Ivory Coast Deploys Drones and Motorcycles to Combat Illegal Gold Mining
Ivory Coast is significantly escalating its efforts to combat illegal gold mining by deploying a substantial array of equipment, including drones, pick-up trucks, troop transport vehicles, motorcycles, and zodiac watercraft. A first batch of this equipment, comprising 30 pick-ups, 35 troop transport vehicles, 300 motorcycles, 12 zodiacs, and several drones, has already been delivered to forces on the ground. This initiative is part of a broader government strategy to eradicate illegal gold mining within six months across eleven particularly affected regions. The operations will be coordinated by prefects and will involve multiple security and environmental agencies, including the Special Group for the Fight Against Illegal Gold Mining, the Special Surveillance and Intervention Brigade, the gendarmerie, and the Water and Forests service. An even larger deployment is anticipated, with the overall order including 48 pick-ups, 40 troop transport vehicles, 360 motorcycles, 84 zodiacs, about thirty drones, and 1...
