Uribe Arrest Portends More to Come from Colombia’s Justice System
The detention and investigation of former Colombia President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, a powerhouse in Colombian politics long alleged to have ties to paramilitary groups, leaves him to defend not only…
Coronavirus Unrest Sparks Surge in Riots in Latin America’s Prisons
Inmate uprisings have ripped through prisons in Latin America amid COVID-19 outbreaks, offering further evidence that the region’s prison systems are buckling under the pressure of the pandemic.
MS13 in Honduras Gets Creative With Video Surveillance
An MS13 cell wired several Honduran neighborhoods on the outskirts of San Pedro Sula with surveillance cameras -- an inventive use of technology to perform an age-old gang function.
Drop in Coca Crops, Increase in Colombian Cocaine
A drop of 15,000 hectares of coca crops in Colombia made no difference in reducing cocaine production in 2019 -- instead it increased compared with the previous year.
Jamaica and Haiti Swap Drugs and Guns
Criminal gangs in Jamaica and Haiti are engaged in a deadly trade: the exchange of marijuana for guns.
Continued Street Drug Sales in Tijuana Puts Users at Risk of Coronavirus
A coronavirus outbreak in the Mexico border city of Tijuana has not stymied street-level heroin and methamphetamine sales, and its large population of drug users is at high risk of…
Colombia's EPL Bitterly Divided Between Political, Drug Trafficking Factions
A top EPL guerrilla commander in Colombia was killed on order of its high command for treason -- an act likely to further inflame infighting among the group’s increasingly desperate…
Eruption of Gang Violence Belies Bukele's Security Wins in El Salvador
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has lashed out after several days of bloodshed amid a coronavirus lockdown, blaming the spike in killings on gangs. But in doing so, he has…
Why is US Sending Navy Warships to Thwart Drug Smugglers?
Though described as a strategy to keep traffickers from exploiting the coronavirus pandemic, the US Navy’s recent deployment of warships to the Caribbean was a long time in the making…
How ‘Memo Fantasma’ Sold Property to Colombia VP's Family Company
In October 2019, InSight Crime conducted a telephone interview with Álvaro Rincón, the husband of Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez. The topic was Guillermo León Acevedo Giraldo, alias “Memo Fantasma”…
Venezuela President's Drug Trafficking Exploits Detailed in US Indictment
US prosecutors have charged Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his closest allies with drug trafficking and corruption, cementing the embattled nation's reputation as a mafia state.
From Cocalero to Kingpin: New Book Tracks Cocaine Supply Chain
A new book by a veteran reporter provides a comprehensive picture of Colombia’s modern-day cocaine trafficking networks and their devastating impact on the society that surrounds them.
About InSight Crime
Maduro's El Dorado Investigation Makes Headlines
InSight Crime's investigation into the trafficking of illegal gold in Venezuela's Amazon region generated impact on both social media and in the press. Besides being republished and mentioned by several…
Gender and Investigative Techniques Focus of Workshops
On November 23-24, InSight Crime conducted a workshop called “How to Cover Organized Crime: Investigation Techniques and A Focus on Gender.” The session convened reporters and investigators from a dozen…
InSight Crime Names Two New Board Members
In recent weeks, InSight Crime added two new members to its board. Joy Olson is the former executive director of the Washington Office on Latin America…
Senate Commission in Paraguay Cites InSight Crime
InSight Crime’s reporting and investigations often reach the desks of diplomats, security officials and politicians. The latest example occurred in late October during a commission of Paraguay's Senate that tackled…
Backing Investigative Journalism Around the Globe
InSight Crime was a proud supporter of this year's Global Investigative Journalism Conference, which took place November 1 through November 5 and convened nearly 2,000 journalists…
Stay Informed with Weekly InSight
Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox.
SUBSCRIBE