Peru Runoff Faces 28,948 Extortion Cases as Illegal Gold Mining Fuels Killings
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 2
Peru Runoff Faces 28,948 Extortion Cases as Illegal Gold Mining Fuels Killings
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 2
Summary
28,948 extortion complaints were recorded in Peru last year, five times the level of five years earlier, as voters headed into Sunday’s presidential runoff fearing attacks on the way to the polls.
2,226 killings were recorded in 2025, double earlier levels, with police and security experts tying the surge to gangs that used profits from illegal gold mining to buy weapons, hire hitmen and expand.
Illegal mining now generates about $7 billion a year—far above drug trafficking’s roughly $1.2 billion—and Peru exported 100 tons of illegally mined gold in 2025, nearly matching 109 tons of legal exports.
239 transportation drivers were killed last year, and extortion has spread from buses to markets, shoe workshops and schools in Trujillo, where businesses display gang stickers showing they have paid.
Police investigators say weak funding, outdated technology and recent legal changes have blunted enforcement, with one congressman-elect saying the country’s 70 investigative units now have no operating funds.
Illegal gold profits now dwarf drug trafficking. Can Peru escape this new criminal empire?
As Peruvians vote for safety, is their own government fueling the nation's terrifying crime wave?
Peru’s Crime Wave: Homicide Rate Soars 36% as Illegal Gold Mining and Extortion Devastate Nation
Overview
Peru is facing a severe crisis as violence and extortion have surged, deeply affecting daily life and national stability. The homicide rate jumped by nearly 36% in 2024, and many believe the real situation is even worse than official numbers show, as fear of powerful criminal gangs keeps victims silent. Organized crime has expanded its activities, making the country more dangerous and unstable. High-profile cases, like the murder of Jose Perez, highlight the growing threat. This crisis is driven by the increasing influence of criminal groups, whose actions now touch nearly every part of Peruvian society.