via Words Without Borders: “Let’s Deal”: A Conversation with a Diamond Smuggler

Jason Miklian of Prio, also known for a spectacular article on Surat, also comes out with this gem about trying to track down Rough Diamond Geologist’s seller in the DRC

After $870 million dollars of diamond exports in 2005, the DRC officially exported less than $200 million in 2012, according to Kimberley Process figures. But one senior mining official in Kinshasa estimates that over the same period, a market where 90% of merchandise used to go through official channels has completely flipped, and is now 80% underground. In short, the volume’s the same, it’s just the avenues that have changed.