The State Inspection Authority has seized 77 kilograms of raw gold ore across eight provinces, targeting unauthorized mining operations operating along major riverbanks.
State Inspection Authority President Vansay Phongsavanh revealed the findings on 29 October during a resource management meeting. Inspections include 23 targeted locations, uncovering illegal extraction involving 18 companies and arresting 188 workers, both Lao and foreign nationals.
Authorities also confiscated heavy equipment from the sites, including 38 excavators, 20 dredging boats, two wheel loaders, a dump truck, water pumps, and industrial gold-filtering screens.
The report follows instructions from President Thongloun Sisoulith during the Central Committee’s extraordinary plenary session on 1 October, where he called for urgent action against unauthorized mineral extraction, illegal logging, and broader natural resource exploitation.
A Wave of Regional Crackdowns
Although central authorities did not explicitly name the eight provinces covered in the report, the meeting follows a series of local enforcement actions across the country this year.
The latest raids happened in Sangthong District, Vientiane in late September and early October, where authorities seized 23 excavators at hidden gold mining sites.
On 15 October, Vang Vieng’s Nam Song River was reportedly muddy despite clear skies. While authorities have yet to confirm the cause, a similar outbreak in June was traced to unauthorized upstream iron ore mining by Daochalearn Mineral Processing.
In September, Xaysomboun also reported identified four companies allegedly involved in unauthorized alluvial gold mining. Similar gold mining investigations and raids have unfolded across Luang Prabang, Xieng Khouang, and Savannakhet, signalling a country-wide push to hold illegal operators accountable and restore regulatory order to the mining sector.
Earlier this year, authorities also unauthorized riverbed panning and illegal fishing in Attapeu.
