Diamonds and Jewelry

The illicit trafficking in diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry represents a large segment of the transnational criminal market. Diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry appeal to international criminal organizations because of their high value, the difficulty of identification by law-enforcement officials, the lack of strong international regulations, and the high demand for them in the developed world, notably North America. The illicit market in diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry is also linked to money laundering and the financing of other transnational crimes. The best-known example is the use of conflict diamonds to finance internal civil wars in African nations such as Angola and Sierra Leone. International regulatory efforts against illicit diamond and jewelry trafficking include United Nations (UN) sanctions and the development of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.