Dredges at an illegal gold mining area in the Madre de Dios department, in Peru's southeastern Amazon region, on May 31, 2024. Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty Images

The Trump administration’s drone strikes against boats allegedly bringing illicit drugs to the US come amid an explosion in the amount of cocaine being produced in Colombia and Peru .

But there is a new – and lethal – factor that is turbo-charging production – especially in Peru: the relationship between coca cultivation and illicit gold mining.

It’s a toxic combination that is enriching criminal gangs and corrupt officials, as the price of gold touches new highs on world markets. And it’s taking root in other states – including Ecuador, Brazil and Venezuela.

In July, Peru’s then foreign minister Elmer Schialer said the

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