Three killed, 7 missing in New Year’s Eve attack on informal miners in Peru

LIMA, Jan 1 (Reuters) – At least three people were killed and seven more were missing after a New Year’s Eve attack on informal miners in northern Peru, a local mayor said on Thursday, the latest of a series of attacks on small-scale gold miners in the Andean nation.

The attack took place in a town in the northern region of La Libertad, Pataz Mayor Aldo Marino told local TV. Police reported 13 miners killed in the same district in May last year as criminal gangs sought to grow their control in the area.

“According to information I received from the police, three people were killed in a mine entrance, and seven are missing,” Marino told Canal N, adding reports from other people nearby indicated the death toll could be higher.

The police did not confirm the attack and government officials were not available to comment.

Pataz has become Peru’s main gold-producing area, thanks mainly to small-scale artisan or informal mines, which operate under temporary government permits called REINFO.

Thousands of permits are however exploited by illegal miners who according to police and industry sources steal the output from other miners working together with criminal gangs.

Peru’s government in December extended the REINFO permits for one year, the fifth such extension in a decade. In July, it kicked over 50,000 small-scale miners off the scheme, more than half, keeping just over 30,000 for a formalization process.

Peru exported $15.5 billion worth of gold in 2024, a sharp jump from $11 billion registered the previous year. About 40% is of illegal origin, according to estimates from local industry and the country’s financial watchdog.

(Reporting by Marco AquinoEditing by Ros Russell and Nick Zieminski)