Across the Americas, Governments Aim to Rein in Flow of Guns

InSight Crime spoke to journalist Ioan Grillo to better understand gun trafficking into Latin America from the United States.

Will Designating Mexican Crime Groups as Terrorists Help Fight Them?

US officials may designate Mexican crime groups as terrorists, but this mischaracterizes the threat. …

As Marijuana Profits Dry Up, Mexico Crime Groups Turn to Alcohol and Logging

Mexico remains the main international provider of marijuana for the United States, but this has greatly diminished since 2013, forcing certain criminal groups to adapt and look for other funds.

The Next Generation of Criminal Groups Driving Violence in Mexico

Mexico's process of criminal fragmentation has been a slow burn. Many of the country's mightiest criminal groups have been unable to stay united, either due to internal strife, incursions from…

How Mexico's Drug Trade Has Evolved Over a Century

Misconceptions surrounding Mexico's drug trade have long been replicated in popular culture and public discourses.

How Mexico’s ‘Small Armies’ Came to Commit a Massacre

Two lesser-known criminal groups have grabbed headlines in recent weeks for their role in the brazen ambush and murder of women and children in northern Mexico, but how did these…

Will Killers Walk Free in Cartel Ambush of Mormon Family in Mexico?

The brazen murder of several children and women from a prominent American Mormon family by cartel gunmen in northern Mexico has yet again highlighted the country's abysmal security situation, while…

The Sinaloa Cartel's ‘El Mayo,’ Mexico’s Last True Capo

At the start of the fourth month of Mexico’s new government -- the so-called “Fourth Transformation” -- two feared capos have emerged as the kings of drug trafficking: the Sinaloa…

Illegal Logging in Chihuahua is Now Mexico Cartel Territory

The six bodies, minus their heads, were dumped just before dawn on a morning in late October. They were left in front of a gas station on the outskirts of Creel,…

Cause of Juárez Homicide Dip? Same as Homicide Jump

A truce among rival criminal gangs is said to be behind a sudden dip in homicides in Juárez, though the northern Mexico border city is still on path for its…

Mexico Rehab Center Massacre Tied to Conflict Over Local Drug Trade

Authorities have blamed conflict over local drug markets for a bloody massacre at a drug treatment center in Mexico, the latest example of violence fueled by Mexico's fragmented criminal landscape.

Rising Violence in Chihuahua, Mexico Points to Homegrown Disputes

The border state of Chihuahua, Mexico is confronting a resurgence of violent crime, but the fight seems more about local revenue streams than international trafficking routes.