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DONATE NOWNorte del Valle Cartel
The Norte del Valle Cartel (NDVC) emerged out of the breakup of the infamous Cali Cartel to became the wealthiest and most powerful Colombian drug trafficking organization…
Gaitanistas - Gulf Clan
The AGC emerged from the ashes of Colombia’s paramilitary movement to become a dominant but fragmented criminal force.
Barrio Azteca
The Barrio Azteca prison gang has grown into an armed criminal organization controlling drug trafficking in Juárez, Mexico.
Roberto Vargas Gutiérrez, alias 'Gavilán'
Roberto Vargas Gutiérrez, alias "Gavilán," transformed himself from Maoist guerrilla to paramilitary fighter to top leader of the Urabeños.
BACRIM in Venezuela
The BACRIM were a collection of Colombian criminal groups who sought, ultimately unsuccessfully, to set up operations in Venezuela.
ELN in Venezuela
Colombian guerrilla group the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional – ELN) has used Venezuelan territory for decades, but…
Ex-FARC Mafia in Venezuela
Venezuela is a vital base of operations for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and three of its seven blocs…
Walid Makled
Walid Makled, otherwise known as “El Turco” or “El Arabe," was once the most powerful civilian drug trafficker in Venezuela.
Venezuela Profile
Venezuela is a key transit country for drug shipments leaving Colombia for the United States and Europe. Foreign groups, particularly…
Diego Fernando Murillo, alias 'Don Berna'
Don Berna was the leader of Oficina de Envigado, a criminal group in Medellin, which grew after the fall of…
Nicaragua Profile
Nicaragua has long been one of the least violent countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Although some local gangs…
Latest
Colombia Expands Investigation of Gender Violence in Its Armed Conflict
Colombia’s transitional justice body has launched an in-depth study of how sexual and gender-based violence was used as a weapon of war.
Nigerian Couriers Central to Brazil-West Africa Cocaine Route
Although they traffic cocaine in smaller amounts, Nigerian groups still manage to move large quantities from Brazil to world markets.
Migrant Smugglers Continue to Benefit From Venezuela Crisis, US Policy
International experts are predicting continued high levels of migration from Venezuela, which could prove a boon for organized crime groups that have already capitalized on the ongoing exodus and confusion…