News Analysis

Colombia's Most Wanted: Gentil Duarte

Colombia's government and military have shown renewed urgency in attacking FARC commander Gentil Duarte, ramping up operations against his forces…

Le Havre Cocaine Bust Marks French Port’s Prominence in Pipeline to Europe

A shootout involving French police and suspected cocaine traffickers in the northern city port of Le Havre has dramatically underscored…

Major Ransomware Attacks in Peru and Costa Rica Spell More Trouble for Region

A cybercrime group that has threatened to release troves of stolen data from the Costa Rican government has now hit…

Dirty Business: What European Wastewater Shows About Drug Trends

A decade of analyzing Europe’s wastewater has provided a snapshot of how drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine have spread to…

Organ Sales in Venezuela: A New Online Scam?

The arrests of three people in Venezuela for Facebook Marketplace posts in which they allegedly offered kidneys for sale have…

Balkan Traffickers Becoming Ever More Important to Trans-Atlantic Cocaine Trade

One of the first Balkan cocaine traffickers to ever establish a presence in South America and forge criminal alliances between…

Premier of British Virgin Islands in Miami Court on Cocaine Trafficking Charges

The arrest of a sitting head of government on drug trafficking charges is almost unheard of.

Made-in-Mexico 'Ghost Guns' Find Way to Cartels

A US national who received smuggled AR-15 parts in Mexico and assembled the weapons for two of the country's most…

Chile: One More Departure Point for Europe-Bound Cocaine

A string of drug seizures in Chile, coupled with cocaine discovered on ships originating there, points to the country emerging…

Peace Dissipates as the Cocaine War Intensifies in Putumayo

The rapid expansion of FARC dissident groups has brought an end to a fleeting period of tranquility in Putumayo. Now,…

How MS13 Gang Members in El Salvador Control Their Partners from Prisons

Gang members' romantic partners are often also their victims, subordinate to the whims of their companions. MS13 members have been…

The Beast Behind the Red Light: MS13 and Prostitution

The notorious MS13 street gang boasts a diverse criminal portfolio – including prostitution. Through violence, abuse and intimidation, the gang…