Criminal Actors
Histories and profiles of organized crime groups, insurgencies, street gangs, vigilantes and the criminal actors that lead them.
Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel, often described as the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western Hemisphere, is an…
Libertadores del Vichada
The Libertadores del Vichada are a splinter group of the Popular Revolutionary Anti-Terrorist Army of Colombia (ERPAC) based in…
Colombia Profile
After more than half a century of civil war and the rise and fall of drug trafficking empires, Colombia has…
EPL
The dissidence of the EPL, which the Security Forces call Los Peludos, is the dissidence of the guerrilla group Popular…
Santa Ana, El Salvador
Santa Ana is a key transit point for criminal groups smuggling cocaine and marijuana between El Salvador and Guatemala. It…
La Unión, El Salvador
La Unión’s two ports and its Pacific coastline are routinely used by cocaine smugglers moving drugs north in boats and…
Chalatenango, El Salvador
Though not a major hub for transnational organized crime, the department of Chalatenango is a transit point for migrants, arms…
Cabañas, El Salvador
Aside from some contraband smuggling between Cabañas and neighboring Honduras, there is no indication that the department is involved in…
San Miguel, El Salvador
San Miguel was an important operational center for the once-powerful Perrones drug cartel. It is also a hotbed for gang…
Morazán, El Salvador
There is a minor presence of transnational organized crime in Morazán and limited gang activity.
Ahuachapán, El Salvador
Ahuachapán is a transit point for cocaine and marijuana shipments. There is also a strong MS13 presence in the department.
Salta, Argentina
Salta is the main gateway for cocaine entering Argentina. Drugs enter via Salvador Mazza and Aguas Blancas, parts of which…
Latest News
Colombia’s City of Cali Dealing with Fallout of Prosecutor’s Arrest
In the past year and a half, two murder cases have shaken the city of Cali: the slaying of its lead organized crime prosecutor and the massacre of five youths…
Venezuela’s Modeling Agencies Repeatedly Linked to Human Trafficking
As sex trafficking has soared in Venezuela, seemingly legitimate modeling agencies are repeatedly being linked to cases of human trafficking, trapping young women and forcing them into sexual servitude.
Why South America’s Armies Are Losing the War for the Amazon
Brazil, Colombia and Peru have deployed their armies to fight deforestation and other crimes in the Amazon rainforest.
Investigations
Chapters
Stay Informed with InSight Weekly
Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox.
SUBSCRIBE