Analysis /
El Salvador Seizing Thousands of Guns but Flow of Weapons Continues
Salvadoran authorities recently claimed that an anti-gang campaign has led to thousands of weapons being seized. But the numbers and types of weapons seized are...
Analysis /
Nicaragua Not Spared As Cocaine Flows Through Central America
A string of drug trafficking busts connected to Nicaragua have occurred over the past few weeks, raising questions over just how much cocaine is flowing through the...
Brief /
Demobilized Fighters in Colombia’s Meta Targeted by Ex-Farc Mafia
The reintegration process for demobilized FARC fighters in Colombia’s Eastern Plains is under threat by ex-FARC Mafia groups looking to recruit and reassert power...
Brief /
Worth Its Weight In Gold: New Unit Combats Mine Heists In Mexico
Six months after a sophisticated robbery where gunmen hijacked gold and silver bars being loaded onto a plane in Mexico, the government has stood up a specialized...
Brief /
ELN Likely to Quickly Move Past Uriel’s Death in Colombia
The killing of ELN commander Uriel -- a well-known figure often seen in propaganda videos and press reports -- is a visible win for Colombia’s security forces,...
Brief /
Drug Dealers in Brazil Accused of Bankrolling Soccer Games
To sell and promote their product, drug dealers in Rio de Janeiro have organized cash-prize soccer matches — in an example of how even low-level criminals use...
Analysis /
Paraguay Forest Fires Fueled by Increasing Marijuana Demand During Pandemic
The forest fires that have blazed across Paraguay in recent weeks seem to have been, in part, started by criminal groups seeking to clear space for more marijuana...
Brief /
Fake Turtle Eggs With GPS Trackers Seek Rollout Across Latin America
An experiment to track poached turtle eggs through the use of synthetic eggs equipped with GPS trackers in Costa Rica has offered a seductive new approach to...
Analysis /
Latin America’s History of Dirty Cops, Ministers and Generals
There is one element that has proven vital to the operational success of international drug trafficking organizations the world over, including Latin America, it is...
Analysis /
Mexico City Braces for Impact from Jalisco Cartel Advance
Despite having long played down the presence of the powerful Jalisco Cartel in Mexico City, a series of recent moves are making such denials increasingly...
Analysis /
How Did Culiacán Change After October 17? The Open Wound
The walls have now been patched up. There is nothing left on the streets but dust; customers are ready to go back into restaurants, the City Club wholesale store is...
Brief /
Textiles Contraband Surges in Colombia as Convenient Money Laundering Tactic
Fashion continues to fuel money laundering in Colombia, generating millions in losses for the country's textile...