Spotters, Jammers, and Hijackers: Costa Rica’s Cargo Theft System Explained
Cargo theft is a lucrative illicit business in Costa Rica that requires an advanced level of organization and planning, as…
Inside Costa Rica’s Highway Robbery Business | The InSight Take
Reporter Owen Alfonso rode from the Panamanian border to Peñas Blancas, the main crossing between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, in…
Highwaymen: How Cargo Theft Gangs Operate in Costa Rica
PEÑAS BLANCAS, COSTA RICA – It was after midnight when we finally reached Peñas Blancas. We could not have timed…
Ketamine Trafficking Expands Across Latin America
More and more countries across Latin America and the Caribbean are reporting cases of ketamine trafficking, reflecting a shift in…
What the Murder of a Former Rebel Tells Us About Nicaragua’s Criminal Regime
Over 21,000 professionals trust InSight Crime for expert analysis on organized crime in Latin America Join our network of thought…
InSight Crime’s 2025 Homicide Round-Up
Despite the widespread use of states of emergency, the increasingly militarized response to organized crime, and the growth of criminal…
US Sanctions in Latin America Have Increased. But Can They Be Enforced?
The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is unleashing a wave of sanctions on drug traffickers and…
The State of Play: US Anti-Drug Cooperation in Latin America
Since US President Richard Nixon declared drugs public enemy number one in the 1970s and created the Drug Enforcement Administration…
Screwworm Scare Highlights Ongoing Cattle Trafficking Loopholes in Southern Mexico
Amid growing concerns over the spread of the screwworm parasite, Mexico’s national ranchers union is calling for tougher actions to…
InSight Crime’s 2022 Homicide Round-Up
Countries across Latin America and the Caribbean continued to experience high murder rates in 2022, as cocaine production reached new…