The Roots of Environmental Crime in the Colombian Amazon

The Amazon Basin is being ravaged at an accelerating rate by organized criminal groups and “legal” enterprises alike, as deforestation soars and biodiversity suffers.

Illegal mining, logging, wildlife trafficking, land grabbing, coca cultivation and other activities stoke rampant deforestation and biodiversity loss across the region, with members of local communities often approached by criminal networks to clear thick swaths of trees or ensnare endangered species.

InSight Crime has joined forces with the Igarapé Institute – an independent think tank headquartered in Brazil, that focuses on emerging development, security and climate issues – to map out environmental crime in the Amazon Basin.