Criminal Actors

Histories and profiles of organized crime groups, insurgencies, street gangs, vigilantes and the criminal actors that lead them.

Filter by
From
Ordered By

Gulf Cartel

EL COSS / MARCH 10, 2023

The Gulf Cartel is among the oldest most powerful cartels in Mexico, but has lost territory in recent years.

Central General Staff - Ex-FARC Mafia

VENEZUELA / FEBRUARY 16, 2023

The Central General Staff (Estado Mayor Central - EMC) is the governing body of a group of factions who refused…

Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias 'Niño Guerrero'

TREN DE ARAGUA / FEBRUARY 15, 2023

Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias “Niño Guerrero," is the leader of Tren de Aragua, Venezuela's largest homegrown criminal group.

Acacio Medina Front - Ex-FARC Mafia

EX-FARC MAFIA / FEBRUARY 15, 2023

The Acacio Medina Front is a dissident group that emerged from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), also known…

Hermágoras González Polanco, alias ‘Gordito González’

VENEZUELA / FEBRUARY 15, 2023

Hermágoras González Polanco has been active in Venezuela's drug trafficking scene for over four decades, thanks to his ability to…

Las Claritas Sindicato

VENEZUELA / 14 FEB 2023

Las Claritas Sindicato is one of the strongest and longest-lasting criminal groups dedicated to illegal mining in Venezuela’s southern state…

Yeico Masacre

VENEZUELA / FEBRUARY 13, 2023

Erick Alberto Parra Mendoza, alias “Yeico Masacre”, is the leader of one of the most violent gangs in Venezuela's state…

Carlos Capa Gang

EXTORTION / JANUARY 27, 2023

The Carlos Capa gang is one of the oldest surviving criminal gangs in Valles del Tuy, south of Caracas in…

The R Organization

ILLEGAL MINING / JANUARY 26, 2023

The R Organization is one of Venezuela's fastest growing mining gangs, which are often referred to as sindicatos.

Tren de Guayana

VENEZUELA / JANUARY 26, 2021

Tren de Guayana is one of the most powerful mining gangs to currently operate in the southern Venezuela state of…

Genaro García Luna

ELITES AND CRIME / JANUARY 18, 2023

The US trial of Genaro García Luna, the architect of Mexico's war on drugs, will seek to prove whether he…

Lobos

ECUADOR / MAY 10, 2023

The Lobos, one of Ecuador's strongest criminal gangs, are crucial players in the cocaine trade flowing through the country.

Latest

3 Takeaways From UNICEF Report on Child Recruitment in Colombia

COLOMBIA / 6 JUN 2023

A new study has outlined how the ethnicity and socio-economic background of children are key factors in their forced recruitment in Colombia.

Honduras Makes Few Advances Against Crime During 6-Month State of Exception

BARRIO 18 / 5 JUN 2023

After six months, the state of exception in Honduras has failed to significantly reduce gang violence and extortion.

Chiapas Bleeds as CJNG, Sinaloa Cartel Fight for Guatemala Trafficking Routes

DISPLACEMENT / 2 JUN 2023

Clashes between the Sinaloa Cartel and the CJNG in Chiapas, close to the Mexico-Guatemala border have displacee of thousands.

image

Browse by Country

A country-by-country breakdown of the news as well as key criminal groups and players across Latin America and the Caribbean.

VIEW MAP
icon #SupportFreePress
image

Support Our Work

Investigating organized crime is an expensive and often risky enterprise. Reaching primary sources and getting the real story involve extensive fieldwork. Please donate. Every dollar supports our mission.

DONATE NOW image