Venezuelan Extortion Gangs Exploiting Instagram to Amplify Threats
Venezuelan extortion gangs are increasingly moving beyond issuing direct threats, instead broadcasting wide-reaching acts of intimidation to residents via social…
The Shattered Mafia Behind Criminal Chaos in Zulia, Venezuela
Listen to this article This audio was generated using text-to-speech software Over Carnival weekend, as families crowded into Maracaibo’s small,…
Latin America’s Criminal Bankers: Explaining Colombians’ Monopoly on Gota-a-Gota
Three cases in recent weeks highlight how Colombian groups continue to dominate gota-a-gota loansharking schemes across Central and South America,…
Fraud Groups Use Deepfakes to Enhance Imitation Scams in Peru
Fraudsters are targeting Peruvians using deepfake voice imitation, showing how criminal actors are using artificial intelligence to carry out sophisticated…
Hybrid Governance and the Criminal Fiefdoms of Tren de Aragua
There are specific expectations for residents of San Vicente, a neighborhood in Venezuela’s central state of Aragua. Men are not…
Honduras Makes Few Advances Against Crime During 6-Month State of Exception
The state of exception in Honduras has now been in place for six months. But contrary to government claims and…
3 Takeaways From the Mexico Peace Index 2023
Organized crime groups are increasingly driving violence in Mexico’s worst affected areas, a new report has revealed. Murders related to…
Gulf Cartel Still ‘Public Enemy No. 1’ on US-Mexico Border: Homeland Security
The Gulf Cartel has maintained a presence along the US-Mexico border across from south Texas for nearly a century, but…
The Fraudsters: Venezuela’s Organized Crime Vultures
“We’re watching your house, your wife, and your kids,” a calm but menacing voice told the journalist, a Venezuelan working…
Southern Mexico Extortion Suggests Migration of Central American Gangs
Reports of increasing extortion in southern Mexico suggest crackdowns on gangs in Central America may be pushing gang members to…