‘Mula’: The Bridge Between MS13 and Mexican Mafia in Tijuana, Mexico

NEWS / 23 MAR 2023

Nelson Alexander Flores Pacheco, alias "Mula", was the liaison between the Mexican Mafia and the MS13 in Tijuana, Mexico.

NEWS

DEA Criticized for Tame Review of Foreign Operations

COCAINE / 29 MAR 2023

The DEA faces criticisms for a review into its foreign operations following corruption scandals.

NEWS

Caborca Cartel Resists Chapitos in Battle for Sonora, Mexico

CHAPITOS / 28 MAR 2023

The Chapitos and the Caborca Cartel are warring over fentanyl and methamphetamine drug routes in Sonora, Mexico.

NEWS

Venezuela Kills Gang Leader Whose Political Connections Were 'Open Secret'

VENEZUELA / 27 MAR 2023

The killing of Venezuelan criminal, alias "El Conejo," by authorities is being reported as a major coup. The reality is more complex.

NEWS

Colombia's Peace Process Stumbles as Gaitanista Ceasefire Ends

COLOMBIA / 24 MAR 2023

The end of a ceasefire with Colombia's largest criminal group, the AGC, is a serious body blow to hopes for peace.

NEWS

Dominican Republic Corruption Investigation Inches Toward Ex-President

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC / 23 MAR 2023

High-ranking officials from the former government of President Danilo Medina in the Dominican Republic continue to fall.

NEWS

‘Mula’: The Bridge Between MS13 and Mexican Mafia in Tijuana, Mexico

MS13 / 23 MAR 2023

Nelson Alexander Flores Pacheco, alias "Mula", was the liaison between the Mexican Mafia and the MS13 in Tijuana, Mexico.

NEWS

Venezuela Oil Minister Resigns Amid Political Fight With Criminal Ramifications

VENEZUELA / 22 MAR 2023

The resignation of Venezuela's Oil Minister, Tareck El Aissami, after the arrest of a close ally may precede a sensational fall.

NEWS

Europe Narco-Sub Heralds More to Come 

COCAINE EUROPE / 22 MAR 2023

Does the discovery of a second narco-submarine in Spain mean that more such vessels have been carrying drugs across the Atlantic?…

NEWS

Shining Path on the Offensive in Peru, Again

SHINING PATH / 21 MAR 2023

A dozen people are dead in Peru since February amid escalating violence involving the Shining Path guerrilla group.

NEWS

What Mexico’s Posture on Fentanyl Says About US Relations

FENTANYL / 21 MAR 2023

The complex history of the "drug war" in Mexico is hindering its collaboration with the US on the synthetic opioid, fentanyl.

Featured Reporting and Analysis

The Northeast Cartel has established almost complete dominance of criminal economies in Mexico's border city of Nuevo Laredo.

FEATURED / 16 MAR 2023

InSight Crime has developed its own methodology to rank Venezuela's organized crime groups. Here, we present the strongest.

ELN / 16 FEB 2023

InSight Crime reviews Latin America and the Caribbean's cocaine seizure date from 2022 to find out what it reveals about regional trafficking.

BOLIVIA / 8 MAR 2023

Social leaders in Putumayo, Colombia, hope coca crop substitution can bring opportunities to communities. But supporting it may mean death.

COCA / 1 MAR 2023

Nelson Alexander Flores Pacheco, alias "Mula", was the liaison between the Mexican Mafia and the MS13 in Tijuana, Mexico.

CRIMINAL MIGRATION / 23 MAR 2023

Venezuelan security forces carry out violent invasions of neighborhoods controlled by gangs, but there is little evidence of their success.

EL KOKI / 2 MAR 2023

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About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela Coverage Continues to be Highlighted

3 MAR 2023

This week, InSight Crime co-director Jeremy McDermott was the featured guest on the Americas Quarterly podcast, where he provided an expert overview of the changing dynamics…

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela's Organized Crime Top 10 Attracts Attention

24 FEB 2023

Last week, InSight Crime published its ranking of Venezuela’s ten organized crime groups to accompany the launch of the Venezuela Organized Crime Observatory. Read…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime on El País Podcast

10 FEB 2023

This week, InSight Crime co-founder, Jeremy McDermott, was among experts featured in an El País podcast on the progress of Colombia’s nascent peace process.

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime Interviewed by Associated Press

3 FEB 2023

This week, InSight Crime’s Co-director Jeremy McDermott was interviewed by the Associated Press on developments in Haiti as the country continues its prolonged collapse. McDermott’s words were republished around the world,…

THE ORGANIZATION

Escaping Barrio 18

27 JAN 2023

Last week, InSight Crime published an investigation charting the story of Desafío, a 28-year-old Barrio 18 gang member who is desperate to escape gang life. But there’s one problem: he’s…