Crime tourism[1][2] is an ongoing, worldwide phenomenon oforganized crime where a group of bandits arrive in a foreign country as "tourists", often originating from South America, specifically to target wealthy households, before returning to their country of origin. The phenomenon is not confined to a single cohesive group, but is rather a pattern observed across multiple independent criminal enterprises.
Vanity Fair has reported a wave of this type of crime occurring inCalifornia that has been ongoing since 2016, according to an unnamedFBI special agent.[3] TheElectronic System for Travel Authorization or ESTA, has been referenced as having enabled this type of crime in the United States as it grants "virtually automatic" 90-day visa waivers to member countries' citizens.[4]California Senate Bill 54 ("SB 54") has also been referenced as a reason for California being a common target, as it limits local authorities' ability to share information with the federal government in the enforcement of immigration law.[5]
As of January 2022, the FBI has atask force dedicated to this crime ring.[6] Arrests have been made in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom in connection with these crime rings. According to the FBI, these groups have been operating in the U.S. since the mid-1980s.[7]
