Elon Musk brought internet to Brazil’s Amazon and criminals love it

Starlink, a division of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has almost 4,000 low-orbit satellites across the skies, connecting people in remote corners of the Amazon.

The lightweight, high-speed internet system has proved a new and valuable tool for Brazil's illegal miners.

It provides reliable service for coordinating logistics, receiving advance warning of law enforcement raids and making payments without flying back to the city.

In Ukraine, Starlink has yielded advantages on the battlefield.

An unauthorized reseller of Starlink in Boa Vista, the gateway for travel into Yanomami territory, has been marketing the units in a WhatsApp group for illegal miners and promising same-day delivery.

Others are selling the terminals on Facebook groups like one called “Fanatics for Prospecting.” As lawbreakers have gained access to superior internet service, authorities have started using Starlink themselves.

Federal agents installed a terminal at a new checkpoint on the Uraricoera River.