Price gold continues to break records, attracting not only investors, but also organized crime groups around the world. Revenues from illegal mining and smuggling of precious metals amount to tens of billions of dollars annually.
According to international sources, the scale of illegal gold trafficking has reached unprecedented levels. In 2022, 435 tons of precious metal were smuggled out of African countries alone. The total value of illegal exports is estimated at $31 billion, double what it was a decade ago.
A similar situation is observed in Latin America. In Peru, shadow exports account for more than 40% of all gold supplies. The total market size reached $15 billion. Investigations show that in South America, the income of crime syndicates from the gold trade has already overtaken the profits from the drug trade.
Fight for control deposits leads to numerous casualties. Dozens of people die in clashes between gangs. The situation is especially difficult in African states, where weakened state control and internal conflicts allow organized crime groups to seize territories without hindrance. Criminal gangs force local residents and migrants to work in illegal mines.
Experts note that the bulk of illegally mined gold ends up on major international markets. The key hub is called the UAE, where it is almost impossible to trace the true origin of the metal. As representatives of the jewelry market admitted, they often purchase gold through wholesale intermediaries, without asking questions about its source.
Thus, rising gold prices directly finance the activities of international criminal groups, exacerbating social and economic instability in entire regions.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: @dprom
