In 2011, illegal mining operations generated an estimated 2.9 billion U.S. dollars worth of gold. Illegal mining operations can be found wherever there is gold, which is most of the Peruvian territory. In fact, a recent study found that illegal mining takes place in 21 of Peru’s 25 regions. The government has taken some tentative steps to face this problem, but with the political instability it is confronted with, has become passive and thus taken some steps backwards