In 2021, most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean experienced a marked increase in murders. Resurgent violence was to be expected after some of the world’s strictest COVID-19 lockdowns…
After seven years in action, Chile's hardline strategy to rid the country of microtrafficking has been exported abroad, lauded as a remarkable success. But is the tough stance really working?…
Authorities in Chile have reported a string of massive maritime seizures of marijuana, indicating traffickers are searching for new smuggling routes for their highly potent pot.
Prediction of the criminal dynamics for 2022 is even harder than most years, as it involves predicting the march of coronavirus. Organized crime does not exist in a bubble.
A spree of illegal fishing occurred across Latin America this past year, much of it driven by competition for diminishing catch.
Chile has become a convenient exit point for illegal gold from the Amazon, with Dubai emerging as a consistent destination for such shipments.
Authorities in Chile are on high alert due to reports that a Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua is involved in migrant smuggling in the country, further evidence of…
A series of seizures and drug raids across Latin America have revealed how previously niche high-strength marijuana products are establishing themselves within the region’s drug markets.
Faced with endemic timber theft and uneven government enforcement, logging companies in Chile have agreed to new guidelines meant to cut down on the sale of illegal wood.
After a seizure of disassembled guns found in vehicles shipped from the United States to Chile, a prosecutor warned that the South American country – not typically a hub for…
A recent clash between soldiers and smugglers has pointed to how Bolivia’s trade in contraband has reached a flashpoint.
A spate of arrests targeting truck drivers carrying stolen wood have highlighted how the province of Arauco is at the heart of increases in timber trafficking across Chile.
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…
Stay Informed with Weekly InSight
Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox.
SUBSCRIBE