Groups
In the world of organized crime, there are dozens of criminal organizations operating throughout the region. InSight profiles these groups, tracking their origins, modus operandi and structure to give the most complete picture of them.
Mexico Criminal Groups
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Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel, often described as the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western Hemisphere, is an alliance of some of Mexico’s top capos. The coalition's members… -
Familia Michoacana
At the height of its power, the Familia Michoacana’s brutal tactics, strong base of operations and pseudo-religious ideology made it a formidable operation and a point of fascination for outsiders.… -
Zetas
The Zetas, once the military wing of the Gulf Cartel, are now among one of the most violent groups in Mexico, with a growing presence in neighboring Guatemala. The Zetas…
Colombia Criminal Groups
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FARC
As the biggest irregular guerrilla army in Colombia, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - FARC) operates in different regions of the country mainly in… -
Oficina de Envigado
The inheritors of Pablo Escobar’s drug trafficking empire in Colombia, the Oficina de Envigado is now a hodgepodge of smaller organizations that seeks alliances with street gangs to keep control… -
Urabeños
One of the many groups made up of former mid-level paramilitary leaders, the Urabeños have caused homicide rates to skyrocket in Colombia’s northern departments. The Urabeños, also known as the Autodefensas…
Guatemala Criminal Groups
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Juan Chamale
Juan Alberto Ortiz Lopez, alias ‘Juan Chamale,’ is ranked by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as Guatemala’s number one drug trafficker. Ortiz operates with his group in the… -
Lorenzanas
The Lorenzanas are a traditional contraband family, who, over time, became enmeshed in the lucrative drug trade. Despite the capture of the family's patriarch, Waldemar Lorenzana, in April 2011, they… -
Leones
The Leones, who operate along the Eastern border with Honduras and El Salvador, were car thieves and cattle rustlers before entering the drug trade. Much of their business was via…
