All About Contraband

NEWS

Sun, Samba and Smuggled Soybeans in Brazil

ARGENTINA / 11 JAN 2022

As Brazil works to maintain its dominance of the soybean market, it is facing an ascending challenge: a flood of cheap grains smuggled illegally from Argentina.

A Pound of Flesh: Contraband Meat Wiping Out Paraguay's Farmers

CONTRABAND / 6 JAN 2022

A string of contraband meat seizures in Paraguay is indicative of the way smuggling has undercut the country’s flagging domestic agriculture industry in the wake of COVID-19.

How to Smuggle Fried Rice into a Colombian Prison

COLOMBIA / 17 DEC 2021

A lucrative covert delivery business run by prison guards in Colombia has provided yet another example of the diverse range of services inmates can enjoy behind bars.

Belize, the Gatekeeper for Contraband Tobacco Flowing into Mexico

BELIZE / 9 NOV 2021

While contraband cigarettes are a mainstay across Latin America, Belize has confirmed its status as a major port of entry for illegal tobacco into Mexico.

Illegal Cigarettes Produced with Slave Labor in Brazil

BRAZIL / 2 NOV 2021

Counterfeit cigarettes may appear harmless, but the illicit tobacco trade often spurs other criminal activities – with the latest case being the use of slave labor by a ring that…

The Coast of Sucre - Venezuela's Most Dangerous Place for Piracy

CARIBBEAN / 15 OCT 2021

Merchants travelling to Trinidad and Tobago, fishing vessels, even the occasional tourist – all are tempting targets for pirates off Venezuela’s northern state of Sucre.  …

Contraband Chinese Cigarettes Take Latin America by Storm

CHINA AND CRIME / 11 OCT 2021

Contraband Chinese cigarettes are pouring into Latin America, infiltrating old smuggling routes and threatening longstanding criminal empires.

Venezuela's International Appetite for Stolen Luxury Cars

CONTRABAND / 7 OCT 2021

Specialist gangs are smuggling luxury vehicles from Colombia into Venezuela, shining a spotlight on how the country has become a destination for stolen cars from as far away as Miami.

Fowl Play – How Contraband Chicken is Flooding Paraguay

ARGENTINA / 24 SEP 2021

An influx of contraband chicken from Argentina into Paraguay has overwhelmed the local market and is threatening to put local farmers out of business.

Bombs Away - Dynamite Smugglers Sell to Illegal Mines in Peru

CONTRABAND / 27 AUG 2021

Authorities in Peru have dismantled a ring that sold explosives to gangs involved in illegal mining, showing how dangerous products needed to mine gold generate illicit profits.

Closed Borders Help Argentina Make Large-Scale Coca Leaf Seizures

ARGENTINA / 11 AUG 2021

Authorities in Argentina are seizing bumper crops of coca leaves coming over the country's northwest border with Bolivia, causing the price of the leaves - likely intended for chewing as…

Quarter of Pesticides in Brazil Illegally Smuggled from China

BRAZIL / 11 AUG 2021

A number of recent raids have highlighted how illegal pesticide smuggling in Brazil is fueled by Chinese contraband.

Drug Gangs, Thieves Team Up for Violent Cargo Robberies in Rio

BRAZIL / 28 JUL 2021

A cargo-theft ring in Rio de Janeiro partnered with a drug gang to steal millions of dollars’ worth of goods, showing how criminal actors in Brazil come together to commit…

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Guatemala Social Insecurity Investigation Makes Front Page News

10 DEC 2021

InSight Crime’s latest investigation into a case of corruption within Guatemala's social security agency linked to the deaths of patients with kidney disease made waves in…

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela El Dorado Investigation Makes Headlines

3 DEC 2021

InSight Crime's investigation into the trafficking of illegal gold in Venezuela's Amazon region generated impact on both social media and in the press. Besides being republished and mentioned by several…

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Gender and Investigative Techniques Focus of Workshops

26 NOV 2021

On November 23-24, InSight Crime conducted a workshop called “How to Cover Organized Crime: Investigation Techniques and A Focus on Gender.” The session convened reporters and investigators from a dozen…

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InSight Crime Names Two New Board Members

19 NOV 2021

In recent weeks, InSight Crime added two new members to its board. Joy Olson is the former executive director of the Washington Office on Latin America…

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Senate Commission in Paraguay Cites InSight Crime

12 NOV 2021

InSight Crime’s reporting and investigations often reach the desks of diplomats, security officials and politicians. The latest example occurred in late October during a commission of Paraguay's Senate that tackled…

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