Demand for copper, lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements is rising as countries expand electric transport, renewable energy, electricity grids, and data centres (IEA, 2026). This has turned access to critical minerals a strategic priority. It has also made these markets more attractive to criminal groups.
The problem is not simply that some minerals are scarce. When prices rise, illegal extraction becomes more profitable, especially in places where regulation is weak. Traders and intermediaries may also have stronger incentives to hide where a shipment came from or under what conditions it was produced (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC], 2025).