Anti-Mining ‘Crackdown’ Shifts Ops Elsewhere in Venezuela
Despite repeated and widely publicized government operations against illegal mining in Venezuela’s Amazonas state, the criminal networks and corrupt actors…
Environmental Defenders in Mexico Face Deadly Threats From Organized Crime
Environmental defenders in Mexico are facing increasingly lethal attacks as organized crime deepens its role in land conflicts, often with…
A Golden Opportunity: Maduro and Venezuelan Miners Target Essequibo
Just after 5 p.m. on May 13, 2025, shots rang out along the Cuyuní River, as troops from the Guyana…
Ecuador’s Illegal Mining Crackdowns Miss the Mark
Massive operations by Ecuador’s military against illegal mining following a historic massacre will do little to slow one of the…
The 3 Biggest Threats to Indigenous Communities in Peru’s Amazon
In Peru’s Amazon, Indigenous communities face an escalating threat from organized crime, yet remain largely invisible to the state, according…
Peru Massacre Exposes Mining Gangs’ Power
The massacre of 13 mine workers highlights how Peru’s mining gangs have developed into criminal behemoths. The bodies of the…
Illegal Gold Mining in Brazil Likely to Survive Tougher Regulations
Gold traders in Brazil must now prove that they get their metal from legal sources, following a recent Supreme Court…
6 Illegal Economies Threatening Latin America’s Ecosystems
Criminal organizations behind environmental crimes and other illicit economies in Latin America and the Caribbean are placing the region’s vast…
Organized Crime Cashes In on Record Gold Prices
Gold trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean has never been more profitable. Prices of the precious metal surged over…
GameChangers 2024: Global Cocaine Networks and Trump 2
Increased cocaine production delivered an extra $25 billion in earnings to transnational organized crime in 2024, ensuring greater criminal sophistication…