9. Art theft
Annual revenue: $6.3 billion
Perhaps the first thing that pops to your mind are Picasso’s paintings, but that isn’t the case at all. Actually, the stolen goods come more than often from archaeological digs. Well-off collectors are willing to pay a fortune for works of art, whether these are paintings, sculptures or relics. The looting usually occurs in war-ravaged areas, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, but plenty of art is coming from Thailand, China, Turkey and other countries. The destination countries in most cases are the countries of Western Europe and the US. If you desire to earn the most from this illegal international trade, the best option is to be the middleman. That way you’ll get up to 98% of the revenue.
Pixabay/Public Domain
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