Ten people have been arrested in Cambodia after being suspected of running an illegal gold mining operation inside a protected national park.

As reported by the Khmer Times, the gold mining ring was uncovered following a days-long operation conducted by park rangers from the Stung Treng Provincial Department of Environment. At the time of the arrest, the park rangers were assisted by "community forces" who helped patrol the area.

Authorities allege that the suspects ran their operation at Okapin Mountain in the Veun Sai-Siem Pang National Park in Stung Treng. Park rangers recovered mining equipment and materials at the suspected illegal mining operating site.

According to Sim Polin, head of the Veun Sai-Siem Pang National Park Office, eight of the suspects were taken to provincial court before being transferred to Stung Treng Provincial Prison. Two underage suspects were cleared of wrongdoing and released after being interviewed by investigators.

Developed in 2016 with the help of Conservation International, the Veun Sai-Siem Pang National Park is a 280,359-hectare (692,782-acre) forested area known for its rich biodiversity and significant conservation efforts. The park is home to a number of endangered and vulnerable species, including the giant ibis, sun bears, and clouded leopards.

Illegal mining activities can cause significant and far-reaching damage to the environment and vulnerable ecosystems. These impacts include water pollution from toxic chemicals, deforestation, and even soil erosion. This can destroy habitats and displace species, ultimately disrupting the overall food chain.

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Cambodia is no stranger to illegal mining operations running inside protected areas. In 2023, a Chinese mining company was accused of illegal open-pit mining within the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary in Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

A team of researchers released a report that detailed the effects of open-pit mining for gold in Cambodia. Ida Theilade, an ecologist at the University of Copenhagen and co-author of the report, emphasized the environmental damage caused by these operations.

"The environmental threats of open-pit mining are well-known," Theilade said, per Mongabay. "Environmental destruction is not limited to the mining area itself. It includes roads fragmenting a fragile rainforest ecosystem."

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