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
Criminal Actors
Histories and profiles of organized crime groups, insurgencies, street gangs, vigilantes and the criminal actors that lead them.
José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, alias 'El Marro'
MEXICO PERSONALITIES
/
AUGUST 3, 2020
José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, alias “El Marro,” is the leader of the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel (CSRL) and one…
Marcelo Fernando Pinheiro Veiga, alias “Piloto”
BRAZIL PERSONALITIES
/
APRIL 13, 2020
Marcelo “Piloto” Pinheiro was considered one of the Brazilian government’s most sought-after drug traffickers until 2017. He is believed to…
Gilberto Aparecido Dos Santos, alias 'Fuminho'
BRAZIL PERSONALITIES
/
APRIL 13, 2020
Gilberto Aparecido Dos Santos, alias “Fuminho,” is one of the leaders of Brazil’s largest and most powerful criminal organization, the…
Family of the North - FDN
BRAZIL GROUPS
/
MARCH 5, 2020
Family of the North (Familia do Norte - FDN) has long been Brazil’s third-largest criminal group, with a strong presence…
Ex-FARC Mafia
COLOMBIA GROUPS
/
6 MAR 2020
The ex-FARC Mafia are a series of criminal structures that emerged during the peace negotiations between the Colombian government and…
José Manuel Sierra Sabogal, alias 'Zarco Aldinever'
COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES
/
FEBRUARY 2, 2020
José Manuel Sierra Sabogal, alias "Zarco Aldinever," served with the 51st, 52nd, and 26th fronts, in the departments of Meta,…
José Vicente Lesmes, alias 'Walter Mendoza'
COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES
/
FEBRUARY 2, 2020
José Vicente Lesmes, alias "Walter Mendoza," played a historic role within the ranks of the now demobilized FARC, playing an…
Gulf Cartel
GULF CARTEL
/
30 JAN 2020
The Gulf Cartel is one of the oldest and most powerful of Mexicos criminal groups but has lost territory…
Henry Castellanos Garzón, alias 'Romaña'
COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES
/
DECEMBER 9, 2021
Henry Castellanos Garzón, alias “Romaña,” was the commander of the 53rd Front of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia…
Leider Johani Noscue, alias 'Mayimbú'
COLOMBIA PERSONALITIES
/
8 NOV 2019
Leider Noscue, known by his alias “Mayimbú,” is currently one of the highest-value military targets in the department of Cauca,…
Ex-FARC Mafia
EX-FARC MAFIA
/
OCTOBER 27, 2019
Las disidencias de las FARC o ex-Farc Mafia son grupos de excombatientes de la antigua guerrilla que se opusieron o…
Monos
ARGENTINA GROUPS
/
APRIL 28, 2022
The criminal group known as the Monos, led by members of the Cantero family, has been operating for more than…
Latest
Ecuador's Police Being Assassinated in Record Numbers
ECUADOR
/
16 MAY 2022
Ecuadorian gangs are taking another page from the playbook of crime groups in Mexico and Colombia, stepping up targeted killings of police officers in drug trafficking hotspots.
Will Soaring Arrests in El Salvador Overwhelm its Prisons?
BARRIO 18
/
16 MAY 2022
As part of his sweeping gang crackdown, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has overseen the mass imprisonment of tens of thousands of people, potentially jeopardizing recent efforts to mitigate overcrowding…
Indigenous Communities in Rural Mexico Get No Help Against Constant Criminal Threats
HUMAN RIGHTS
/
13 MAY 2022
The death of two indigenous leaders in Guerrero, Mexico, has again drawn attention to the government’s negligent protection of indigenous communities targeted by criminal groups throughout Mexico. In a…
Investigations
Chapters
#SupportFreePress
Support Our Work
Stay Informed with Weekly InSight
Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox.
SUBSCRIBE