Peru

People

Peru is both a source and destination for human trafficking, predominantly involving sexual and labour exploitation. Modern slavery is prevalent, with young girls the primary victims, especially in sexual exploitation. Foreign tourists are involved in these illicit activities particularly in Cusco, Lima and the Peruvian Amazon. Labour exploitation often targets vulnerable migrants, notably Venezuelans. Traffickers use social media to recruit and sexually exploit children online, with some involvement from foreign tourists. Victims suffer a variety of coercion strategies, including violence, debt, isolation, restriction of freedom of movement and withholding payment. Labour exploitation in Peru is facilitated by the endemic prevalence of informal labour. Forced labour occurs in sectors such as mining, agriculture, logging, manufacturing and domestic service, driven by the informal labour market. Corruption and official complicity undermine anti-trafficking efforts, as some officials, including specialized anti-trafficking unit members, have been implicated in bribery.

Peru serves as both a destination and transit country for human smuggling, attracting Venezuelans as a destination and Caribbean migrants, mainly Haitians and Cubans, en route to Brazil and Chile. Smuggling networks, including Venezuelan, Brazilian, Ecuadorian and Colombian groups, often overlap with human trafficking, exploiting travellers’ vulnerability. Some law enforcement officials have been implicated in facilitating smuggling through bribery. Migrants face increasing violence, including communal and police incidents, primarily targeting Haitians and Venezuelans. Recent measures have restricted legal entry and protection, prompting some Venezuelans to seek alternative destinations like the United States or Europe, reducing the numbers of Venezuelans in Peru.

Extortion in Peru has evolved into a lucrative and diversified market, with criminal organizations increasingly targeting businesses, transporters and residential complexes. Local and foreign groups, including the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua, dominate the market, particularly in Lima. Rivalries between foreign and local networks have fuelled violence, including grenade attacks and contract killings, with nearly half of Lima’s homicides linked to extortion in recent years. Businesses are confronted by demands for high monthly fees, profit-based charges and registration costs, hampering profitability and investment.

Trade

Peru is a key hub for arms trafficking, serving as both a source and transit point for weapons destined for Europe, Ecuador and Colombia. Smuggling routes originate near the Ecuadorian border, with weapons moving through Ecuador into Colombia. Foreign criminal groups, including Tren de Aragua and Ecuador’s Los Tiguerones, participate in alternating cooperation and conflict with local networks. Unregulated firearms, including unregistered and homemade firearms as well as ammunition and explosives, sustain organized crime, notably linked to illegal mining. The Tumbes and Piura regions have reported a surge in ammunition seizures, with a dramatic rise in recent years. Authorities also dismantled a clandestine factory in Villa El Salvador, revealing the prevalence of artisanal weapon production, which has been highly sought after due to their low costs.

Trade in counterfeit goods remains extensive in Peru, with major markets in Lima such as Gamarra Emporium and Polvos Azules serving as hubs. Despite police raids that seize significant quantities of counterfeit apparel, availability remains high. Online sales through websites and social media are also common. Counterfeit medicines are widespread, with notable seizures, such as a coordinated international operation near the Peru–Ecuador border. The value of smuggled goods has shown a general upward trend over the past decade, driven by activity in regions like Puno and northern areas. Legal advances have strengthened enforcement by granting investigative authority to police and prosecutors, but the trade continues to thrive amid persistent challenges. Peru also struggles with porous borders that facilitate the entry of excisable goods, often along the same routes used for drugs, gold and timber. Recent studies estimate that hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of excisable goods enter annually through its borders with Chile and Bolivia. The Puno region, bordering Bolivia, is a key hotspot for this trade, including Paraguayan cigarettes.

Environment

Illegal logging in Peru is widespread, exacerbating deforestation. It is driven by complex networks that falsify timber registries to transport wood regionally and internationally, notably to China. Human trafficking victims and indigenous communities are coerced into illegal logging and mining. Drug traffickers also exploit timber routes to disguise drug shipments, utilizing both Pacific and Atlantic ports for global distribution. Indigenous communities face increased vulnerability due to exploitation and environmental harm. Corruption within forestry management hinders enforcement. Sustainability certifications have been revoked amid human rights concerns that are linked to logging near isolated indigenous communities.

Peru serves as a major transit and export hub for illegal wildlife and shark fin trafficking. Driven by high demand, wildlife trafficking remains prevalent, especially of reptiles to Asia and exotic pets. Cultural factors also influence local wildlife commercialization. The export of shark fins, primarily sourced from Ecuador, has surged, making Peru one of the world’s largest exporters. The legal trade of Peruvian matamata turtles, facilitated by a 2015 change in the law, is exploited by Colombian traffickers who ‘launder’ turtles by means of cross-border smuggling. Enforcement gaps, corruption and resource limitations hinder effective regulation despite recent initiatives to strengthen monitoring.

Illegal mining in Peru has become a significant economic and social challenge. Illegal mining has intensified in recent years, with increasing volumes of illegally mined gold and other metals. This is particularly the case in the Amazon and protected areas like La Pampa, where operations resumed despite earlier crackdowns. Smuggling along the Peru–Bolivia border and the involvement of local and transnational criminal groups have heightened illegal mining and related crime, including human trafficking and violence. Foreign criminal organizations, including Venezuelan, Brazilian, Ecuadorian and Colombian networks, exploit vulnerable populations and engage in violent confrontations with law enforcement and mining companies.

Drugs

To a limited extent, Peru serves as a source country for opium, which is cultivated in regions like Cajamarca and Amazonas, with transport routes extending to Ecuador. Peruvian groups mainly export opium, as they lack the laboratories needed to process it into heroin.

By contrast, it is the world’s second-largest coca producer, with trafficking routes originating in the country primarily going through the Amazon, where the cocaine is sent via rivers to Brazil. Cocaine is then sold on the local market or shipped to Europe, including Belgium and Türkiye. Domestic and foreign criminal groups, including remnants of Sendero Luminoso and foreign cartels, dominate trafficking networks, using remote airstrips and river routes. Criminal organizations vertically control the supply chain and frequently resort to violence, including murder. Foreign criminal networks include Colombian, Brazilian, Venezuelan, Mexican and Italian groups, coordinating shipments to North America, Europe and Asia. Cocaine production has severe impacts on indigenous communities, endangering isolated tribes and causing environmental destruction, particularly in the Amazon region.

Cannabis is grown alongside coca in Peru, but there has been no reported increase in cannabis cultivation. Despite limited data on the cannabis market’s size and value, it is known to operate through loosely organized domestic criminal networks with transnational connections. These networks transport cannabis from Peru’s La Libertad region to Chile, primarily via the Panamericana Sur highway, using trucks and vans.

The synthetic drug market remains limited in size and value, with occasional seizures of Tusi (‘pink cocaine’). Concerns of potential fentanyl smuggling from Ecuador have arisen recently, and pharmacies in Lima were alleged to sell fentanyl without prescriptions. Overall, Peru accounts for a small percentage of synthetic drug shipments originating from Latin America and the Caribbean on the darknet.

Cyber Crimes

Peru has recently emerged as a target for cyberattacks, with most major breaches being ransomware attacks. The Peruvian police recently suffered a ransomware attack, but there is limited information on the authorities’ response. Regional and international cybercrime networks significantly influence these activities.

Financial Crimes

Peru faces significant challenges related to tax evasion, financial fraud and counterfeit currency production. High levels of informal labour contribute to substantial tax evasion. The country is ranked high globally for phishing. Additionally, Peru is a major producer of counterfeit US dollars. Clandestine operations exporting fake currency to neighbouring countries and the United States have recently been seized. Corruption and embezzlement involving law enforcement and local officials also result in significant financial losses.

Criminal Actors

Alongside an unknown number of mafia-style actors, remnants of the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso also operate a mafia-like structure. Domestic family clans are mostly engaged in the production of cocaine for foreign traffickers, particularly from Colombia, Mexico and Brazil. Mafia-style groups maintain partial control over local populations and frequently use violence against their opponents, including indigenous communities. Criminal syndicates maintain significant access to firearms, fostering an environment of intimidation and impunity.

Loosely organized networks are very influential and primarily concentrated in Lima, the Amazon region and near the Ecuadorian border. Criminal networks, including illegal mining groups, cooperate with private and foreign actors. These groups engage in human trafficking, extortion, illegal mining and contract killings in mining areas like Pataz. Transnational influences are prominent, with Peruvian networks collaborating with Ecuadorian groups in arms trafficking, Brazilian and Colombian organizations in wildlife smuggling and Chilean networks in cannabis distribution. The fluid, decentralized structure of such groups complicates enforcement and facilitates cross-border criminal enterprises. In the first two months of 2024, 1 405 criminal gangs were dismantled by the National Police, signalling an extensive presence of loosely organized criminal networks.

Organized crime in Peru is deeply entrenched within state institutions, with law enforcement, politicians and judiciary members frequently implicated in criminality. Corruption permeates various levels, cultivating an environment where criminal organizations operate with impunity. Systemic vulnerabilities are illustrated by high-profile cases, such as former presidents accused of influence peddling and money laundering. Law enforcement corruption is pervasive, from facilitating human trafficking within penitentiaries to ignoring falsified permits for illegal wildlife trade. Environmental and police authorities often fail to enforce regulations. Some officers manipulate evidence to coerce suspects’ cooperation. These practices reveal how state actors, even when not directly involved in criminal markets, significantly enable and sustain organized crime. Whether by complicity or negligence, they complicate efforts to dismantle criminal networks.

Foreign groups are also highly influential in the country. Actors from Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia and the Balkans, as well as Mexican cartels, have expanded their presence in Peru, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities in border control and law enforcement and exacerbating transnational organized crime dynamics. Venezuelan criminal groups, notably Tren de Aragua, dominate multiple criminal markets, including human trafficking, extortion, arms trafficking and cocaine trade. Colombian groups, including remnants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, exert significant influence over cocaine trafficking. Brazilian gangs, including the Comando Vermelho and the Primeiro Comando da Capital, are entrenched in border regions.

As for private-sector actors, legal logging and gold-mining companies in Peru are known to facilitate organized crime by falsifying certificates and faking transactions to launder gold and timber. Timber bosses exploit indigenous communities under the guise of employment, while illegal timber trafficking networks involving businessmen and public officials profit from labour exploitation. The illegal gold-mining sector operates as an intricate network of miners, intermediaries and concession owners. Financial institutions, such as fake cooperatives, are also involved in criminal activities, particularly through fraudulent schemes that exploit clients with false promises of high returns.

Leadership and governance

Peru faces a severe security crisis marked by escalating organized crime, with nearly half of the reported murders occurring in Lima. Contract killings and extortion have surged, prompting increased government funding for law enforcement and the inauguration of ballistic identification laboratories to track firearms. The government has deployed military and special police forces in response to rising violence and threats from Venezuelan extortion gangs. Despite these efforts, opposition parties criticize the administration’s measures as superficial and ineffective. Simultaneously, the country faces a constitutional crisis, with low approval ratings for both the president and Congress. Corruption allegations and controversial constitutional changes only intensify public dissatisfaction and political instability.

Corruption remains a pervasive issue, undermining public trust in government and political institutions. Most citizens identify corruption as Peru’s primary problem. During the reporting period, investigations targeted high-level politicians including the president, several former presidents and numerous legislators, with many facing corruption or related charges. Nevertheless, government officials often prevent and evade investigations into corruption allegations, including arbitrary removals of lead prosecutors in high profile cases. Transparency has declined, with reduced access to budget and procurement data and increased opacity under the current administration.

Peru actively addresses organized crime through international cooperation, legal frameworks and capacity-building initiatives. During the reporting period, Peru joined regional security efforts, including the Andean security network, which is intended to coordinate border operations against transnational crime with its neighbouring countries. It also participated in a US-led training initiative for law enforcement to enhance digital evidence handling. The United States supports elite police training, logistics and intelligence, with DEA presence in Lima. Peru has extradition treaties with 18 countries and collaborates with UN agencies and INTERPOL, hosting the UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean to bolster international law enforcement coordination.

Peru’s legal framework against organized crime continues to be robust yet contentious. Legislation addresses drug trafficking and environmental crimes, including wildlife trafficking. Anti-drug efforts have been strengthened through specialized task forces and a long-term national strategy. However, illegal logging regulations were weakened by amendments despite widespread opposition. Relaxed gun laws led to increased arms smuggling, prompting a state of emergency at the border with Ecuador. Peru also lacks a national cyber security strategy, or policies related to countering cybercrime. Controversial laws restricted prosecutors’ ability to investigate certain low-penalty crimes as organized crime, raised crime classification thresholds and shifted preliminary investigations from prosecutors to police, sparking criticism for potentially undermining efforts against corruption organized crime.

Criminal justice and security

Peru’s judiciary faces widespread corruption and a compromised rule of law, with constitutional guarantees unevenly upheld and inadequate legal representation for non-Spanish speakers. During the reporting period, a ruling diminished judicial review and enhanced congressional power, and political interference undermined judicial independence. Despite challenges, an integrity programme was introduced to combat corruption. Specialized courts address corruption crimes, and new flagrancy units aim to expedite justice. However, chronic underfunding hampers effectiveness and illegal mining investigations remain stalled. The prison system lacks state control, with criminal activities persisting within facilities, exacerbated by corruption and overcrowding. A planned mega-prison is meant to address severe overpopulation and poor living conditions.

While Peru made substantial efforts to combat organized crime, its law enforcement continues to face challenges related to the size, funding and training of specialized police units. Collaborative initiatives, such as the transnational criminal investigative unit and special joint anti-drug task operational groups, were established to strengthen anti-crime operations. Environmental crime measures were intensified through regional cooperation against illicit finance. Law enforcement funding increased, reflecting a prioritization of public security. However, trust in the police and armed forces remains low due to abuse and corruption. High turnover rates further hinder their effectiveness. Community policing in remote areas has proven ineffective. Despite anti-corruption measures, the deactivation of the division for investigating highly complex crimes raises concerns about political interference.

Peru’s geographical diversity of mountainous terrain, dense jungles and complex river systems poses significant challenges for border control. The country’s strategic location makes it a major criminal market and transit point for trafficking to Asia, North America and Europe. During the reporting period, border security measures were strengthened, including enhanced monitoring on the Ecuadorian border and the establishment of a tripartite border-control post at the juncture with Chile and Bolivia. Remote sensing and satellite technology are being employed to detect illegal activities. Despite these efforts, border porosity remains a critical issue, particularly in the Amazon and along the borders with Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia. Corruption within transport infrastructure exacerbates vulnerabilities.

Economic and financial environment

Peru remains a focal point for money laundering concerns. While the Financial Action Task Force has not listed it as having strategic anti-money laundering (AML) deficiencies, it is categorized as ‘a jurisdiction of primary concern’ by the US State Department. During the reporting period, Peru strengthened its AML framework through public–private partnerships with major financial institutions and the development of investigative guidelines with European technical support. Legislative measures to enhance financial transparency and prevent illicit activity include regulations on gambling and crowdfunding. However, high-profile investigations continue to link former and current government officials to money laundering and illegal campaign financing. Peru’s commitment to addressing financial crime is evident, yet challenges persist in enforcement and accountability. Peru maintains economic regulations that support trade and investment to a certain extent. The government has invested in digital infrastructure to enhance regulatory efficiency and transparency, focusing on online business-registration and licencing systems. However, corruption and weak rule of law continued to impede property rights enforcement. Once a key driver of economic growth, the construction sector stagnated amid rising violence and increased extortion. Criminal control over land acquisition has surged, with illegal land sales generating significant illicit revenue due to heightened demand for industrial and commercial-use properties. Informal employment is still prevalent, and wage levels were mostly below the legal minimum.

Civil society and social protection

Despite progress, challenges persist. There is limited funding and inadequate training for victim identification and protection. Victim care measures include identity protection, legal aid and psychological support, but resource disparities hinder consistent implementation. As indigenous communities face increased threats from illegal activities, the mechanisms to protect them are underfunded and poorly coordinated, pushing them to boost self-defence strategies. Civil society organizations assist victims and conduct investigations, with mobile units offering immediate support in remote areas. The Peruvian government implemented various measures to combat organized crime, focusing on human trafficking, wildlife trafficking and drug trafficking. Prevention efforts include a national policy against human trafficking and a strategy to reduce illegal wildlife trafficking. A national drug control strategy targets interdiction, eradication and demand reduction, with cooperation from the United States. The Interior Ministry’s Central Única de Denuncias allows anonymous crime reporting through multiple channels. Despite these initiatives, organized crime has surged, including trafficking and environmental violence. NGOs in Peru face challenges in promoting social inclusion, environmental protection and human rights. Despite cooperation between the government and civil society organizations in victim support, state interference hindered investigations into corruption and criminal markets. Proposed legislative changes threaten the right of association by allowing the executive branch to dissolve organizations receiving international funding without judicial oversight, raising concerns about misuse of power. Press freedom is constitutionally protected, yet it remains compromised as journalists face violence and harassment, particularly during protests. The government’s increasing repression of CSOs and the mainstream media’s negative portrayal of demonstrators have heightened tensions and weakened democratic principles.