Kidnap for ransom payments made to pirates in Somalia are difficult to track due to the payments being made in cash, according to the BBC. An estimated $80 million in ransom payments are believed to have been laundered by organized crime syndicates in the Gulf region, but this has been denied by Gulf authorities.
437 people were officially kidnapped for ransom in 2008, down from 2,882 in 2002, according to the Colombian government.
According to official statistics, there has been 166 kidnapping for ransom in Venezuela in 2009. However, as many cases are not reported, the number of kidnappings are estimated to be up to four times higher. Poor families are forced to give up possessions, such as refrigerator, in order to pay the ransom.
The Somali Pirates who hold ships for ransom off the coast of Somalia are reported to have made up to 50 million dollars last year in ransom payments. According to a report in the Washington Post, those pirates who are able to get paid are living a life of luxury in the poverty stricken country.
In 2008, 300 people were kidnapped for ranson in Nigeriaby guerrillas fighting oil companies in the region. Over 1,000 people were killed and over $20.7 billion in revenue to the oil companies was lost due to the hostilities.
Kidnappings in Mexico increased by 40 percent between 2004 and 2007.
A kidnap and ransom consultant estimated in 2010 that the kidnap and ransom industry generates $500 Million for criminal gangs each year.
There were between 30 to 50 kidnappings each day in Mexico in 2008.
In 2006, kidnap and ransom insurance policies paid out $200 million in ransom payments.