In the 1990s, blood diamonds constituted up to 15% of the global trade, generating huge profits from consumer sales. 3. Companies and State-Linked Entities
Some buying houses have been documented purchasing diamonds in conflict areas without adequately investigating if they financed armed groups. 2. The International Jewelry Market who buys blood diamonds
Jewellers and wholesalers may unwittingly purchase diamonds that passed through illicit channels, as traffickers hide the diamonds' origins. In the 1990s, blood diamonds constituted up to
Rebel factions in countries like Angola, Sierra Leone, and the Central African Republic (CAR) directly seize diamond mines and sell the stones to arms traffickers to fund military campaigns. In modern cases, blood diamonds are not always
In modern cases, blood diamonds are not always linked to non-state rebels; sometimes, they are linked to state-sanctioned abuses or forced labor.
Those who buy or profit from blood diamonds include middlemen, criminal syndicates, and, often unknowingly, international retailers and consumers. 1. Illicit Traders and Smugglers