EUROPE IMAGES INTERNATIONAL - M5

Synopsis

The gold rush in Guiana these past few years is now getting out of hand.

The garimperos, illegal gold prospectors, work tirelessly at extracting the precious metal from the Amazonian jungle.

They are causing the destruction and pollution of ecosystems and are disrupting food chains by using mercury to amalgamate the gold.
By eating fish from the rivers the Amerindians are the primary victims of this pollution.

The jungle and its inhabitants are in danger.

Because of this the French government decided two years ago to launch "Operation Anaconda", with a view to sending highly trained gendarmes into the heart of the jungle to try and apprehend those profiting from the situation and destroying the environment.

This documentary is going to follow several different people in this adventure: garimperos, gold diggers, gendarmes and doctors as they go about their daily lives.