All About Illegal Mining

COLOMBIA / 28 MAR 2017

The ELN has denied responsibility for the killing of five civilians in the Colombian department of Chocó. The latest violence shows the zone's valuable strategic position and highly lucrative criminal economies…

ILLEGAL MINING / 20 JAN 2017

Peru's government is targeting the illegal gold trade by declaring illegal mining an organized crime activity while launching a new formalization program for miners, in a carrot and stick strategy…

BOLIVIA / 11 JAN 2017

Latin America saw a boom in illegal mining in 2016, as organized crime recognized the potential of dirty gold.

COLOMBIA / 16 NOV 2016

Panama's forest areas are seeing a growth in illegal mining, raising the question of which criminal organizations are behind these activities.

ILLEGAL MINING / 10 OCT 2016

A high-ranking Peruvian police officer recently linked rising violence in Madre de Dios to the region’s illegal gold mining industry, highlighting the various criminal activities fueled by illicit gold revenues…

ILLEGAL MINING / 29 SEP 2016

A prominent Mexican activist turned government official recently called attention to the ties between organized crime and the nation's mining industry, sounding an alarm that has grown increasingly loud in…

COLOMBIA / 4 AUG 2016

The vast majority of gold in Colombia's mines is extracted illegally, according to one expert, underscoring the importance of this illegal economy as the country prepares for a new chapter…

ECUADOR / 8 JUL 2016

An investigation in Ecuador has revealed how the country has become a major transit hub for illegal Peruvian gold exported to the United States, an evolution directly linked to Peru's…

COLOMBIA / 6 JUL 2016

A multi-year investigation has revealed that up to 70 percent of mining in Colombia is illegal, a statistic that brings home the importance of tackling this criminal industry as part…

COLOMBIA / 29 JUN 2016

The findings of a recent report highlight the disastrous environmental impacts of unregulated gold mining in Colombia and its geographical correlation with coca cultivation, two criminal economies the country must now…

ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME / 22 JUN 2016

A new report documents 2015 as the worst year on record for murders of land and environmental defenders. Latin American countries were among the most dangerous for activists, in part…

COLOMBIA / 16 JUN 2016

The arrest of a Brazilian national who is both a registered miner in Colombia and the alleged ringleader of an illegal mining structure illustrates the nebulous…

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All Eyes on Ecuador

2 JUN 2023

Our coverage of organized crime in Ecuador continues to be a valuable resource for international and local news outlets. Internationally, Reuters cited our 2022 Homicide Round-Up,…

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Open Position: Social Media and Engagement Strategist

27 MAY 2023

InSight Crime is looking for a Social Media and Engagement Strategist who will be focused on maintaining and improving InSight Crime’s reputation and interaction with its audiences through publishing activities…

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Venezuela Coverage Receives Great Reception

27 MAY 2023

Several of InSight Crime’s most recent articles about Venezuela have been well received by regional media. Our article on Venezuela’s colectivos expanding beyond their political role to control access to…

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InSight Crime's Chemical Precursor Report Continues

19 MAY 2023

For the second week in a row, our investigation into the flow of precursor chemicals for the manufacture of synthetic drugs in Mexico has been cited by multiple regional media…

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InSight Crime’s Chemical Precursor Report Widely Cited

THE ORGANIZATION / 12 MAY 2023

We are proud to see that our recently published investigation into the supply chain of chemical precursors feeding Mexico’s synthetic drug production has been warmly received.