The Rise of Environmental Crime: A Growing Threat to Natural Resources, Peace, Development and Security

Around 98 percent of the net profits from illegal natural resource exploitation – particularly gold, charcoal and timber – goes to transnational organized criminal networks operating in and outside DRC. Armed groups retain only around two percent – equivalent to USD 13.2 million per annum – of the net profits from illegal smuggling. This income represents the basic subsistence cost for at least 8,000 armed fighters distributed on

migrants and commodities for profit. Islamic State is heavily involved in trafficking of oil and antiques. 176

Armed groups across the planet are looking into environ- mental crimes as a low-risk high-profit source of revenue, depriving governments of revenues while threatening peace, development and security.

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