In recent years, gold has emerged as a preferred channel for the illicit storage and transfer of value. Despite increasing scrutiny, some illicit gold flows remain largely unexamined. This brief examines one of these: trade in gold concentrates in the maritime space. Although significant volumes of gold concentrate are shipped internationally, this global trade presents unexplored vulnerabilities to gold laundering (concealing the origins of sometimes illegally mined gold) and gold-based money laundering (using gold to launder the proceeds of crime).
