Operation Lead was undertaken in 12 countries in Central and South America under the auspices of Interpol’s Environmental Crime Programme and its Project Leaf, brought together law enforcement agencies to combat forestry crime in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.
Under the operation, officials carried out inspections and investigations on transport vehicles, retail premises, and individuals, as well as surveillance and monitoring at ports and various transport centres.
The resulting seizures of wood and related products during the operation are estimated to amount to more than 50,000m3 of seized wood, equivalent to some 2,000 truckloads of timber. The total value of the seized timber is estimated at around US$8m.
