Madagascar’s dangerous gold rush: rosewood, sapphires and deadly mines

In Madagascar, rosewood trafficking fuels a dangerous underground economy. In the Masoala rainforest, illegal loggers risk their lives hauling massive logs through mud, storms, and deadly river rapids—before the wood is shipped to China’s black market. Driven by extreme poverty, thousands of Malagasy head south to Ilakaka, the world’s largest sapphire mining zone. Armed with only shovels and hope, miners descend unstable shafts in search of precious stones. Collapses are frequent, deaths common. In this modern Eldorado, fortune and tragedy lie just meters underground. Director: Daniel Lainé, David Geoffrion Don't miss any of our documentaries on crime : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5sRezSGmq7UxSQ30UICMXFxYKX9_5zEt