Mega-Gang Turns Venezuela’s Largest Landfill into Criminal Fortress
Mega-Gang Turns Venezuela’s Largest Landfill into Criminal Fortress Venezuela’s largest garbage dump has become a lawless territory where waste has become the raw material for a lucrative and growing...
View ArticleEPL, Rastrojos Behind Rising Violence in Venezuela Border State of Táchira
EPL, Rastrojos Behind Rising Violence in Venezuela Border State of Táchira A recent shootout at the main border crossing between Colombia and Venezuela and the killing of five people in another border...
View ArticleEx-FARC Mafia Shaking Down Smugglers on Colombia-Ecuador Border
Ex-FARC Mafia Shaking Down Smugglers on Colombia-Ecuador Border The hijacking of 11 vehicles loaded with contraband by ex-FARC Mafia along the border with Ecuador has revealed a new form of criminal...
View ArticlePro-Government Guerrillas Mix Political, Criminal Interests in Venezuela
Pro-Government Guerrillas Mix Political, Criminal Interests in Venezuela Pro-government guerrillas in Venezuela have begun training civilians in armed combat, showing the symbiotic relationship between...
View ArticleColombia Flooded with Black Market Cigarettes
Colombia Flooded with Black Market Cigarettes US tobacco giant Philip Morris has shut down its two factories in Colombia partly because of illegal cigarette sales, highlighting a spike in contraband...
View ArticleColombia-Venezuela Border Reopens, But Hidden Trails Still Hotspots
Colombia-Venezuela Border Reopens, But Hidden Trails Still Hotspots The reopening of a major Colombia-Venezuela border crossing is an important step to stop Venezuelans from trekking across remote...
View ArticleIllegal Cigarettes Increasing Presence in Brazil and Southern Cone
Illegal Cigarettes Increasing Presence in Brazil and Southern Cone Argentina, Chile and Brazil are struggling with increased demand for smuggled cigarettes, as these provide major revenue for criminal...
View ArticleCorrupt Paraguay Officials Allow Thriving Contraband Market Into Brazil
Corrupt Paraguay Officials Allow Thriving Contraband Market Into Brazil A series of raids have highlighted how widespread corruption among Paraguayan officials has allowed smugglers to operate with...
View ArticleRental Cars from Argentina Exchanged for Drugs on Bolivia Border
Rental Cars from Argentina Exchanged for Drugs on Bolivia Border A criminal gang operating along the Argentina-Bolivia border exchanged stolen luxury rental cars for drugs, exposing a new transaction...
View ArticleHomeless People Abused to Smuggle Cell Phones in Costa Rica Jails
Homeless People Abused to Smuggle Cell Phones in Costa Rica Jails A group that used homeless people to smuggle cell phones and drugs into Costa Rican prisons is under investigation, the second time...
View ArticleVenezuela Archipelago, New Hotspot for Drug Smuggling
Venezuela Archipelago, New Hotspot for Drug Smuggling The Los Roques Archipelago — a group of islands off Venezuela’s northern coast known for their white sand beaches and turquoise waters — has become...
View ArticleSmuggled Ecuador Gas Fuels Colombia Cocaine Production
Smuggled Ecuador Gas Fuels Colombia Cocaine Production A massive flow of smuggled fuel from Ecuador into Colombia is benefiting drug traffickers who use it to produce cocaine and to gas up boats moving...
View ArticleArgentina Customs ‘Mafia’ Earns Millions From China Imports
Argentina Customs ‘Mafia’ Earns Millions From China Imports Authorities in Argentina are prosecuting 48 customs officials accused of leading an elaborate network that made millions forging records of...
View ArticleGuyana’s Mining Region is Open Door to Venezuelan Organized Crime
Guyana’s Mining Region is Open Door to Venezuelan Organized Crime A recent Crisis Group report explores criminal dynamics in the Guyanese mining region bordering Venezuela, revealing how the chaos and...
View ArticleJade: New Crown Jewel for Crime Groups in Guatemala
Jade: New Crown Jewel for Crime Groups in Guatemala Authorities have uncovered that an eastern coastal region of Guatemala, known to be a cocaine corridor, has been used in the trafficking of jade — a...
View ArticleBrazil Fighting Pesticide Smuggling War on Two Fronts
Brazil Fighting Pesticide Smuggling War on Two Fronts A growing black market for pesticides has left Brazil in a bind, fighting large robberies at home while also cracking down on smuggled agricultural...
View ArticleChile’s Copper Robbing Epidemic Likely Fueled by China Demand
Chile’s Copper Robbing Epidemic Likely Fueled by China Demand The seizure of tons of stolen copper near Santiago, Chile — set to be sent illegally to China — suggests that increasingly daring robberies...
View ArticleBlack Market for Mayan Artifacts Still Thrives in Guatemala
Black Market for Mayan Artifacts Still Thrives in Guatemala Guatemalan authorities carried out raids at a shop selling illegally sourced artifacts, renewing focus on the country’s struggles to stamp...
View ArticleContraband Cheese From Venezuela on Colombia’s Criminal Menu
Contraband Cheese From Venezuela on Colombia’s Criminal Menu Cheese has increasingly joined oil and other commodities smuggled along the border between Colombia and Venezuela, and criminal groups are...
View ArticleCoronavirus Squeezing Finances of Mexico’s Criminal Groups
Coronavirus Squeezing Finances of Mexico’s Criminal Groups Contacts in China provide Mexican criminal groups with everything from counterfeit luxury goods to chemical precursors for making fentanyl....
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