A ban on illegal gold mining in Peru took effect on 19 April. Madre de Dios state has an estimated 40,000 illegal miners, most of whom are poor migrants from the Andean highland, and their work accounts for about 20% of Peru's gold exports. However, their work has also ravaged forests and poisoned rivers in a biodiverse region. Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd documents the frantic work of the miners up to the moment when government forces arrived to put them out of business