Massacres Surge as Gangs Atomize in Ecuador
A recent series of massacres in Ecuador is further evidence that more access to high-powered weapons, heightened impunity, and an…
Earnings From Illegal Gold Hit Record High in Peru
The earnings from Illegally extracted gold in Peru have soared to record levels, fueling criminal organizations while the country debates…
Tren de Guayana Gang Expands Into Southern Venezuela Mining Towns
Tren de Guayana, one of Venezuela’s oldest illegal mining groups, allegedly has used ties to President Nicolás Maduro’s administration to…
How Maduro’s Criminal Regime Is Tilting the Venezuela Elections
This Sunday’s presidential elections will define not only the democratic future of Venezuela but its criminal evolution, and President Nicolás…
As Government Pressure Mounts, Ecuador’s Armed Gangs Strike Gold
After a 24-hour search party in the early days of July, police and military were met with gunfire as they…
As Government Pressure Mounts, Ecuador’s Gangs Strike Gold
After a 24-hour search party in the early days of July, police and military were met with gunfire as they…
The Mafias Behind Sand Trafficking in Latin America
Just 50 miles from Rio de Janeiro’s world-famous beaches, one of the city’s most powerful gangsters found a fortune to…
The Dragons of Chocó: Illegal Gold Mining in Colombia’s Rivers
Riding up the Quito River, trees claw their way to the edges of the riverbanks, forming an impenetrable forest wall…
Illegal Mining Grows in Southern Venezuela, as Brazil Tightens Grip
Recent reports from military operations and civil society groups indicate that the presence of Brazilian miners in the south of…
The Poisonous Mercury Trade
Mercury, employed by miners to extract gold from soil and sediment, is smuggled daily in bottles across Bolivia’s borders with…