{{Short description|none}} The illegal trade or black market of sand, which fulfills demand caused by increased construction worldwide, pulls in anywhere between $200B and $350B a year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why the illegal sand trade is out of control right now |url=https://thehustle.co/news/why-the-illegal-sand-trade-is-out-of-control-right-now |access-date=2025-08-06 |website=thehustle.co |language=en}}</ref>
== Motivations == The global construction boom has created a demand for sand, the chief ingredient for making concrete. However, sand mining has been restricted or banned in many places due to environmental concerns. These factors have contributed to the illegal trade of sand, which has become lucrative.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Sand Is in Such High Demand, People Are Stealing Tons of It |url=https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/conservation/issues/sand-is-such-high-demand-people-are-stealing-tons-it.htm |access-date=2025-08-06 |website=HowStuffWorks |language=en-us}}</ref>
== Sand mafias == Due to the high price point which sand can fetch on the illegal market, some mafias and gangs have organized around the illegal sand trade. These groups are involved in smuggling, illegal activities, and sometimes violence. Such groups are often referred to as the sand mafia.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Sand mafias in India |url=https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/sand-mafias-in-india/ |access-date=2025-08-06 |website=Global Initiative |language=en}}</ref>
Countries affected by sand mafias or other violence related to the illegal sand trade include, but are not limited to, Algeria,<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Aduda |first1=Levke |last2=Bolf |first2=Lina |date=2024-12-01 |title=The conflict potential of sand: Illegal sand mining on the African continent |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/27538796241230583 |journal=Environment and Security |language=EN |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=548–567 |doi=10.1177/27538796241230583 |issn=2753-8796|doi-access=free }}</ref> Brazil,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Cavalari |first=Marina |date=2024-07-08 |title=The Mafias Behind Sand Trafficking in Latin America |url=https://insightcrime.org/news/the-mafias-behind-sand-trafficking-in-latin-america/ |access-date=2025-08-07 |website=InSight Crime |language=en-US}}</ref> Colombia,<ref name=":2" /> The Gambia,<ref name=":1" /> Ghana,<ref name=":1" /> India,<ref name=":0" /> Kenya,<ref name=":1" /> Mexico,<ref name=":2" /> Morocco,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=David A. |date=2024-02-01 |title=Inside the Crime Rings Trafficking Sand |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sand-mafias-are-plundering-the-earth/ |access-date=2025-08-07 |website=Scientific American |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Leary |first=Fiona |date=2022-01-12 |title=Morocco's Sand Mafias |url=https://www.csis.org/analysis/moroccos-sand-mafias |journal=Center for Strategic and International Studies |language=en}}</ref> and Nigeria.<ref name=":1" />
== Illegal mining == Sand is usually mined by companies and sold legally, but the construction boom has led to small illegal gangs mining and selling sand illegally. Illegal mining is performed both by sand mafias and by locals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Saravanan |first=M. |date=2025-04-19 |title=Red sand mined from water channel for Western Bypass works in Tamil Nadu |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2025/Apr/19/red-sand-mined-from-water-channel-for-western-bypass-works-in-tamil-nadu |access-date=2025-08-06 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
Between 1990 and 2021, illegal mining was recorded in 35 African countries.<ref name=":1" /> Illegal mining has also been recorded in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Yuen |first1=Kai Wan |last2=Park |first2=Edward |last3=Tran |first3=Dung Duc |last4=Loc |first4=Ho Huu |last5=Feng |first5=Lian |last6=Wang |first6=Jingyu |last7=Gruel |first7=Charles-Robin |last8=Switzer |first8=Adam D. |date=2024-01-10 |title=Extent of illegal sand mining in the Mekong Delta |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-01161-1 |journal=Communications Earth & Environment |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=31 |doi=10.1038/s43247-023-01161-1 |bibcode=2024ComEE...5...31Y |issn=2662-4435|hdl=10356/175464 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> In Morocco, approximately half of the sand used in local construction annually is illegally mined.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Illegal sand mining threatens Morocco's coastline and tourism |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/illegal-sand-mining-threatens-moroccos-coastline-and-tourism |access-date=2025-08-07 |website=ISS Africa |language=en}}</ref>
== See also == * Sand smuggling in Southeast Asia * Sand theft
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Black markets Category:Sand