GameChangers 2020: Tren de Aragua and the Exportation of Venezuelan Organized Crime
Venezuela has long been known as a strategic rearguard for Colombia guerrilla groups. Yet 2020 saw the acceleration of a newer dynamic: Venezuelan gangs now rival their Colombian counterparts in…
GameChangers 2020: The Resurgence of the Central American Cocaine Highway
A rush of drug plane traffic from South America, coupled with traffickers smuggling large cocaine shipments after coronavirus border restrictions eased, led to a surge in narcotics transiting Central America…
GameChangers 2020: How Black Markets Became the New Normal
In a region where 50 percent of the population already makes its living in the informal market, it was perhaps of little surprise that black markets exploded in 2020 amidst…
GameChangers 2020: Conflicting US Approach to Latin America Organized Crime
President-elect Joe Biden has a chance to reset the table on US-Latin American relations, but the Donald Trump administration’s schizophrenic, transactional approach may leave some lasting scars that will be…
GameChangers 2020: How Organized Crime Survived the Pandemic
Welcome to InSight Crime’s Criminal GameChangers 2020, where we highlight the most important trends in organized crime in the Americas over the course of the year. …
Proxy Gang Wars Fuel Record Homicides in Ecuador’s Prisons
An ongoing gang war in Ecuador’s prisons has made 2020 the bloodiest year on record for inmates, underscoring how the country’s penitentiary system cannot contain the escalating conflict among an…
Major Oil Trader Fined for Bribes Across Latin America
The world’s biggest oil trading firm faces a large fine after a multi-country investigation revealed it bribed Brazilian, Mexican and Ecuadorian officials millions of dollars in exchange for competitive advantages,…
Drones Rain Contraband on Panama Prison
A burst of attempted contraband smuggling into Panama’s largest prison complex has challenged governments claims about the success of recent reforms in bolstering security within the country’s penitentiaries, as well…
Record Cocaine Haul at Belgium Port Uncovers Police Corruption
Authorities in Belgium have arrested a former top counter-narcotics official who they say is being investigated for suspected involvement with a ring that concealed 11.5 tons of cocaine in cargo…
Contraband Turns to Bloodshed Between Ecuador and Peru
A series of assassinations on Ecuador’s southern border with Peru have been attributed to gang members fighting for control of the illegal crossings by which both people and contraband are…
La Unión Tepito
La Unión Tepito is a large criminal group indigenous to Mexico City, named after one of the capital’s largest neighborhoods.
Brazilian Bank Slapped With Record Money Laundering Fine in Paraguay
Paraguayan authorities have announced historic sanctions against a major Brazilian bank in the latest case of Latin American governments cracking down on financial institutions that do not comply with anti-money…
About InSight Crime
Unraveling the Web of Elites Connected to Organized Crime
InSight Crime published Elites and Organized Crime in Nicaragua, a deep dive into the relationships between criminal actors and elites in that Central American nation.
InSight Crime’s Greater Focus on US-Mexico Border
InSight Crime has decided to turn many of its investigative resources towards understanding and chronicling the criminal dynamics along the US-Mexico border.
Key Arrests and Police Budget Increases Due to InSight Crime Investigations
With Memo Fantasma’s arrest, InSight Crime has proven that our investigations can and will uncover major criminal threats in the Americas.
Organized Crime’s Influence on Gender-Based Violence
InSight Crime investigator Laura N. Ávila spoke on organized crime and gender-based violence at the launch of a research project by the United Nations Development Programme.
Conversation with Paraguay Judicial Operators on PCC
InSight Crime Co-director Steven Dudley formed part of a panel attended by over 500 students, all of whom work in Paraguay's judicial system.
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