Case Study
Mexico
Associated commodity
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Source
Organised Crime related to deforestation and labour exploitation in Chihuahua, Mexico

A report by Global Initiative details the shift in crime from drug cultivation to illegal logging in the Sierra Tarahumara region of Chihuahua, Mexico, due to decreased demand for opium gum. Drug Trafficking Organisations (DTOs) began heavily involving themselves in illegal logging around 2014-2015. DTOs can earn between MXN 50,000-70,000 per night from illegal logging, exploiting workers under threats of violence. Local mafias were also involved in this shift, albeit operating on a smaller scale compared to DTOs and rarely resorting to violence. They control logging operations, sawmills, and transportation, often involving familial clans. DTOs, on the other hand, engage in a range of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, extortion, and extreme acts of violence, including massacres and beheadings. Indigenous communities and environmental activists are heavily impacted by such threats and violence. They face displacement due to violence and land grabs by criminal groups. In addition, illegal logging and the cultivation of illicit crops contribute to significant deforestation. Finally, criminal groups use bribes and threats to secure cooperation from authorities. Local institutions often lack the resources and capacity to effectively combat organised crime.

Keywords
Timber, Drug Trafficking, Violence, Labour Exploitation, Illegal Logging, Displacement, Land Grabbing, Illegal Deforestation, Bribery, Mexico
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