New Delhi, Oct. 26 -- A two-month multinational police operation spanning nine Latin American countries resulted in 225 arrests for environmental crime and hundreds of new investigations into illegal logging, wildlife trafficking and gold mining, Interpol said Friday.

The announcement marked the first public comments about the crackdown dubbed Operation Madre Tierra VII, coordinated by Interpol's bureau for Central America.

The May-June operation was assisted by Interpol's environmental security unit, the Paris-based international police organization said.

Interpol, which helps countries share intelligence and coordinate cross-border investigations, said the effort uncovered more than 400 cases of environmental crimes, including illega...