More than 2000 illegal valves placed on Mexico's oil pipelines are sucking vast quantities of fuel from the state oil company Pemex, and have spawned an illegal industry worth millions.
An estimated 85 percent of fuel oil sold in the Amazonian Madre de Dios region of Peru is allegedly used in illegal gold mining, an illustration of how the industry…
Hydrocarbon theft in Mexico so far this year has nearly doubled in comparison with 2012, with the worst hit zones corresponding to some of Mexico's drug war hotspots.
The Venezuelan government has declared it will launch a renewed assault on gasoline trafficking in the Colombian border region, but the measures announced so far will do little to deter…
A military raid in south Colombia has revealed the extent of the FARC's oil theft operations in the region, which provide the guerrillas with a key precursor required for cocaine…
A ship carrying some 110,000 gallons of contraband fuel, allegedly originating in Venezuela, was intercepted by Honduran naval forces, raising the question of whether a smuggling operation is indeed…
The latest death of a reporter in Mexico, who was gunned down in broad daylight in the state of Puebla this week, highlights the incredible risks faced by journalists…
Criminal syndicates in Mexico stole more than 1.8 million barrels of oil from national oil company Pemex in the first six months of 2012, an increase of 18 percent compared…
A new government strategy to counter gas smuggling in the Venezuelan border state of Zulia has created a fierce backlash among locals and furthermore looks unlikely to be able to…
According to Mexico's national association of gas businesses, criminal groups reportedly force gasoline vendors to buy stolen fuel, calling attention to the increased availability of stolen gas in Mexico service…
Mexico's navy reportedly said it had seized some 80,000 gallons of diesel fuel, bound for Honduras, belonging to the Zetas, a sign that the group are expanding both their sources…
Mexico's military discovered over 1.5 million liters of stolen oil in Veracruz state, a region dominated by the Zetas, pointing to the growing importance of oil theft to the country's…
About InSight Crime
Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua Becomes Truly Transnational
This week, InSight Crime published a deep dive into the total control that Venezuelan mega-gang, Tren de Aragua, has over the lives of those it smuggles between Venezuela and Chile…
Turkish Traffickers Delivering Latin American Cocaine to Persian Gulf
Last week, InSight Crime published the second half of an investigation piecing together the emerging role of Turkish cocaine traffickers in supplying Russia and the Persian Gulf, which are among…
Turkey as a Lynchpin in European Cocaine Pipeline
InSight Crime is extending its investigation into the cocaine pipeline to Europe, and tracking the growing connections between Latin American drug traffickers and European criminal organizations. This led us to…
Memo Fantasma Coverage Gets Worldwide Attention
Guillermo Acevedo, the former Colombian drug lord and paramilitary commander better known as Memo Fantasma, may soon be allowed to leave prison. Since first revealing the identity of Memo Fantasma…
Who Are Memo Fantasma and Sergio Roberto de Carvalho?
Inside the criminal career of Memo Fantasma In March 2020, InSight Crime revealed the identity and whereabouts of Memo Fantasma, a paramilitary commander and drug trafficker living in…
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