The Future of Drug Trafficking Out of Venezuela
Drug trafficking out of Venezuela predates Nicolás Maduro and will long outlive him. The question is whether the cocaine trade…
On the Radar: The Ripples of Maduro’s Removal Continue
This week, we analyze the ripples of recent US operations in the Caribbean and Venezuela across the region. That includes…
5 Criminal Figures Who Helped Develop Venezuela’s System of Corruption
The arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on drug trafficking charges on January 3 brought into…
How a New Port Created Ecuador’s Latest Criminal Epicenter
It was around 3 p.m. on July 19 when a young man stumbled into a small billiards hall in the…
The Shifting Tides of Drug Trafficking on Venezuela’s Margarita Island
The small fishing vessel Sedna set sail as usual on the morning of June 3 from Punta Arenas, one of…
Why Is the US Attacking ‘Cartels’ That Don’t Exist?
US authorities have said recent missile strikes against alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean — and now in the Pacific…
US Drone Strike Highlights Sucre’s Role in Venezuela’s Cocaine Corridor
On September 2, a small boat left the coast of Sucre state, Venezuela, and headed into the Caribbean Sea. Moments…
5 New Creative Ways Traffickers Tried to Smuggle Cocaine
The endless growth of the global cocaine trade and the game of whack-a-mole to stop it has propelled innovation and…
Chiquito Malo: Warlord of Colombia’s AGC Crime Conglomerate
Jobanis de Jesús Ávila Villadiego alias ‘Chiquito Malo’ Name Jobanis de Jesús Ávila Villadiego Alias Chiquito Malo Country Colombia Criminal…
The Fall of Fito: What It Means — and Doesn’t — for Ecuador’s Underworld
Ecuadorian security forces captured the country’s most notorious criminal leader in a crucial — though largely symbolic — win in…