Business Insider
The US is Colombia's top gold customer — and cartels know it
The value of gold reached record highs at the start of 2026. Ty Snaden for Business Insider Gold's surge to $5,000 per ounce draws criminal groups in Colombia, reshaping illicit industries. Illegal gold mining in Colombia now surpasses cocaine in profit for organized crime networks. US demand for Colombian gold complicates efforts to combat illegal mining and money laundering. As gold surpasses $5,000 per ounce, its record-setting rally is reshaping more than investment portfolios. The spik...