Eco Trafficking
Brief /
Fish Bladders Mean Big Business for Chinese and Mexican Smugglers
The swim bladder of an endangered fish caught only in Mexico nets tens of thousands of dollars in China’s black markets, with traffickers from both countries...
Brief /
Eco-Trafficking Thrives Along Lawless Guatemala-Belize Border
A poorly defined and lawless border region between Belize and Guatemala is proving to be fertile ground for eco traffickers to further their criminal interests,...
Analysis /
Illegal Logging in Chihuahua is Now Mexico Cartel Territory
The six bodies, minus their heads, were dumped just before dawn on a morning in late October. They were left in front of a gas station on the outskirts of Creel,...
Brief /
Spain Dismantles Cold-Blooded Wildlife Trafficking Ring
Authorities in Spain have dismantled a massive transnational reptile trafficking network, highlighting how the low risks and high rewards of wildlife trafficking...
Brief /
Corrupt Police in Paraguay See Opportunity in Illegal Logging
Authorities in Paraguay have arrested more than a dozen police officers for attempting to steal confiscated wood, underscoring the attractiveness of Latin America's...
Brief /
Bolivia Bust Shows Demand for Wildlife in China
A recent eco-trafficking bust in Bolivia involving Chinese nationals demonstrates how the ongoing trade in exotic animal parts is being fueled by Asian...
Analysis /
Report Exposes Inner Workings of Timber Trafficking in Peru
A new report into an emblematic case of timber trafficking in Peru highlights the corruption and fraud that continue to sabotage attempts to crack down on a trade...
Brief /
Tentacles of Organized Crime in Mexico Extend to Octopus Theft
More than a dozen trailers transporting multi-ton shipments of frozen octopus have been reported stolen in Mexico in the last month, illustrating how crime groups...
Brief /
US Makes Commercial Move to Reduce Illegal Logging in Peru
The United States has blocked imports from a Peru timber exporter suspected of illegal logging in a move that is the first of its kind. But the impact of the...
Brief /
How Mexican Crime Groups Profit From Illegal Fish Bladder Trade
A new report has highlighted the need for authorities in Mexico to treat the trafficking of illegal fish bladders as an urgent security issue, assessing the factors...
Brief /
Report Links Spike in Colombia Deforestation to FARC Demobilization
A new report says deforestation in Colombia increased considerably in 2016, with over a third of deforestation occurring in FARC concentration zones created as part...
Analysis /
How Trump’s Environmental Policy Undermines LatAm Security
US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from a global agreement to fight climate change hinders efforts to tackle environmental challenges in Latin America...
