Dirty gold: Ecuadorian export companies targeted by authorities

Ecuador has shown severe inconsistencies between its official production of gold of known origin and its exports. In recent years, illegal mining has expanded into the Amazonian province of Napo, where the boundaries between legal and illegal activities are blurry. A legal procedure involving a former director of the Energy Regulation Agency exposed the complicity between illegal activities and local authorities. This investigation –part of the "The Dirty Gold Routes" series, coordinated by OjoPúblico's Cross-Border Network– also reveals how organized crime takes control in several areas of this country.