Illegal gold mining in Peru's Madre de Dios drives 8x fuel demand via smuggling

Illegal gold mining in Peru's Madre de Dios region has increased fuel demand eightfold, driven by smuggling and diversion of petroleum and gasoline that power dredges and heavy machinery. The mafias in areas like La Pampa persist despite law enforcement operations, indicating entrenched illicit supply chains. This highlights a significant energy diversion and environmental security issue in the Amazon.