Illicit Trade in Venezuelan Black Sands Fuels Criminal โNetworks, Benefits Chineseโ Companies
A recent inquiry by Amazon Underworld, in collaboration with Armando.info, has revealed โคa network illegally extracting and โคtrafficking Venezuelan “black sands” – mineral-rich deposits containing valuableโข elements – across the border to Colombia, and ultimately to Chinese companies.
The investigation confirms that extraction isn’tโค limited โto legal channels through portsโฃ in La Guaira and Zulia. Meaningfulโข illegal mining operations, primarily based in the Venezuelan states of Bolรญvar โขand Amazonas, are controlled by criminal groups and guerrilla organizations. These groups smuggle the black sands into Colombia, effectively obscuring their origin before they are sold, predominantly to Chinese businesses.
These “black sands” areโฃ a conglomerate of heavy minerals crucial for modern technology, including potentially coltan, โฃtantalum, niobium, tin, tungsten, and rare earth elements. their strategic value makes them a target for illicit exploitation.
The report comes โamidstโค heightened geopolitical tensions,โ including increased US naval presence in โฃtheโค Caribbean andโค reports of Venezuelan President Nicolรกs Maduro offering concessions to โฃthe US regarding access to the nation’s natural resourcesโค – including these minerals – in anโฃ attempt to de-escalate political pressure. While officially framed as an anti-narcotics operation, some beleive the US activity is aimed at โคsecuring access to Venezuela’s resources.
This investigation highlights โtheโ opaque and โdisorderly exploitation of Venezuela’s mineralโ wealth by aโฃ range of actors, from state entities to transnational criminal organizations. The illicit trade not onlyโ fuels these groups but also provides a supply chain for critical materials to international markets.
For moreโฃ detailed information, visit: https://armando.info/
Source: amazon Underworld & Armando.info
