Cartel-Driven Mercury Trade Threatens Amazon Communities

Cartel-linked mercury trafficking for illegal gold mining is poisoning Amazon rivers and jeopardizing Indigenous health from Peru to Brazil and Bolivia. Artisanal and illicit miners discharge roughly 800 tons of mercury annually, where it transforms into brain-damaging methylmercury that can persist for generations. Investigators tracked at least 180 tons of Mexican mercury smuggled along cocaine routes into South America between 2019 and 2025, with the Sinaloa cartel concealing barrels inside coca shipments.

Hair samples from Brazilian and Peruvian villages show mercury levels exceeding World Health Organization safety limits. Loopholes in the Minamata Convention allow the metal to evade weak border checks. Methylmercury enters the food chain through fish, the primary protein source for riverine communities, causing irreversible neurological harm, slowed reflexes, and cardiovascular risks. Persistent and cumulative, each spill worsens the next, threatening biodiversity and food security. Rising gold prices and lax enforcement ensure the health burden falls on those far from the profits.

10-08-2025