Chile

People

Human trafficking in Chile has escalated markedly, affecting both domestic and foreign individuals, particularly migrants from Latin America and Asia. Traffickers, often from Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia or Venezuela, exploit vulnerable migrants. The surge is driven by criminal organizations, notably Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, which has expanded its reach within the country and focuses on sexual and labour exploitation. Sexual exploitation cases, especially involving young women and children, have notably increased, with some regions reporting alarmingly high rates. Labour trafficking is widespread across various sectors, including mining, agriculture, domestic work and construction. The involvement of law enforcement personnel, including officers who facilitate trafficking, perpetuates the problem. The growing influx of migrants from Venezuela and Colombia has exacerbated Chile’s role as a source, transit and destination country for trafficking and complicated efforts to address the crisis.

Chile has emerged as a key destination for people from neighbouring and distant countries, attracted by its economic stability. This has fuelled a growing and lucrative migrant smuggling market that includes foreign and domestic actors, including transnational criminal networks. Smugglers use organized routes via Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil, sometimes employing digital platforms for coordination. Some cases have exposed corruption within state institutions. Rising concerns over crime and security have led to increased public opposition to migration, contributing to stricter measures and deportations, particularly of Venezuelans.

Extortion and protection racketeering have become increasingly widespread, particularly in the northern regions and parts of Santiago. Extortion is closely tied to drug trafficking, with businesses, especially street vendors, being coerced into paying for protection. The primary beneficiaries of these illicit profits are foreign criminal groups, though some Chilean nationals are also involved. A prominent rise in kidnapping for ransom has also been linked to foreign criminal organizations, particularly Tren de Aragua, which primarily targets its own expatriates. Local gangs and independent actors exploit the group’s reputation to carry out similar crimes.

Trade

Chile faces major challenges with firearm circulation, closely linked to rising insecurity. Criminal groups primarily obtain weapons through diversion from legally registered civilian stockpiles, alongside illicit imports from the United States and Argentina. Chile serves as both a destination and a transit point for firearms moving towards the tri-border region of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, with criminal networks in northern Chile facilitating transport. Criminal groups such as Tren de Aragua exploit weak regulatory controls to move weapons across the borders with Peru and Bolivia. State-embedded actors, including police and military personnel, have been implicated in black market sales. Gun shops also have inadequate oversight, exacerbating the proliferation of illicit firearms. Firearms trafficking is intertwined with other forms of organized crime, particularly drug trafficking, as armed violence is used for territorial control.

The trade in counterfeit goods is widespread in Chile, where such items can be commonly found in retail outlets. Counterfeit goods, particularly clothing, footwear and consumer goods, are primarily sourced from China. Large retail outlets have been implicated in selling such products, though they often deny awareness of their origins. Other counterfeit items include electrical tools, jewellery, food products and alcohol, with some falsely branded as well-known manufacturers. Chile’s open economy and trade ties with Asia facilitate this influx, while demand for cheaper alternatives sustains the market. The counterfeit trade has a significant impact on legitimate businesses and consumers.

Contraband cigarettes are a major issue in Chile. Primarily sourced from Paraguay, they account for about half of the illicit excise goods market and over a third of the country’s cigarette market. Cigarettes enter through its northern borders with Bolivia and Argentina. There are also significant quantities of contraband cigarettes from Asia, mainly China, arriving by sea. Organized domestic and transnational networks facilitate distribution nationwide, sometimes alongside counterfeit goods. High tobacco taxes contribute to demand, as illicit cigarettes are considerably cheaper. Chile has the highest rate of illegal cigarette trade in South America, which undercuts the legal industry and reduces state revenue while fuelling organized criminal activity.

Environment

Chile’s timber sector, vital to its economy, is contending with incidents of illegal logging, especially in the south, where organized networks exploit weak oversight. These groups steal timber from legal operations, falsify documents and illegally export the wood, notably to Japan. Some radical Mapuche factions engage in these activities to fund political causes. Certain companies knowingly trade in illicit timber, and domestic markets, particularly real estate, also absorb illegal timber. Weak enforcement by regulatory agencies has allowed these trends to persist, further entrenching conflicts in Araucanía and Biobío, where violence against forestry operations has intensified. Chile’s Atacama Desert, known for its unique endemic cactus species, is a hotspot for international flora smuggling. Recent high-profile cases revealed the operation of trafficking networks involved in the illegal export of these species to Europe and Asia, where collector demand remains strong.

The country is a key destination for trafficked wildlife, with high demand among local collectors for birds from the Amazon, Australia and the United States, as well as other exotic animals and elephant trophies from Africa. Domestically, poaching threatens species such as foxes, otters and lynxes. Illegal wildlife trafficking involves small networks that smuggle animals via ports and land routes. Overfishing remains a serious issue, with national and foreign fishing fleets contributing to declining fish stocks. Many fisheries are now depleted or overexploited. Unregulated foreign vessels, particularly from China, further drain resources and threaten marine ecosystems.

Chile’s mining sector is highly regulated, and illegal mining is limited, compared with neighbouring Peru and Bolivia. However, Chile is a transit hub for gold smuggling, facilitating its movement from Bolivia and Peru to international destinations such as the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland. Organized networks, some linked to transnational trafficking groups, smuggle gold into Chile through unauthorized crossings, refining and laundering it before onward export. Copper theft is a persistent issue, with stolen material smuggled abroad or sold informally. Authorities have successfully intercepted shipments and dismantled networks, yet the criminal groups employ increasingly sophisticated tactics, including signal jammers and drones.

Drugs

Chile serves as a key destination and transit hub for cocaine due to its proximity to major producing countries, Peru and Bolivia, and its high consumption per capita. The country also functions as a re-export point for shipments to Europe, the United States, Asia and Oceania, with traffickers increasingly using non-traditional coastal ports to evade detection. Transnational groups, including Colombian cartels, dominate the trade, with local distribution managed by Chilean and foreign networks. Authorities report consistent record drug seizures, with the northern border regions as primary entry points

Chile hosts a large cannabis market, with high domestic consumption driving a complex trafficking network. Historically supplied by Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay, cannabis imports now increasingly include high-potency varieties from Colombia that are transported by land and sea along with other drugs. The country’s northern regions serve as key entry points. Large foreign groups dominate importation and local gangs control distribution, which contributes to heightened violence. There is also local production of cannabis, facilitated by smaller domestic networks. While local cultivation is typically conducted indoors, it can also occur outdoors in mountainous and desert regions, often guarded by armed personnel.

The country is also emerging as a key destination market for synthetic drugs, primarily sourced from Europe, particularly the Netherlands. The country also serves as a transit point for shipments destined for other Latin American nations, and possibly Oceania and Asia. Factors such as porous northern borders, an extensive port network and growing youth demand contribute to its vulnerability. Here as well, international criminal networks are involved in trafficking, with smaller local groups managing distribution. Transport occurs via air, sea and land routes from neighbouring countries. Seizures underscore the market’s scale, yet enforcement efforts appear to be insufficient to counteract rising consumption, especially in nightlife venues where substances like ecstasy, ketamine and fentanyl are increasingly prevalent.

Though the market remains limited compared to other illicit drugs, heroin is trafficked into Chile. Reportedly, existing smuggling routes for other narcotics facilitate its entry into the country.

Cyber Crimes

Chile has been a target for cyber-dependent crimes, with a sharp rise in incidents over the past four years. Ransomware and malware attacks remain the dominant threats, often orchestrated by foreign criminal networks. The fragmentation of larger ransomware groups has led to more agile, smaller-scale operations. Large companies are primary targets, particularly in government, agriculture, industry, health and education. Recent incidents highlight the persistence of cyberthreats, with financial institutions also experiencing major breaches.

Financial Crimes

Chile is experiencing a notable rise in financial crime, particularly in online fraud, phishing and tax evasion. Phishing attacks have escalated sharply, often orchestrated by foreign networks that exploit corporate and individual financial vulnerabilities. These schemes typically involve impersonation tactics, such as fraudulent parcel-delivery notifications or scams leveraging verification codes to hijack accounts. Meanwhile, tax evasion remains a persistent issue, with a substantial portion of corporate and VAT revenue lost due to false invoicing and under-reporting. The scale of tax evasion reflects broader compliance challenges.

Criminal Actors

Chile’s organized crime landscape has undergone a transformation, with family clans and local gangs expanding their influence across both urban and rural regions. Once concentrated in Santiago, these groups now engage nationwide in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human smuggling and money laundering. Law enforcement has identified a shift from decentralized operations to more structured and violent mafia-like structures. Gang leaders, traditionally discreet, now flaunt their power. Women have risen to leadership roles, orchestrating drug distribution structures and engaging in public displays of violence. Narco-funerals – often lasting for days – have become symbolic demonstrations of criminal dominance, with authorities struggling to contain them. Government assessments have previously underestimated the sophistication and growth of these groups, weakening the state’s response to them. Decentralized networks and small, loosely organized gangs also operate in Chile, engaging in a broad range of illicit activities including human trafficking, arms smuggling, environmental crimes and drug distribution. These networks have expanded nationwide, linking operations from northern border regions to the central and southern parts of the country. The violence perpetrated by loose networks, once limited, has escalated due to conflicts over drug routes and illicit markets. Transnational elements play a key role, particularly in cocaine re-export, gold trafficking and contraband trade, demonstrating how foreign and local actors collaborate to exploit regulatory weaknesses and geographic vulnerabilities in Chile’s security framework.

While organized crime has not deeply infiltrated state institutions or influenced democratic processes, corruption among law enforcement and military personnel has facilitated criminal activities. Officials from the militarized police force (Carabineros), the civil investigative police (PDI), national customs services, and the prison security force (Gendarmería) have been implicated in arms trafficking, migrant smuggling and drug-related offences, often collaborating with domestic and foreign criminal networks. Despite media exposure of police misconduct – including the manipulation of crime records and illicit dealings – many implicated officers retained their positions, revealing systemic weaknesses that enable organized crime’s expansion and transnational influence.

Chile has emerged as a critical hub for transnational organized crime, attracting foreign criminal organizations that exploit its strategic location for drug trafficking, human smuggling and illicit markets. Venezuelan groups, particularly Tren de Aragua, have expanded their influence through extortion, migrant smuggling and violent enforcement, including kidnappings and executions, destabilizing local security. Colombian and Mexican cartels leverage Chile’s ports for drug shipments to Europe, and the Cartel del Golfo and Cartel de Sinaloa have invested in high-potency cannabis cultivation. Chinese criminal networks contribute technological advancements in drug production. The Brazilian Primeiro Comando da Capital has also infiltrated Chile, with operatives coordinating from within the prison system. Northern regions, including Tarapacá and Arica y Parinacota, face escalating violence as rival groups compete for control. Chile’s stability, legal gaps and extensive trade routes have enabled foreign and local actors to form alliances, strengthening transnational crime networks. These dynamics underscore Chile’s evolving role as a key logistical and operational centre in the global illicit economy.

Private companies in Chile play a central role in laundering illicit funds through front, shell and paper companies that enable organized crime groups to integrate illegal proceeds into the legitimate economy. In the logging sector, fraudulent invoicing allows illegal timber to enter the legal market. Similarly, the trade in illicitly sourced gold exploits regulatory gaps in jewellery sales. Other industries, including casinos, real estate and businesses in free trade zones, are increasingly implicated in illicit activities.

Leadership and governance

Chile’s increasing organized crime challenges have prompted the government to adopt a firm stance. Initiatives such as the Calles sin Violencia project aim to enhance law enforcement capabilities, target arms trafficking and improve penal responses. Record seizures and destruction of illegal firearms have been reported. New legislation addresses drug trafficking and organized crime, reinforcing prosecutorial measures. Deportation policies for undocumented migrants are framed as a security measure. Chile remains institutionally and economically stable, although social unrest, distrust in government and constitutional reform setbacks persist. The long-standing Mapuche conflict exacerbates security concerns, with unverified claims linking indigenous groups to illicit activities. Weak border controls and limited intelligence capabilities have facilitated criminal expansion, sparking criticism of the government’s security strategy.

Chile is considered one of Latin America’s least corrupt countries, but recent scandals, including bribery cases involving public officials, have raised concerns about persistent corruption. In response, the government introduced an anti-corruption bill during the reporting period, proposing stricter conflict-of-interest regulations, prohibiting nepotism in senior roles, enforcing a ten-year office ban for convicted officials and centralizing public financial disclosures. Existing transparency measures regulate lobbying, require asset declarations and promote public accountability. Despite these frameworks and the absence of evidence that organized crime is infiltrating the political system, public dissatisfaction and perceptions of insecurity have grown. Fuelled by economic concerns and political mistrust, this reflects broader frustrations with governance and the perceived lack of significant anti-corruption progress.

Chile has integrated major international treaties on organized crime, narcotics, arms trafficking and corruption into its legal framework, demonstrating a strong commitment to global cooperation. The country maintains extensive extradition agreements, including a recent treaty with Argentina, and collaborates closely with regional and international law enforcement agencies such as INTERPOL and the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Efforts to enhance border security include participation in international anti-trafficking operations. Despite these advances, Chile has not ratified certain environmental and human rights protocols, leaving regulatory gaps in areas such as corporate accountability and protections against discrimination. While highly regarded for intelligence-sharing, Chile’s adherence to international norms remains selective in key sectors.

A robust legal framework to combat organized crime is in place, covering money laundering, terrorism, corruption and drug, arms and human trafficking. Rising violence has driven legislative reforms which include measures to improve prosecution, manage seized assets and reinforce social reintegration. The government’s security initiatives aim to enhance policing in high crime areas and address arms circulation, leading to record seizures and weapon destruction. Environmental crime laws have expanded, with new regulations targeting illegal fishing and ecocide. Economic crime legislation has increased corporate liability, while cybersecurity laws modernize digital protections. Efforts to combat human smuggling and the trade in counterfeit goods and illicit cigarette trade continue, though enforcement challenges persist. Some environmental protections remain weak, particularly regarding deforestation and resource exploitation.

Criminal justice and security

Despite comparatively low crime rates, the Chilean judicial and penal systems contain structural deficiencies. The judiciary, under the Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice, struggles with resource shortages, low judicial investment and inefficiencies in prosecution and trials, contributing to widespread public distrust. The prison system, which operates beyond its capacity and with poor living conditions, fosters criminal networks that enable intra-prison drug trafficking and high recidivism. Pretrial detention rates exceed international recommendations. A new maximum-security prison is planned to counter organized crime. The state prosecutes economic and organized crimes, but enforcement remains weak. Despite meeting standards for human trafficking elimination, lenient sentencing and a lack of specialized prosecution hinder efforts. Corruption within prisons persists but is not systemic.

The public security framework relies on the Carabineros and the PDI. These institutions, alongside the Gendarmería in the prisons, face ongoing challenges such as corruption, inefficiency and allegations of human rights abuses. Intelligence operations are conducted by police units and the civilian national intelligence agency, although limited inter-agency coordination weakens their effectiveness. Recent government efforts include police reform initiatives and increased funding for risk management. Organized crime measures focus on border security, anti-drug operations and maritime monitoring, yet structural challenges persist. Human rights concerns also remain, particularly regarding police conduct and the treatment of marginalized communities.

Chile faces ongoing challenges in border security and transnational crime, particularly in its northern regions, which serve as primary transit points for drug and human trafficking from neighbouring countries. The Atacama Desert, with its numerous unregulated crossings, is a hub for migrant smuggling controlled by Venezuelan and Bolivian criminal groups. Northern ports such as Iquique serve as critical points for drug trafficking networks linked to Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. Despite deploying military forces and declaring states of exception, criminal markets continue to grow, highlighting persistent weaknesses in enforcement. Chile’s extensive coastline presents further vulnerabilities, including maritime drug trafficking and illegal fishing, particularly with foreign fleets encroaching on national waters. Additionally, cybersecurity remains a pressing issue, with Chile ranking among the Latin American nations most affected by ransomware attacks. However, the country is recognized for its proactive stance in cybersecurity policy development.

Economic and financial environment

Chile’s economic openness makes it a target for money laundering, primarily linked to drug trafficking but also involving arms trafficking and human trafficking. Evolving techniques exploit digital platforms, bypassing traditional banking systems, and criminal organizations use illicitly sourced gold to integrate profits into the legal economy. Authorities have responded with an action plan for 2023–2027, coordinated through an intersectoral advisory body that engages with 29 entities, including law enforcement and financial regulators. Chile has a long-standing regulatory framework, with anti-money laundering legislation dating back to the early 2000s. Despite legal advancements, laundering activities have increased. Online gambling and specific sectors such as legal accounting, retail and e-commerce are identified as particularly vulnerable.

Chile is a leading economy in Latin America, marked by strong macroeconomic policies, global trade integration and market-oriented reforms. Its accession to the OECD signified recognition of its economic governance, though recent crises have exposed vulnerabilities such as inequality and economic volatility. The country’s heavy reliance on raw-material exports makes it susceptible to external shocks and illicit financial flows. Its regulatory framework aligns with international standards, supporting both local and foreign investment, but environmental and tax regulations remain complex. Chile has strengthened corporate transparency and investor protections through legal reforms. The government’s 2025 budget prioritizes public security, disaster prevention and economic stabilization, with increased allocations for law enforcement and organized crime mitigation.

Civil society and social protection

Chile has a structured anti-human-trafficking framework, ensuring victim access to housing, healthcare, legal aid and migration support. A second specialized shelter has been funded, but NGO services remain underfunded and reintegration programmes are insufficient. Identified foreign victims of trafficking cannot be deported and receive the same services as Chileans. Victim and witness units assist the Prosecutor’s Office and provide video interpretation in trafficking cases, and video testimonials are available for minors. Chile’s national crime victims policy supports victim participation in decision-making, restorative justice and the improvement of investigative systems. Anti-trafficking laws include witness protections. The human trafficking plan indeed aids victims but struggles against irregular migration, particularly in northern regions, due to resource constraints. A whistle-blower law was enacted, though concerns persist over judicial decisions which compromise confidentiality. Nevertheless, victim services remain inconsistent. Budget constraints affect shelters, especially those for child and male victims. Delayed shelter expansions and lenient sentencing hinder Chile’s anti-trafficking efforts. As for the drug users, Chilean state has a competent authority, the National Service for the Prevention and Rehabilitation of Drug and Alcohol Consumption (SENDA), working to promote treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration for those affected by drug abuse. While the services provided include special treatment programmes for women, adults who are homeless, adolescents and those in prison, there are no needle and syringe programmes or opioid substitution therapy provided in the country.

The national strategy against organized crime includes prevention initiatives and inter-agency coordination, but limited funding hampers effectiveness. Outreach efforts, mainly by external entities, are directed to the public and officials. Authorities run trafficking hotlines and train inspectors, and the tourism sector certifies businesses for child sex trafficking prevention. Efforts to reduce commercial sex demand are limited. Drug and alcohol prevention campaigns are led by a national service for the prevention and rehabilitation of drug and alcohol use. Police address environmental crimes. Chile joined global efforts against organ trafficking and launched a crime prevention initiative with municipalities and civil society.

Chile’s constitution guarantees press freedom, but practical constraints persist. Investigative journalism faces legal and physical threats. Attacks on reporters and strategic lawsuits against media outlets have increased, restricting critical coverage. Independent journalism remains active, although funding challenges limit emerging outlets. Media coverage of police violence during protests has been relatively open, but public demand for diverse and independent reporting continues to grow. Chile’s civil society remains strong. NGOs address organized crime, human trafficking and drug-related issues, often collaborating with the government, despite their resource limitations. While press freedom and journalist safety remain concerns, the country maintains democratic stability and a tradition of civic engagement.