Dredgers have been found in several rivers across Peru's northern department of Loreto, confirming that illegal gold mining has been rapidly expanding into previously untapped parts of the country.
Recent raids on illegal mining operations in Timbiquí, Cauca were part of a broad crackdown on criminal economies being used by ex-FARC mafia groups, but they may only stoke anti-government…
Peru has agreed to send accused international gold smuggler Peter Ferrari to the United States to face trial -- but it's unclear when, or even whether, he will face justice. …
Peru has deployed drones to some of the country's remote areas to track illegal mining, but using the information to capture and make cases against illegal miners is a challenge.
Peruvian authorities dismantled a human trafficking network operating in the region of Madre de Dios, a territory known for illegal mining activity.
The announcement in late August that three important former leaders of the demobilized FARC were returning to war did not only threaten the fragile Colombian peace agreement but raised questions…
A criminal network which used creative methods, including hiring legitimate jewelers, to help smuggle gold into Panama and launder proceeds back in Colombia has been brought down, underscoring the rising…
Thousands of police and military have swept through the north Ecuador district of Buenos Aires in an attempt to control the illegal mining boom that has ravaged the region, but…
Outbreaks of malaria and diphtheria in a region of Venezuela where these diseases are rare has revealed how armed groups are organizing a vast migration to illegal mines.
Authorities in Peru say they have successfully driven illegal gold mining out of the Amazon, but will other illegal economies take its place?…
A new investigation by Colombia's Attorney General's Office has revealed a potential stain on revenues of a major gold mining company concerning attempts to launder profits gained from illegal mining.
A new investigation into illegal mining has revealed that Peruvian prosecutors are digging into a large Swiss refinery for buying suspect gold. The case is the latest against a multinational…
About InSight Crime
Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua Becomes Truly Transnational
This week, InSight Crime published a deep dive into the total control that Venezuelan mega-gang, Tren de Aragua, has over the lives of those it smuggles between Venezuela and Chile…
Turkish Traffickers Delivering Latin American Cocaine to Persian Gulf
Last week, InSight Crime published the second half of an investigation piecing together the emerging role of Turkish cocaine traffickers in supplying Russia and the Persian Gulf, which are among…
Turkey as a Lynchpin in European Cocaine Pipeline
InSight Crime is extending its investigation into the cocaine pipeline to Europe, and tracking the growing connections between Latin American drug traffickers and European criminal organizations. This led us to…
Memo Fantasma Coverage Gets Worldwide Attention
Guillermo Acevedo, the former Colombian drug lord and paramilitary commander better known as Memo Fantasma, may soon be allowed to leave prison. Since first revealing the identity of Memo Fantasma…
Who Are Memo Fantasma and Sergio Roberto de Carvalho?
Inside the criminal career of Memo Fantasma In March 2020, InSight Crime revealed the identity and whereabouts of Memo Fantasma, a paramilitary commander and drug trafficker living in…
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