The Los Roques Archipelago -- a group of islands off Venezuela's northern coast known for their white sand beaches and turquoise waters -- has become a staging ground for smuggling…
Venezuela’s historic meltdown is often explained as a consequence of bad governance, corruption and the collapse of the oil sector or of international sanctions. Solutions are sought in the political…
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?…
About InSight Crime
Escaping Barrio 18
Last week, InSight Crime published an investigation charting the story of Desafío, a 28-year-old Barrio 18 gang member who is desperate to escape gang life. But there’s one problem: he’s…
Europe Coverage Makes a Splash
Last week, InSight Crime published an analysis of the role of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport as an arrival hub for cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico. The article was picked up by…
World Looks to InSight Crime for Mexico Expertise
Our coverage of the arrest of Chapitos’ co-founder Ovidio Guzmán López in Mexico has received worldwide attention.In the UK, outlets including The Independent and BBC…
InSight Crime Shares Expertise with US State Department
Last week, InSight Crime Co-founder Steven Dudley took part in the International Anti-Corruption Conference organized by the US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, & Labor and…
Immediate Response to US-Mexico Marijuana Investigation
InSight Crime’s investigation into how the legalization of marijuana in many US states has changed Mexico’s criminal dynamics made a splash this week appearing on the front page of…
Stay Informed with Weekly InSight
Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox.
SUBSCRIBE