Narco-Politics Cast Shadow on Honduran Presidents: Court Documents
Honduras’ most powerful drug trafficking organization, Los Cachiros, bribed the country’s former president and opened a line of communication to current President Juan Orlando Hernández, documents recently unsealed in a…
The Increasing Dangers Facing Latin America's Park Rangers
A park ranger’s shooting in Costa Rica and the slaying of another in a Colombian reserve show the dangers rangers face in protected areas -- as diverse in flora and…
In Colombia, Loan Sharking is Now Just a Click Away
The longtime loan sharking tactic in Colombia known as “gota a gota,” or drop by drop, has entered the digital age -- as criminal groups are now using mobile apps…
For Medellín's Oficina Capos, the Shuffle is Part of the Game
Authorities in Colombia have recently arrested three leaders of the Oficina de Envigado, a mafia that began under Pablo Escobar and has long controlled the city’s underworld since his death.
Timber Laundering in Peru: The Mafia Within
The mafia that makes trafficking of illegally-sourced wood possible in Peru is not made up of timber trade outlaws. It is a network of corrupt officials.
Peru Criminals Set Up Phony Govt Agency to Receive Bribes
A criminal group in Peru built a phony government office to swindle contractors bidding on a public works project. But the scheme only worked because such projects have long been…
Copycat Extortionists: Guatemala’s Criminal Chancers
Widespread fear of street gangs in the Northern Triangle countries is being exploited by copycat groups who pose as gang members to extort victims. These criminal operators are now an…
Panama’s Sex Workers Easy Prey for Extortionist Cops
In Panama, women in the sex trade are exposed to monetary and sexual extortion by corrupt police officers. But a new prosecution system has gone some way to reducing this…
The MS13's Vital Fuel: Extortion
El Salvador’s groundbreaking "Operación Jaque" (Operation Check) has provided a wealth of information on the Mara Salvatrucha (MS13), revealing the gang’s financial inner workings, its money laundering mechanisms and details…
Guatemala's Small Businesses: A Pot of Gold
In parts of Guatemala City, opening a small business or setting up an informal stall can carry a death sentence. Every week, shopkeepers and business owners pay extortion in…
Extortion of Guatemala’s Red Buses: Where Gang and Elite Criminal Interests Meet
The gangs’ bloody business of extorting transport in Guatemala has provided a pernicious environment and the perfect cover for some economic and political elite to embezzle millions of dollars from…
Loan Sharking Grows in Costa Rica by Piggybacking on Drug Trafficking
Costa Rica’s economic crisis and its strategic position along drug trafficking routes have created the perfect storm for a new type of extortion to take root: loan sharking.
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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