Violence Rising in Hidalgo, Mexico's Oil Theft Center

Hidalgo, Mexico faces a rise in violence connected to a parallel increase in oil theft.

Three Criminal Revelations from Mexico's Defense Ministry Leaks

Presidential assassination plots and the Jalisco Cartel's influence on government -- the juicy details of Mexico's SEDENA leaks.

High Gas Prices Make Fuel Theft Profitable in Mexico

Mexico is seeing a rapid spike in oil theft across much of the country, with observers divided as to whether high gas prices have led to more robberies, or vice…

The Smuggler's Dilemma - Black Market Oil from Venezuela or Colombia

Venezuela’s oil industry is beginning to make a muted recovery and the country’s black markets are reacting fast, with domestic fuel already starting to compete with smuggled Colombian imports. …

Daring Prison Break Shows Ongoing Influence of Oil Thieves in Mexico

A daring prison break in central Mexico was focused on freeing the leader of a relatively modest oil theft group, showing the importance of this criminal economy in parts of…

A Faustian Bargain: The Cost of Restoring Haiti's Fuel Supply

The relief provided by Haiti’s gangs finally releasing their chokehold on the country’s oil supply may only be temporary.

Why are Criminal Dynamics Constantly Changing in Tamaulipas, Mexico?

Cocaine, synthetic drugs, weapons, migrants, gasoline - this range of criminal economies has seen violence escalate in Mexico's northern state of Tamaulipas.

The ELN's Power Move: Pipeline Bombings in Colombia's Santander

series of attacks on oil pipelines in Colombia's northeastern department of Santander, for which the ELN has claimed responsibility, could be a show of strength ahead of the country's upcoming…

The Impressive Tunnelling Skills of Mexico's Gas Thieves

After the discovery of several elaborate tunnels used to siphon fuel to two hidden warehouses, it's clear that Mexico's gas theft rings have found success by going underground.

Venezuela Oil Crisis May Set Limits on PDVSA Impunity

Venezuelan officials may have finally met a PDVSA corruption scandal they cannot allow to go unpunished, hinting at just how dire the country’s oil and gas shortage has become.

GameChangers 2020: Tren de Aragua and the Exportation of Venezuelan Organized Crime

Venezuela has long been known as a strategic rearguard for Colombia guerrilla groups. Yet 2020 saw the acceleration of a newer dynamic: Venezuelan gangs now rival their Colombian counterparts in…

GameChangers 2020: How Black Markets Became the New Normal

In a region where 50 percent of the population already makes its living in the informal market, it was perhaps of little surprise that black markets exploded in 2020 amidst…