Peru’s Illegal Mining Crisis: Seven Times More Profitable Than Drug Trafficking — A Threat That Demands America’s Attention

In a stark warning that should echo beyond South America, Peru’s Foreign Minister Elmer Schialer revealed that illegal mining operations in his country generate seven times more revenue than narcotrafficking. This explosive fact highlights a dark economy that not only undermines Peru’s sovereignty but also threatens regional stability, with ripple effects reaching American interests. How Did Illegal Mining Become More Profitable Than Drug Trafficking? Driven by soaring gold prices on the global market, illegal miners in Peru have expanded their operations aggressively, employing environmentally destructive methods like mercury extraction that yield up to 7 kilograms of gold annually per dredge—translating...