Buys Blood Diamonds — Who
In modern cases, blood diamonds are not always linked to non-state rebels; sometimes, they are linked to state-sanctioned abuses or forced labor.
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
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
The initial buyers are typically black-market merchants and organized crime syndicates, particularly in West and Central Africa. The International Jewelry Market Rebel factions in countries
Because blood diamonds can be mixed with legitimate stocks and subsequently cut and polished, they become virtually identical to non-conflict diamonds, making them difficult to detect once they reach consumers.
Jewellers and wholesalers may unwittingly purchase diamonds that passed through illicit channels, as traffickers hide the diamonds' origins.
Those who buy or profit from blood diamonds include middlemen, criminal syndicates, and, often unknowingly, international retailers and consumers. 1. Illicit Traders and Smugglers