ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — A UAE-led international campaign targeting environmental crime across the Amazon Basin has resulted in 839 arrests, more than 1,000 enforcement operations and the seizure of assets valued at over $280 million, authorities announced on Tuesday.
The operation, known as Operation Green Shield 2026, was carried out over 17 days and involved coordinated law enforcement efforts across Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, alongside the UAE. Officials said the campaign ranks among the largest multinational operations ever conducted against environmental crime in the region.
According to the UAE Ministry of Interior, participating agencies conducted 1,045 field operations, leading to the detention of hundreds of suspects and the confiscation of machinery, vehicles and other assets linked to environmental offences.
The initiative was led under the guidance of Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, as part of the UAE’s broader strategy to strengthen international cooperation in tackling transnational crime.
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 improve coordination between law enforcement agencies in combating crimes that threaten the environment, including illegal logging, mining and wildlife trafficking.
Authorities said the latest operation reflects growing international collaboration to address criminal activities that damage the Amazon Basin, one of the world’s most environmentally significant regions.
The Ministry of Interior said the operation demonstrated how coordinated intelligence sharing and joint enforcement efforts can produce large-scale operational results against cross-border environmental crime.
The UAE has increasingly expanded its international role in environmental security through partnerships that support climate action, biodiversity protection and law enforcement cooperation. Officials said similar collaborative initiatives will continue as countries work to combat organised environmental crime and safeguard vulnerable ecosystems.
