Criminal Actors

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

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Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela, alias 'The Chess Player'

COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES / JUNE 15, 2022

Colombian kingpin, Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela, alias “The Chess Player,” was one of the leaders of the Cali Cartel.

Jobanis de Jesús Ávila Villadiego, alias ‘Chiquito Malo’

COLOMBIA / JUNE 17, 2022

Jobanis de Jesús Ávila Villadiego, alias "Chiquito Malo," is the current commander of the AGC, succeeding Otoniel.

Juan Orlando Hernández

HONDURAS / 20 APR 2022

Juan Orlando Hernández, Honduras’ former president, is facing trial on US drug charges after allegations that he received bribes to…

10th Front - Ex-FARC Mafia

COLOMBIA GROUPS / 18 JAN 2022

The 10th Front, also known as the Martín Villa Front, is one of the most active elements of the ex-FARC…

The Capture of Otoniel

27 OCT 2021

Otoniel was the most wanted drug trafficker in Colombia, with a $5 million bounty on his head. InSight Crime explores…

Pachenca

COLOMBIA / MAY 10, 2022

The Pachenca, also known as the Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra (Autodefensas Conquistadores de la Sierra), emerged following the…

Ariel Máximo Cantero, alias 'Guille'

ARGENTINA / OCTOBER 20, 2022

Ariel Máximo Cantero, alias “Guille,” is the leader of Argentina's Monos crime family. While he is facing decades behind bars,…

Pablo Escobar

AUC / 30 AUG 2021

Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was the pioneer in industrial-scale cocaine trafficking.

Bala na Cara

BRAZIL / JULY 27, 2021

Bala na Cara (BNC) is a prominent criminal group in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Border Command

COLOMBIA / JUNE 11, 2022

Los Comandos de la Frontera, or the Border Command, formerly known as La Mafia, is a group made up of…

César Emilio Peralta, alias ‘El Abusador’

CARIBBEAN / JULY 29, 2022

César Emilio Peralta, alias “El Abusador,” was the Dominican Republic's most notorious drug trafficker, with a network across the Caribbean.

Eliecer Erlinto Chamorro, alias 'Antonio Garcia'

ANTONIO GARCÍA / JUNE 24, 2021

Eliecer Erlinto Chamorro, alias "Antonio Garcia," is the number two commander in Colombia’s National Liberation Army…

Latest

Cocaine Seizures Spike in Sweden as Traffickers Seek Secondary Routes

COCAINE / 8 JUN 2023

Historic cocaine seizures in Sweden highlight the Nordic country's increasing role as a gateway for cocaine from Latin America to Europe.

How Grenades Became a Common Part of Venezuela's Criminal Arsenal

ARMS TRAFFICKING / 7 JUN 2023

In all of Latin America, Venezuela has a unique problem: constant grenade attacks by criminal gangs.

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.

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

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