As part of his work in human rights, transitional justice and prison reform, Michael Reed has been inside dozens of prisons across the Americas. Reed, a dual US-Colombian citizen, is…
Just like many legal enterprises trying to find ways to get their products to customers despite the pandemic, microtraffickers in Latin America have had to adjust to new ways of…
While Chile has one of the lowest homicide rates in Latin America and has managed to avoid major criminal groups developing there, a new survey has shown that Chileans see…
In a year marked by political and criminal turmoil, Latin American capitals did not escape the effects of the violence, organized crime and state repression experienced throughout the region.
Seizures of synthetic drugs in Chile have skyrocketed from 2,304 doses in 2010 to more than 1.6 million doses in 2019, raising the question of how, or even if, Chilean…
Unrest gripped much of Latin America and the Caribbean throughout 2019. From record violence in Mexico that recalled the darkest days of the drug war, to…
The seizure of tons of stolen copper near Santiago, Chile, set to be sent illegally to China, has revealed that increasingly daring robberies may be fueled by the Asian powerhouse's…
The seizure of a marijuana shipment of over 4 tons in Chile in mid-November, the largest drug bust in the country’s history, has confirmed that the Chilean market makes it…
The dismantling of a sophisticated human trafficking network in Chile has drawn attention to the fact that reports of human trafficking have increased five-fold in the South American country.
A criminal ring that sent synthetic drugs by mail from Argentina to Chile has been taken down in a joint operation, showing how both countries are teaming up to tackle…
A Colombian gang leader has been accused of operating a "gota a gota" loansharking network in Chile -- evidence that this extortion tactic continues to spread across the region.
The government of Chile has sent the army to its northern border in an effort to stop the influx of drugs feeding the country's growing domestic market -- a strategy…
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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