Driven by tight global supplies, an insatiable demand for artificial intelligence (AI) data centres, and the accelerating global energy transition, the price of copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) has climbed by 42 per cent in the 12 months to the end of May, 2026 to a range of US$13,000 to US$13,800 per metric tonne.
This massive valuation firmly establishes copper as an absolute apex asset in a multi-billion dollar international metals trade. Globally, the recycled copper and scrap metal industry has transformed into a massive US$73.9 billion US juggernaut, from the global commodity market intelligence report published in April 2026 by Fortune Business Insights.
In T&T, this has spawned a dark, systemic crisis as skyrocketing international prices are driving an aggressive, illicit black market that is actively cannibalising the nation’s critical infrastructure.
Global drivers, rising domestic costs
Analysing the underlying drivers of the crisis, economist Dr Jamelia Harris pointed out that the global market is fundamentally fuelling this localised crime wave.
“Economics is driving this problem; therefore, it is not surprising that copper theft has been on a sharp rise across Trinidad and Tobago,” Harris explained.
She noted this was this is not an isolated problem as other countries, spanning from the US to South Africa and Japan, have also been reporting increased copper theft.
Conversely, the perceived costs and risks to criminals remain dangerously low, given the historical data on general crime detection and conviction rates in T&T.
“As with any crime involving theft, there is increased costs to households and businesses associated with protecting property e.g. increased security, as well as repairing damage associated with the theft/replacing stolen copper,” Harris further explained.
Beyond private property, Harris added, the theft of copper inflicts catastrophic costs through severe damages to public infrastructure.
In 2022, vital copper pipes and brass fittings were systematically stolen from the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).
More recently, a highly dangerous attempted theft occurred at the T&T Electricity Commission’s (T&TEC) substation at Brechin Castle, showcasing the lengths to which scavengers would go.
Telecom giants suffer interrupted infrastructure
Compounding this crisis, the aggressive hunt for copper has blind-sided the nation’s telecommunications sector, leading to extensive collateral damage on networks that do not even utilise the metal.
Major telecommunications service provider Flow told the Business Guardian the black market boom has caused a spillover effect on its operations.
“There has been an alarming increase in incidents of cable vandalism over the past few months. These incidents have occurred across both north and south Trinidad, affecting thousands of our customers and resulting in service outages, some lasting up to 48 hours,” the company said.
The telecom provider highlighted a deeply frustrating irony regarding the destructive thieves: “Of note is that Flow cables do not contain copper.”
Flow stated the destructive actions of metal thieves mistaking fibre-optic or other network links for valuable copper have crippled services and forced a massive reallocation of corporate capital. “Significant resources are being diverted to address these disruptions – resources that in our view could otherwise be invested in service improvements, including preventative maintenance and network upgrades,” Flow stated.
While it noted governmental and regulatory attempts to step in, it called for a much tighter, community-driven defensive front.
“We acknowledge recent public notices issued by the Regulatory Authority encouraging citizens to act responsibly. However, a more cohesive and coordinated approach is needed, particularly in strengthening community awareness and vigilance,” Flow said.
The consequences of this continuous infrastructure onslaught extend far beyond corporate balance sheets, tearing at the fabric of daily productivity.
“Cable vandalism does not only disrupt our network—it impacts entire communities,” Flow warned adding, “Students lose access to vital online educational resources, businesses face operational challenges and entrepreneurs experience costly interruptions.”
Cuts threaten national connectivity
The severe consequences of infrastructure targeting are further echoed by TSTT, which has been forced to aggressively adapt its technological strategy to mitigate the constant threat of theft.
“TSTT has made significant progress through its Zero-Copper Programme, which is focused on decommissioning legacy copper infrastructure and migrating customers to more reliable, resilient and future-ready fibre and wireless technologies. While this has significantly reduced the company’s reliance on copper, theft and vandalism continue to affect critical telecommunications networks and remain an ongoing concern for the industry,” the company said.
The state-backed utility emphasised that while the physical hardware bears the immediate brunt of these attacks, the true victims are the citizens who rely on these lines daily.
“Acts of vandalism continue to cause widespread service disruptions affecting homes, businesses, schools and communities that rely on telecommunications services for communication, education, commerce and access to essential services,” it explained.
The company reported a sharp upward trend in recent criminal encounters, specifically targeting local grid components.
“Over the past few months, TSTT has seen a noticeable increase in incidents involving the vandalism of network infrastructure, including the theft of electrical copper. These incidents can be particularly disruptive, often requiring the replacement of electrical components and cabling, as well as site inspections and recertification before services can be fully restored,” it stated.
Mirroring the issues raised by Flow, TSTT pointed out that the indiscriminate methods used by thieves are rendering technological upgrades vulnerable.
“Criminal activity is often driven by the resale value of copper; however, perpetrators are frequently unable to distinguish between copper and fibre-optic cables. As a result, both are indiscriminately cut. While fibre-optic cables have little to no commercial resale value, damage to these networks can have far-reaching consequences, including service outages, degraded coverage and the disruption of critical communications services.”
In response, TSTT continues to take a multi-layered approach to protecting its network, including physical hardening, enhanced smart monitoring and alarm systems, stakeholder engagement and public awareness initiatives.
Fibre networks deflect market disruptions
While competitors struggle with heavy infrastructural damage and repair bills, telecommunications provider Digicel reported its advanced network design has isolated it from the worst effects of the crime wave, though it remains a persistent operational annoyance.
“Copper theft has unfortunately continued within Trinidad and Tobago. However, since our network is fully fibre and does not utilise any copper, the impact of this type of theft on our operations is considerably less severe than it would be for our competitors who still depend on copper infrastructure,” Digicel said.
The company explained its structural design serves as a built-in buffer against the blind vandalism that has plagued other utilities. “When incidents do occur, where cables are cut by individuals searching for copper, our resilient network with strong built-in redundancies helps limit the impact,” Digicel stated noting, its continued investment in technology allows it to respond quickly.
Digicel aligned itself with the broader industry push for regulatory intervention, supporting a more coordinated, sustained approach to tackle this issue at its root and better protect critical infrastructure.
Demand for specialised inspection
Skyrocketing international demand has pushed local copper prices to unprecedented highs, fuelling a lucrative wave of theft and illegal scrap yard operations across T&T with Allan Ferguson, President of the T&T Recyclers Association, formerly the T&T Scrap Iron Dealers Association (TTSIDA), warning that without an immediate joint government crackdown, the lucrative sector risks severe consequences due to criminal activity.
He said legitimate dealers are facing an uphill battle against rogue, unlicensed yards that actively purchase stolen copper without verifying its source further stating, “They don’t care where the people get it from, or how they get it.”
The financial incentives driving the lawlessness are immense. Locally, Ferguson noted a single tonne of copper nets a seller over TT$35,000 and on the global market, a single shipping container packed with 20 to 27 tons of copper can fetch nearly TT$2 million.
The association is urgently requesting meetings with the Minister of Trade and the Minister of National Security to roll out a collaborative policing strategy.
“We are desperate,” Ferguson said, adding that the association has even offered to fund police escorts to help enforce regulations and inspect non-compliant yards.
He reminded dealers that under existing laws, buyers must demand proof of purchase for industrial items.
“Nobody has the kind of copper at home that belongs to a company. If they don’t have evidence, you shouldn’t take it—you should call the police,” he stressed, further warning that the local sector would continue to “spin top in mud” if illegal yards are allowed to operate unchecked.
To bridge the enforcement gap, Ferguson urged the government to officially appoint experienced industry civilians as scrap inspectors to have the legal power to enter yards, audit transactional paperwork and monitor the physical loading of export containers.
Former minister warns of reversed strides
Former Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales also expressed deep concern over the breakdown of systems designed to prevent exactly this level of national disruption.
“When I served as Minister of Public Utilities, the team that I was part of grappled with the same issue and we tackled it by putting in place a robust regulatory system to address the illegal scrap metal industry as there was a direct correlation between the two matters,” he said.
The former minister acknowledged the legislative and regulatory interventions pursued during his tenure faced intense pushback from commercial operators, but maintained that state intervention was an absolute necessity to secure the country’s essential grids.
“It was an unpopular decision for the industry but we were left with no choice but to take action in order to protect our utility infrastructure,” he explained.
Gonzales added the success of past interventions did not rely solely on the drafting of policies, but on a severe, unyielding enforcement mechanism that effectively dried up the black market pipeline.
However, looking at the current wave of vandalism crippling and affecting the broader commercial landscape, Gonzales warned that a dangerous culture of complacency has set in saying, “It is clear that these laws are no longer being enforced and the strides made have been reversed.”
