By Staff Reporter
ABU DHABI: A major UAE-led international operation targeting environmental crime in the Amazon Basin has resulted in the arrest of 839 suspects and the seizure of more than $280 million worth of assets during a 17-day enforcement campaign.
Dubbed Operation Green Shield 2026, the initiative involved coordinated efforts by law enforcement agencies from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, with the UAE leading the multinational campaign. Authorities carried out 1,045 field operations across the Amazon Basin, making it one of the largest environmental crime crackdowns ever undertaken in the region.
The results were announced by Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, who said the operation reflects the UAE’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation in addressing cross-border environmental crimes.
Sheikh Saif noted that the campaign builds on the International Initiative of Law Enforcement for Climate (I2LEC), launched by the UAE in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2023. The initiative aims to enhance global law enforcement collaboration to combat environmental offences and protect natural ecosystems.
Launched in July, Operation Green Shield 2026 responded to growing international calls for stronger cooperation against illegal activities threatening the Amazon rainforest. During the operation, authorities confiscated machinery, equipment, materials and other assets linked to environmental crimes, with the total value of seized items exceeding $280 million.
Sheikh Saif said the successful operation demonstrates the UAE’s ability to translate international partnerships into effective action, reinforcing global efforts to combat transnational environmental crime while safeguarding one of the world’s most important ecosystems.
Source: Gulf News
