Illicit Gold Mining Exposes Global Crime Networks Amid Crypto Scrutiny

Illegal gold mining has become a significant source of illicit funding for criminal organizations in major producing regions across Africa, South America, and parts of Asia.

The operations often exist outside formal regulatory systems and are controlled or influenced by organized crime networks.

This has sparked debate among analysts and policymakers about the disproportionate focus on cryptocurrency markets, which critics argue is a relatively small share of global financial crime compared to traditional industries such as mining, cash-based laundering, and commodity smuggling.