A study by the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) at George Mason University has revealed significant discrepancies in timber trade values between Peru and its trading partners. This suggests significant issues with money laundering, tax evasion, and corruption. Firstly, the study shows that over-invoicing of timber exports to China and the Dominican Republic is constant. This practice demonstrates a high likelihood of money being laundered through illicit transfers to foreign countries. By inflating export values, exporters can move larger amounts of money than officially declared. In addition, under-invoicing of timber exports is a common practice for Peruvian timber traffickers. The undervaluing of timber exports to countries such as Mexico and the USA is a strategy used to lower reported profits and thus evade taxes. Exporters often mislabel products to benefit from less stringent controls, which may also involve bribery of customs officials to overlook such discrepancies.

In the Peruvian Amazon, the Mashco Piro tribe, reputed to be the world's largest Indigenous tribe still living in voluntary isolation, have been encroached on by a logging company, whose workers have been penetrating deeper into their territory since 2010. This encroachment has led to violent confrontations, with a Catahua worker killed by the tribe in 2022. Despite Indigenous people and their advocates stating that these activities violate national and international law aimed at protecting the unique rights of highly vulnerable peoples who have live in voluntary isolation, allegations of "possible forced contact", and calls from the U.N. special rapporteur on Indigenous rights for Catahua to halt logging, the Peruvian government has not intervened. This case highlights the human rights abuses linked to illegal logging, as the intrusion into the Mashco Piro's territory not only disrupts their way of life but also puts them in mortal danger.

According to InSight Crime, the "Patrones de Ucayali", a criminal group led by Juan Miguel Llancari Gálvez and Jorge Edilberto Alvarez Choquehuanca, developed an intricate network of illegal timber trafficking in Peru. The network was involved in felling trees in the Peruvian Amazon and laundering illegal timber through corrupt officials and falsified documents. Investigation into the mid-level criminal group began in 2015, when police detected suspicious paperwork related to Timber Transport Permits (GTFs). Following this, police surveillance, phone taps and undercover operations revealed the network's operations, involving loggers, forgers, transporters, and corrupt officials. However, corruption and tip-offs allowed the network's leaders to evade arrest. InSight Crime also highlights the involvement of the Bozovich family in this criminal network. Major players in Peru's timber industry, the Bozovich family, were suspected to operate through a series of shell companies, allowing them to launder proceeds from illegal timber trafficking with relative impunity.

Peru's forests, crucial for global sustainability, face severe threats from illegal logging driven by high global demand for timber. Between 2001 and 2018, deforestation rates soared, with illegal logging being a significant contributor. This case study focuses on the financial crimes associated with this deforestation, particularly trade mis-invoicing, which facilitates tax evasion, fraud, and money laundering. A Trade Discrepancy Analysis (TDA) revealed substantial discrepancies in trade data between Peru and its major trading partners, including the USA, China, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, from 2009 to 2018. For instance, discrepancies with the USA averaged at US$1.5 million per year, peaking in 2013. These discrepancies often indicated under-invoicing by Peruvian exporters to conceal profits and evade taxes, and over-invoicing by importers to shift money illicitly. The analysis also highlighted the lack of stringent auditing and regulatory oversight, which allows such discrepancies to persist and exacerbate deforestation without adequate legal repercussions. This case underscores the urgent need for enhanced inter-institutional cooperation and stricter auditing to curb illegal timber trade and protect Peru's forests.

An investigation by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ), Mongabay, and Ojo Público has revealed that PepsiCo has potentially used palm oil sourced from deforested lands in eastern Peru. This land is claimed by the Shipibo-Konibo people. The palm oil, entering PepsiCo's supply chain through a Peruvian consortium called Sol de Palma, is mixed with oil from Ocho Sur, a company linked to significant deforestation and Indigenous rights violations. Indeed, Ocho Sur has been associated with 15,500 hectares of forest loss over the past decade, partly on land claimed by the Santa Clara de Uchunya community of Shipibo-Konibo people. Despite pledges to ensure a deforestation-free palm oil supply by the end of 2022 and to achieve net zero operations by 2040, PepsiCo products continue to use palm oil potentially linked to illegal deforestation. Ocho Sur denies responsibility for the deforestation and community division, attributing past actions to the companies it acquired. Meanwhile, the Santa Clara de Uchunya community continues to fight for recognition and protection of their land. The issue has been further exacerbated by the Peruvian government's loosening of deforestation regulations.

The article titled "Illegal logging takes big toll on Mexico City's crucial forests" published on NBC News, uncovers the devastating impact of illegal logging on the forest-covered southern half of Mexico City. The forests, which recharge aquifers supplying nearly 20 million people and help clean the city's polluted air, have been severely depleted. Alfredo Gutiérrez, a local resident, laments that the forest has been "finished off". The article suggests that organised crime gangs may have moved into the illegal logging business, possibly due to the federal government's crackdown on the sale of contraband gasoline and diesel. In response, Mexico City authorities have identified criminal groups behind illegal logging and have mounted operations involving hundreds of police officers and soldiers who raided clandestine sawmills in the mountains.

According to Ojo Publico, park ranger Victorio Dariquebe Gerewa, was ambushed and killed on April 19, 2024, in Queros, Madre de Dios, Peru. His murder is linked to his efforts against illegal mining in the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve. Victorio had been receiving threats from illegal miners. These miners significantly threaten the reserve's ecosystem through deforestation, habitat destruction, and pollution from their activities. Ojo Publico explained that the region also faces substantial environmental crimes related to drug trafficking. Coca cultivation in Kosñipata has surged, increasing by 64% between 2018 and 2022, and is linked to the production of narcotics, further destabilising the area. Illegal logging and unregulated road construction exacerbate these issues, leading to widespread environmental degradation. Victorio's death marks the 34th murder of an environmental defender in Peru since 2013.

According to Mongabay, concerns were raised amongst prosecutors and environmentalists as a Peruvian court overturned a prior ruling. Indeed, in December 2020, a Peruvian court overturned a previous judgement against employees of the cacao company Tamshi SAC, absolving them of crimes related to illegal deforestation in the Amazon. This decision followed a significant lobbying effort by the company, but could lead to dramatic negative impacts in terms of combating deforestation. Tamshi SAC, formerly Cacao del Perú Norte SAC, cleared nearly 2,000 hectares of primary rainforest without proper permits and was fined 129 million soles by Peru's Environmental Assessment and Enforcement Agency (OEFA). The company's officials, previously sentenced for illegal timber trafficking and obstruction, saw their sentences dismissed in December 2020. Environmental advocates argue the court's decision sets a harmful precedent, undermining efforts to enforce environmental laws in Peru. The Ministry of the Environment plans to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

A report by the Organisation of American States details how the Los Topos Del Frio organised crime group developed an extensive illegal gold network in Peru. The network managed every aspect of the illegal gold supply chain, comprising illegal miners, transport companies, processing plants, illegal gold exporters and foreign financiers. Los Topos Del Frio paid illegal miners to extract gold, before concealing the extracted minerals in local buildings and warehouses. The gold was then transported in vehicles belonging to transport companies linked to the Los Topos network, before being processed and transformed into gold bars. The gold was then delivered to the port of Callao after being purchased by two foreign nationals based in Peru who financed the illegal operation. The foreign financiers used multiple shell companies and trade-based money laundering to export the illegal gold, hiding it among declared exports of copper, silver, and zinc. The Integral Registry of Mining Formalization (REINFO) was also involved in hiding this illicit activity. The Los Topos network encompassed numerous small-scale and artisanal miners, along with consortiums listed in REINFO as being in the process of formalisation. This registry provided protections that facilitated the transport and processing of illegal gold within the country, effectively concealing its unlawful origins.

The article titled "Paraguayan authorities complicit in illegal razing of country's forests by EU-linked agribusiness" published on Earthsight, reveals the complicity of Paraguayan authorities in the illegal deforestation of the country's forests by EU-linked agribusiness. The article is part of Earthsight's "Grand Theft Chaco" series, which exposes the links between illegal deforestation for cattle ranching in the Paraguayan Chaco and leather used by car giants in Europe. The investigation focuses on PNCAT, the protected land belonging to the Ayoreo Totobiegosode people, including some of the last uncontacted groups in the world. The entire Chaco ecosystem is under intense attack by ranchers and soy growers, leading to the loss of its native forests and rich biodiversity. Two ranches within PNCAT, Caucasian SA and Cooperativa Chortitzer, illegally cleared over 2,700 and 500 hectares of forests respectively between 2018 and 2019 in contravention of government resolutions. Another farm, Yaguareté Porã, has a long history of illegal land dealings and pasture development within PNCAT dating back nearly 20 years._Earthsight was able to link hides from PNCAT to Italian automotive leather giant Conceria Pasubio and on to BMW and Jaguar Land Rover.

According to the U.S. Bureau of International Labour Affairs, there is strong evidence of forced labour, child labour, and other labour violations in cattle raising areas of Brazil and Paraguay, specifically in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso do Sul and in the Paraguayan Department of Boquerón. Indeed, in Brazil and Paraguay's extensive cattle-raising industries, employers are using coercive recruitment and employment practices. These primarily affect rural and indigenous populations that are falsely promised improved livelihoods. The growing global demand for beef is driving the expansion of cattle operations in these countries, exacerbating the risk of forced labour. In both countries, small and medium cattle producers, supplying to larger international slaughterhouses, often use advance payments to trap workers in debt bondage. Workers face coercion, threats, and restrictions on their freedom, with employers commonly retaining their identification documents. The remote locations of cattle ranches and workers' reliance on employers for food and housing further contribute to conditions that facilitate forced labour.

According to the Guardian, illegal gold mining in Peru's Loreto region is devastating local waterways and forests, impacting Indigenous communities who rely on these resources. The rapid expansion of gold mining has been destroying the Nanay River, a critical water source for local communities. High gold prices and a lack of government oversight have driven the increase of illegal mining in the area, with 122 new cases identified between 2021 and 2023. These activities involve the use of dredging rafts and other equipment to extract gold from the river. However, this mining process contaminates the water with toxic substances like mercury, which disrupts the natural flow of water and contaminates it. The illegal miners have also encroached upon protected areas and Indigenous reserves, causing environmental damage and illegal deforestation. The pollution of the Nanay River has led to a severe degradation of its water quality, compromising a vital source of drinking water for the 170,000 Indigenous inhabitants. This contamination has also resulted in numerous health issues among the local population.

According to Al Jazeera, large-scale soy plantations in Paraguay have been encroaching on traditional Indigenous land, leading to deforestation, land dispossession and severe environmental contamination. The expansion of soy production threatens the livelihoods of the Ava Guarani Indigenous community, whose traditional lands are now heavily polluted, causing health issues and damaging crops and livestock. The transformation of forests into soy monocultures has devastated the natural environment that once sustained the Ava Guarani. Pesticides like glyphosate, 2,4D, and paraquat, which are banned in several countries, are commonly used in these plantations, leading to toxic contamination of the land. This has created severe health issues for the locals, including respiratory illnesses, diarrhoea, and vomiting, attributed to pesticide exposure. In addition, the expansion of soy production has led to a high rate of deforestation in the area and to numerous land evictions. In response, the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHCR) ruled that Paraguay violated the rights of the Ava Guarani by not controlling pesticide use and failing to prevent contamination. Despite this ruling, the community continues to face challenges, with agribusiness and government corruption obstructing change.

In 2022, two government ministers in Paraguay were dismissed for alleged ties to an organised criminal group in the country. The Interior Minister and the head of the National Emergency Agency were both fired for links to a Brazilian drug trafficker with operations in Paraguay. This trafficker was tied to a criminal group allegedly moved cocaine by air from other countries, especially Bolivia, into Paraguay and then on to consumer markets in Europe and Africa. In addition, a cattle rancher in Paraguay was arrested for his alleged part in the drug trafficking operation, where he laundered proceeds from the operation through various businesses he owned. During police raids connected with the case, thousands of cattle were seized as well. This highlights the interconnected nature of organised crime in the country with key industries that lead to deforestation, in this case namely the cattle industry.

The article titled "Paraguayan authorities complicit in illegal razing of country's forests by EU-linked agribusiness" published on Earthsight, reveals the complicity of Paraguayan authorities in the illegal deforestation of the country's forests by EU-linked agribusiness. The article is part of Earthsight's "Grand Theft Chaco" series, which exposes the links between illegal deforestation for cattle ranching in the Paraguayan Chaco and leather used by car giants in Europe. The investigation focuses on PNCAT, the protected land belonging to the Ayoreo Totobiegosode people, including some of the last uncontacted groups in the world. The entire Chaco ecosystem is under intense attack by ranchers and soy growers, leading to the loss of its native forests and rich biodiversity. Two ranches within PNCAT, Caucasian SA and Cooperativa Chortitzer, illegally cleared over 2,700 and 500 hectares of forests respectively between 2018 and 2019 in contravention of government resolutions. Another farm, Yaguareté Porã, has a long history of illegal land dealings and pasture development within PNCAT dating back nearly 20 years._Earthsight was able to link hides from PNCAT to Italian automotive leather giant Conceria Pasubio and on to BMW and Jaguar Land Rover.

In Panama, the illegal timber trade, particularly the trade of the valuable cocobolo wood, has caused grave deforestation and exacerbated crime in ports. A report by InSight Crime explains that on March 28 and 31 2022, Panamanian police seized two containers in Colón, carrying around 850 pieces of cocobolo wood, destined for China. Interceptions of illegal cocobolo wood shipments occur frequently along the Panama Canal. In the Darién province along the Colombian border this logging has been extensive, with 20% forest cover loss in seven years. In Panama's ports, some of the busiest in the region due to the Panama Canal, timber trafficking takes place alongside drugs, arms trafficking, and human smuggling. Corruption is also rampant, with the Army, police, Panama Canal, and port staff implicated in facilitating illegal activities. Timber traffickers benefit from connections within the ports, easing the movement of illegal wood shipments.

A report by the American Bar Association analyses the recent closure of the Cobre Panamá copper mine in Panama. Following the Supreme Court of Panama's ruling that the multi-year contract with First Quantum was unconstitutional, the government announced its plan for the mine's immediate and definitive closure. Several issues were revealed regarding this contract, including having been negotiated and signed without adequate transparency and without proper public consultation. There were significant environmental concerns related to the operations of the Cobre Panamá mine, and the contract did not include measures needed to mitigate this, leading to such legal challenges. Furthermore, the working conditions at the Cobre Panamá mine were reportedly poor, with issues such as anti-union policies, low wages, and unsafe working conditions being rampant. This led the contract to be highly criticised for its enabling of labour rights violations. The mining industry is significant for Panama's economy, contributing 7% to its GDP and accounting for 1% of global copper output. However, the closure aims to address the outdated Mineral Resources Codes, inadequate inspections, and poor labour conditions highlighted in the 2020 IGF Mining Policy Framework Assessment. The mine's closure will result in approximately 40,000 job losses, and the government has yet to announce measures to mitigate this unemployment.

Nigeria's mining sector faces heightened risk of exploitation by foreign criminals due to issues around ineffective management of natural resources and opaque extraction processes. China is a high-risk jurisdiction, with several Chinese nationals having been arrested in Nigeria for their involvement in illegal mining since 2020. In one case, police in Zamfara State arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly engaging in illegal mining in the Bukkuyum locality, where all mining activities are banned due to local conflict. Most of the illicit mining in Nigeria is driven by international criminal networks and foreign demand for key minerals such as gold. Local actors, however, often play a crucial role in facilitating the illicit mining and trafficking of these minerals. This issue is compounded by the fact that regulators and security forces in the country have not prioritised security and anti-corruption efforts across the mining sector.

According to AP News, illegal logging activities in Nigeria's Omo Forest Reserve are increasing rapidly as a consequence of corruption and lax enforcement of environmental regulations. The Omo Forest Reserve is a protected area, but with timber in the outer, legally logged regions becoming scarce, loggers are encroaching deeper into the conservation zone. Issues such as uncontrolled cocoa farming and increased poaching are behind this illegal expansion. Illegal logging in the region is facilitated by rampant corruption and bribery. Loggers frequently bypass regulations by paying off government officials. Rangers report seeing previously arrested individuals back in the forest, demonstrating a widespread ability to avoid punishment. Forest guards also note that higher authorities override their attempts to prevent illegal logging, making them feel helpless. Illustrative of this corrupt behaviour, the Ogun state government, which owns the reserve, claims it is replanting more trees than are being cut, a claim that has been widely debunked. Such lax enforcement is caused by a local economic dependency on timber logging, which makes strict enforcement politically challenging.

A report by The Independent has highlighted the economic, social and environmental impacts of cattle open grazing in Nigeria. While some argue that open grazing sustains the livelihood of the Fulani pastoralists and preserves cultural heritage, others claim it serves as a mechanism for strategic land grabs, contributing to land conflicts and environmental degradation. First of all, it is being increasingly demonstrated that open grazing, where herders allow their animals to graze freely over large areas of land, is in reality inefficient and harmful to the environment. Findings hold that this traditional practice leads to deforestation, soil erosion, and water pollution. As a consequence, these practices have disrupted the local economy and contributed to conflict between Fulani pastoralists and farmers over land. In addition, Nigeria's history of land tenure has often favoured elites over indigenous communities, exacerbating tensions. Efforts to regulate open grazing, such as the anti-open grazing bill currently in the Nigerian Senate, aim to establish regulations for ranching and address conflicts between herders and farmers. However, the bill faces opposition, with some arguing that the National Assembly lacks the authority to legislate on this matter.

The article reports allegations against Okomu Oil Palm Company in Nigeria, accusing it of human rights abuses including forced evictions, land grabbing, and environmental damage. Local communities claim the company has violated their rights through intimidation and destruction of livelihoods without adequate compensation or consultation. These accusations are supported by a legal complaint filed with the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria. Okomu Oil Palm Company denies these allegations, asserting its adherence to legal and ethical standards while highlighting its contributions to local development and employment. The company claims to operate within Nigerian laws and regulations, with engagements aimed at fostering community relations and sustainable practices. The case underscores ongoing tensions between corporate operations, community rights, and environmental protection in Nigeria's oil palm sector.

The article titled "INVESTIGATION: Inside illegal mining operations of notorious Nigerian terrorist" published on Premium Times, provides an in-depth look into the illegal mining operations run by Halilu Sububu, a notorious terrorist in Nigeria's North-west region. Sububu, a former gunrunner who mentored several other terrorists, has established a thriving illegal gold mining operation in the solid mineral-rich Bagega and other communities around Sumke forest in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Sububu's gang routinely abducts villagers who are compelled to work at the mines. The involvement of terrorists in illegal mining is not new, but Sububu and his gangs have taken over the running of the mines from the locals who are now forced to work for them usually without pay. The article suggests that terrorists like Sububu have diversified into mining to continue financing their terrorism activities.

According to a report by Mongabay, WOB Timber, a logging company based in Hamburg, German, was fined $4 million by a Hamburg Court for illegally trading Myanmar teak, violating EU sanctions. It was revealed that WOB Timber imported teak from Myanmar by falsely declaring it as originating from Taiwan. By doing so, the company violated EU sanctions on Myanmar wood imports, enforced between 2008 and 2011. In addition, it is frequent for Myanmar exporters to exaggerate the processing level of timber to evade the Special Goods Tax and pay reduced Myanmar Customs Tariff. Consequently, private companies such as WOB Timber, that trade with state-owned Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE), benefit from these tax evasions. It was also found that WOB Timber used intermediaries in Croatia to bypass German law enforcement. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) revealed that WOB Timber paid Croatian firms to land Myanmar teak, circumventing the EU Timber Regulation.

In southeastern Myanmar, rubber production has been linked with conflict financing, according to a 2020 report by Forest Policy Trade and Finance Initiative. Particularly in the Tanintharyi Region, rubber has been used to finance long-standing ethnic conflicts involving various rebel groups and the national military (the Tatmadaw). Indeed, Mon businessmen, who are often the former commanders of the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA), the armed wing of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), have used their connections to establish rubber plantations in northern Tanintharyi. The expansion of rubber plantations by these businessmen, backed by the NMSP, effectively finances the rebel group by providing economic resources and territorial control. The establishment of rubber plantations on lands designated as 'wastelands' or 'vacant lands' by the government allows Mon businessmen to gain official land use rights. However, this process disenfranchises Karen communities, who previously inhabited these lands before being displaced by the Tatmadaw, and finances the ongoing conflict.

According to a report by Global Witness, the military junta in Myanmar heavily relies on the country's gemstone industry for funding, including through rubies, sapphires, and other coloured stones. The military's exploitation of these minerals is illegal, since all mining licences expired in 2020. Despite this, mining has surged since the coup in 2021, with tens of thousands of informal miners exploited by the military and armed groups. In addition, the military systematically collects bribes from informal miners in key extraction areas. The complex supply chains obscure the origins of the gemstones, making it difficult for buyers to monitor ethical sourcing. Consequently, multinational jewelers may be exposed to rubies that are linked to the funding military abuses; only four of over 30 allegedly implicated companies have publicly declared that they have stopped sourcing from Myanmar.