All About Kidnapping

BRIEF

Haiti President Calls for Aid as Gang Kidnappings Surge

HAITI / 28 JAN 2021

The president of Haiti is urging citizens to work together with the Caribbean nation’s police force to help quell an alarming uptick in gang kidnappings for ransom, highlighting the state’s…

Migrants at Risk as Coronavirus Shutters Mexico Shelters

COVID AND CRIME / 12 JAN 2021

The coronavirus pandemic has forced migrant shelters in Mexico to close or limit capacity, exacerbating an already precarious situation for migrants vulnerable to the predations of criminal groups.

Mexico’s Navy May Accept Alleged Role in 2018 Border Kidnappings

HUMAN RIGHTS / 30 JUL 2020

Mexico’s Navy has welcomed recommendations from a human rights group to accept responsibility for a number of disappearances that occurred along the US-Mexico border in 2018, seemingly confirming what locals…

Political Kidnappings Persist Unchecked in Nicaragua

ELITES AND CRIME / 19 FEB 2020

Political kidnappings carried out by pro-government paramilitary groups are going unreported by officials in Nicaragua, underscoring yet another way that President Daniel Ortega is working to mask growing insecurity and…

More than 500 Venezuela Security Officials Involved in Extortion, Kidnappings

EXTORTION / 7 NOV 2019

More than ten percent of extortion and kidnapping cases recorded in Venezuela involve members of the police and military, demonstrating the country’s continuing struggle with criminality in the security forces.

Kidnappings in Venezuela’s Táchira Tell Different Tale than Government Data

INFOGRAPHICS / 13 SEP 2019

Venezuela's northern border state of Táchira saw a jump in kidnappings during the first six months of 2019 -- a likely consequence of armed groups roaming the Venezuela-Colombia border. …

Immigration Crackdowns Drive Cuban-on-Cuban Crime in South Mexico

CUBA / 9 SEP 2019

Cubans now top the list of foreign criminals in the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo, with the region’s shifting migration landscape now having serious impacts on organized crime in…

Rise in Targeted Kidnappings Cause for Concern in Mexico City

KIDNAPPING / 25 JUN 2019

The kidnapping and murder of a university student has sparked broad concern about a rise in targeted kidnappings in Mexico City, and in particular the possible role of criminal group…

AMLO’s Complex Pledge to Uncover Mass Graves in Mexico

KIDNAPPING / 17 APR 2019

Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador recently reinstated the National Search System for Missing Persons (NSSMP), raising hopes that a real effort to uncover clandestine mass graves will take place.

Migrant Caravan in Mexico Changes Course, but Dangers Still Lurk

KIDNAPPING / 13 NOV 2018

A caravan of Central American migrants traveling to the United States has changed its intended route to avoid the Texas-Mexico border — a move that shows even such a large…

How and Where Organized Crime Preys on Migrants in Mexico

HUMAN SMUGGLING / 17 JUL 2018

A new report shows how and where organized crime groups victimize Central American migrants in Mexico.

Mexico’s Record High Kidnappings Fueled by Fractured Cartels

HOMICIDES / 30 NOV 2017

Official statistics in Mexico suggest that kidnapping cases will reach a record high this year, a consequence of the atomization of the country’s main organized crime groups. According to statistics…

ELN Peace Talks Stumble Once Again over Kidnapping Issue

ELN / 14 JUN 2017

Peace negotiations between Colombia's government and the ELN guerrilla group have backtracked once again due to the issue of ongoing kidnappings by the rebels, highlighting how this issue has become…

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ABOUT US
THE ORGANIZATION

Strategic Communications Manager Job Description

12 FEB 2021

InSight Crime is looking for a full-time strategic communications manager. This person needs to be able to work in a fast-paced world of daily news, high-profile investigations, national and international…

THE ORGANIZATION

We Have Updated Our Website

4 FEB 2021

Welcome to our new home page. We have revamped the site to create a better display and reader experience.

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime Events – Border Crime: The Northern Triangle and Tri-Border Area

ARGENTINA / 25 JAN 2021

Through several rounds of extensive field investigations, our researchers have analyzed and mapped out the main illicit economies and criminal groups present in 39 border departments spread across the six countries of study – the Northern Triangle trio of Guatemala, Honduras, and El…

BRIEF

InSight Crime’s ‘Memo Fantasma’ Investigation Wins Simón Bolívar National Journalism Prize

COLOMBIA / 20 NOV 2020

The staff at InSight Crime was awarded the prestigious Simón Bolívar national journalism prize in Colombia for its two-year investigation into the drug trafficker known as “Memo Fantasma,” which was…

ANALYSIS

InSight Crime – From Uncovering Organized Crime to Finding What Works

COLOMBIA / 12 NOV 2020

This project began 10 years ago as an effort to address a problem: the lack of daily coverage, investigative stories and analysis of organized crime in the Americas. …