Brazilian federal authorities launched an investigation into a money laundering network suspected of moving millions of dollars' worth of illicit gold in 2023. Through a network of shell companies, individuals are alleged to have moved money linked to gold illegally sourced from Brazil's northern neighbor Guyana. In one instance, a shell company purportedly to be trading hospital supplies was alleged to have laundered over $12.3 million in gold. Shell companies play an important role in Brazil's illicit gold industry, with these companies providing a way for criminals to issue invoices without a physical address to hide the illegal origin of exported gold. Authorities have estimated that over 30 tonnes of gold is illegally extracted each year from the Brazilian Amazon, with this illicit practice exploiting low-earning miners in areas of poor human and economic development, causing considerable deforestation and socio-economic harm.