons of smuggled fuel.

The operation also struck a significant blow to wildlife trafficking, with the rescue of over 2,100 live animals and the confiscation of 6,350 deceased specimens (including birds, lizards, and mammals). Authorities also seized 530 units of heavy equipment used in criminal activities, including bulldozers, trucks, and crushers.