All About Colombia Mafia

COLOMBIA

EPL

COLOMBIA GROUPS / 23 APR 2021

The dissidence of the EPL, which the Security Forces call Los Peludos, is the dissidence of the guerrilla group Popular Liberation Army they are considered an armed organized group exclusively…

Walter Patricio Arizala, alias “Guacho”

COLOMBIA / JANUARY 18, 2019

Walter Patricio Arizala, alias “Guacho,” was one of the most wanted criminals in both Colombia and Ecuador, after military forces made him a priority target. Guacho led the dissident members…

Inside the Mafia-Run Cocaine Network Shattered by European Police

COCAINE / 17 DEC 2018

In early December, authorities dramatically curtailed the power of the Pelle-Vottari clan -  a grouping within the formidable ‘Ndrangheta mafia — arresting Domenico Pelle along with 89 others associated with…

Attacks on Multinationals in Colombia: Signs of New Criminal Era

COLOMBIA / 3 OCT 2018

A series of attacks on multinational companies operating in Colombia could indicate that armed groups are shedding discipline for increased criminal gains, in a new era of organized crime in…

In Latest Blow to Urabeños, Colombia Government Takes Down 'El Indio'

COLOMBIA / 30 MAR 2018

With the death of “El Indio,” the Urabeños’ third-in-command, Colombian security forces have dealt another blow to the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the country, a sign that authorities…

The Colombian Mafia

COLOMBIA / 13 MAR 2018

The mafia in Colombia today is comprised of a maelstrom of localized groups, shadowy power brokers and sub-contracted labor that combine to bring order to the underworld chaos and make…

Spain Arrests Alleged Colombia Drug Kingpin Hiding in the Limelight

COLOMBIA / 12 MAR 2018

Authorities in Spain have arrested a Colombian with celebrity connections on accusations that he used his jet-set lifestyle as cover for his role as the leader of an international drug…

José Bayron Piedrahita Ceballos, alias 'El Árabe,' or the 'Patron de Caucasia'

COLOMBIA MAFIA / MAY 10, 2019

José Bayron Piedrahita Ceballos is presumed to be one of the biggest drug lords in Colombia. During his criminal career spanning more than 20 years, Piedrahita managed to stay out…

Shifting Criminal Dynamics Signal Violent Future for Colombia-Venezuela Border

COLECTIVOS / 29 JAN 2018

Venezuela’s continued spiral into economic, political and social crisis and the demobilization of Colombia’s largest guerrilla group have shifted criminal dynamics on the Colombia-Venezuela border, transforming the region into…

GameChangers 2017: Is Colombia’s FARC Really Gone?

COLOMBIA / 16 JAN 2018

Has Colombia's FARC really left the country's criminal scene? Yes, and absolutely not. The rebel army is gone, and has become a political party. The FARC Mafia is just coming…

Óscar Mauricio Pachón, alias 'Puntilla'

COLOMBIA / DECEMBER 7, 2018

Óscar Mauricio Pachón, alias “Puntilla,” is a drug trafficker who controlled a criminal network descended from paramilitaries in Colombia’s strategic Eastern Plains region. He was arrested in February 2016 but…

Urabeños

COLOMBIA MAFIA / OCTOBER 19, 2021

The Urabeños emerged from the ashes of Colombia’s paramilitary movement to become the dominant criminal force in Colombia, with a reach that spread all across the country.

Oficina de Envigado

COLOMBIA GROUPS / OCTOBER 28, 2020

The Oficina de Envigado has evolved from a debt collection agency for Pablo Escobar to a mafia federation that regulates almost all criminal activity in Medellín.

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Apure Investigation Makes Headlines

22 OCT 2021

InSight Crime’s investigation into the battle for the Venezuelan border state of Apure resonated in both Colombian and Venezuelan media. A dozen outlets picked up the report, including Venezuela’s…

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InSight Crime Tackles Illegal Fishing

15 OCT 2021

In October, InSight Crime and American University’s Center for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS) began a year-long project on illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing in…

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InSight Crime Featured in Handbook for Reporting on Organized Crime

8 OCT 2021

In late September, the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) published an excerpt of its forthcoming guide on reporting organized crime in Indonesia.

THE ORGANIZATION

Probing Organized Crime in Haiti

1 OCT 2021

InSight Crime has made it a priority to investigate organized crime in Haiti, where an impotent state is reeling after the July assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, coupled with an…

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Emergency First Aid in Hostile Environments

24 SEP 2021

At InSight Crime's annual treat, we ramped up hostile environment and emergency first aid training for our 40-member staff, many of whom conduct on-the-ground investigations in dangerous corners of the region.

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