The Buses (and Bribes) of a Migrant’s Journey Through Mexico
Faced with the risks that infamous cargo train "the Beast" represents, many migrants have opted for other routes to the United States. They travel in minibuses, in taxis, or in…
InSight Crime Game Changers 2014 – A Year of Dashed Hopes
Welcome to InSight Crime's Game Changers for 2014, where we highlight the year's most important trends in organized crime in the Americas. This year was one of dashed hopes. In…
The Challenges for Giuliani’s Security Strategy in Guatemala
Guatemala's private sector has hired former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani to come up with a security plan to fight crime and violence, which is generating both skepticism and optimism in…
Can New York Mayor Giuliani Save Guatemala?
Fifteen years ago, a European diplomat said that Guatemala was "over-diagnosed." Everyone knew what needed to be done. The problem was that nobody was doing it. This year, at Guatemala's…
The US Gang El Salvador Won’t Admit Exists
In the second part of this two-part series on the history of southern California gangs in El Salvador, anthropologist Juan Jose Martinez looks at a conflict involving one prominent gang…
El Salvador’s Other Gang from California: the Sureños
It is common when talking about gangs -- or maras -- in El Salvador to mention only the Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) and the Barrio 18. However, they are far from…
Hacker Network Foiled in $70 Million Bank Heist
A transnational criminal group nearly pulled off a historic cyber-heist of one of Colombia's biggest banks, highlighting how even the most advanced cyber security systems can be breached by what…
The Trials of Drug ‘Mules’ in Chile’s Northern Desert
Article 22 of Chile's drug law states that a prisoner may reduce their sentence by cooperating with the police. In a perversion of these regulations, powerful inmates will coordinate drug…
Completing Chapter, Honduras Extradites Valle Brothers to US
Two leaders of the notorious Valle Valle family now find themselves in US custody, extradited from Honduras a little over two months after their capture. The question now is what…
Honduras Security Shift Confirms De Facto Reality of Military Control
The Honduras government named Julian Pacheco, an active military general, as the head of its Security Ministry in Honduras, another sign of its reliance on military personnel to fill positions…
Honduras Solves 1% of Homicide Cases: Report
A new study revealed that only one percent of homicide cases in Honduras' three major cities ever resulted in convictions, underscoring the rampant impunity fostered by the country's dysfunctional criminal…
Meet Peru’s New ‘Narco-Governors’
Following December 7 run-off elections, Peru has now elected at least six governors under investigation or facing charges for crimes ranging from embezzlement to drug trafficking, which undermines the legitimacy…
About InSight Crime
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InSight Crime is looking for a full-time strategic communications manager. This person needs to be able to work in a fast-paced world of daily news, high-profile investigations, national and international…
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InSight Crime Events – Border Crime: The Northern Triangle and Tri-Border Area
Through several rounds of extensive field investigations, our researchers have analyzed and mapped out the main illicit economies and criminal groups present in 39 border departments spread across the six countries of study – the Northern Triangle trio of Guatemala, Honduras, and El…
InSight Crime’s ‘Memo Fantasma’ Investigation Wins Simón Bolívar National Journalism Prize
The staff at InSight Crime was awarded the prestigious Simón Bolívar national journalism prize in Colombia for its two-year investigation into the drug trafficker known as “Memo Fantasma,” which was…
InSight Crime – From Uncovering Organized Crime to Finding What Works
This project began 10 years ago as an effort to address a problem: the lack of daily coverage, investigative stories and analysis of organized crime in the Americas. …
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