Illegal gold mining in the Amazon has evolved into a critical crisis, intertwining organized crime, environmental destruction, and threats to Indigenous communities. Backed by powerful criminal syndicates like Brazil’s Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), these operations devastate biodiversity, fuel deforestation, and poison ecosystems with mercury. This article unravels the urgent need for global action to combat this multifaceted threat to one of the world’s most vital ecological regions.