Study Finds Paraguay's Illegal Economy Equal to 40% of GDP

A new study estimates that Paraguay's illegal economy was equal to 40 percent of the country's GDP last year, a huge number that points to how pervasive a wide range…

Argentina, Paraguay Smugglers Use Drug Routes for Contraband Soybeans

Paraguay is exporting more soybeans than it produces in a tell-tale sign of a booming contraband smuggling trade that utilizes the same cross-border blindspots as drug trafficking in the region.

Cattle Smuggling Defies Drop in Colombia-Venezuela Contraband

Police in Colombia have seized over 1,800 cows smuggled into the country from Venezuela so far this year, shining a light on one of the few contraband sectors still thriving…

Contraband Costing Guatemala 22% of Annual Budget

Representatives from Guatemala's agricultural industry have claimed food contraband has increased by almost one-third this year and cost the government over $2 billion in 2015, an accusation that does not…

In Food-Starved Venezuela, Cartel of the Flour?

Authorities in food-poor Venezuela arrested two individuals on suspicion of smuggling almost three tons of white powder, but it wasn't the usual seizure of illegal drugs. It was flour.

Gas Smugglers Busted as Colombia-Venezuela Contraband in Flux

Authorities in Colombia have dismantled what they claim to be the biggest gasoline smuggling network operating along the Venezuela border, a blow against smuggling that comes at a time when…

Colombia Busts Fake Medicine Ring Worth Millions

Authorities in Colombia disbanded what they are calling one the country's biggest contraband medicine networks, providing a look into a highly profitable criminal industry that has resulted in a high…

Crime Groups Win in Colombia - Venezuela Border Closure

Venezuela's decision to close its border with Colombia in 2015 has been hugely profitable for criminal groups, who now have unprecedented control over contraband movements in the region.

Cargo Theft is Big Business for Brazil Crime Groups

Cargo theft is emerging as one of the principal illicit revenue streams of organized crime groups in Brazil and some of those profits are funneled into more traditional pursuits such…

The Origins of Organized Crime in Venezuela

In this two-part series, Venezuelan journalist Javier Mayorca examines the evolution of organized crime in Venezuela, from the first manifestations of official corruption and contraband during colonial times and the…

Officials Claim Colombia-Venezuela Border Closures Reduce Smuggling

Colombian officials in cities along the Venezuela border have reported huge drops in contraband smuggling after six months of closed border crossings, but on the ground, smuggling networks appear to…

Colombia-Venezuela Crisis Shows Human Cost of Illegal Economy Crackdown

The near complete closure of the Colombia-Venezuela border could spell disaster for communities reliant on the black market economy of smuggling, despite the efforts of the Colombian government to…