Brian Blue, a notorious drug trafficker, continues to evade capture in Suriname


** Weekly InSight
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March 15, 2024

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This week, InSight Crime revisits the case of Brian Blue, a notorious drug trafficker who continues ([link removed]) to evade capture despite – or perhaps because of – his alleged ties to the country’s vice president. InSight Crime outlines Blue’s criminal career and details how corruption at the highest levels of government may be helping him remain at large.

Also this week, The InSight Crime Podcast tells ([link removed]) the story of two gang collaborators incarcerated in a women's prison in Támara, Honduras.

In Haiti, Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned ([link removed]) and remains exiled in Puerto Rico. Over the weekend, gangs attacked state institutions, including the presidential palace. 5.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and the country is on the brink of collapse.

In the United States, Honduran ex-President Juan Orlando Hernández was found guilty ([link removed]) of drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, in Venezuela, state security forces killed ([link removed]) Deiber Johan Gonzalez, alias “Carlos Capa”, one of the country’s most notorious criminal leaders.

This and more below.


** Featured ([link removed])
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** The Surinamese Cocaine Trafficker Endlessly Evading Justice ([link removed])
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Surinamese drug trafficker Brian Blue remains at large months after InSight Crime exposed his suspected ties to the country’s vice president, showcasing his ability to stay off the radar of Surinamese authorities despite his rising international profile.

Three months after InSight Crime revealed that a US Drug Enforcement Administration special agent suspected that Suriname’s Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk had intervened in an August 2020 drug bust linked to Blue, Suriname authorities have not announced any investigation into the trafficker.

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** New Episode: InSight Crime Podcast ([link removed])
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** One Prison, Two Gangs ([link removed])
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InSight Crime’s podcast this week comes from a women's prison in Támara, a small town in the hills surrounding Honduras’ capital city, Tegucigalpa. On June 20, 2023, the penitentiary became the site of one of the most violent massacres ever to take place in a women's prison in Latin America.

In the podcast, we meet two gang collaborators, one from 18th Street and one from MS13. Through their stories, we explore what life in the prison was like under the constant gang tension and looming threat of violence.

We asked the lead investigator of the story, Victoria Dittmar, to tell us what it took to gain access to the prison and speak with the women associated with the gangs. Subscribe to the podcast's special newsletter ([link removed]) to receive each new episode and additional material about these stories.

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** News Analysis
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** In Brazil, Old Police Tactics Lead to Same Results ([link removed])
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Killings by police rose sharply in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, in the first two months of 2024, as authorities continue to rely on repressive tactics to try to curb crime, a strategy that has yet to produce any long-term … ([link removed])
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** Prime Minister’s Resignation Tips Haiti Into Uncharted Territory ([link removed])
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Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has announced his resignation, underscoring how gangs have become the dominant power in Haiti. ([link removed])

Henry announced his resignation … ([link removed])

Anti-Corruption Commission Confronts Guatemala’s ‘Continuum of Impunity’ ([link removed])

High-Profile Chile Murder Shows Tren de Aragua’s Sophistication ([link removed])

Juan Orlando Hernández Declared Guilty on Drug Trafficking Charges ([link removed])

Carlos Capa, Defiant Criminal Boss, Killed in Venezuela ([link removed])

Despite Rumors of a Split, PCC Remains United ([link removed])


** Impact
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** InSight Crime’s Maps Reach Huge Social Media Audience ([link removed])
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InSight Crime's maps are reaching an increasing number of social media users, helping explain complex criminal dynamics to new audiences. In 2023, InSight Crime’s multimedia team produced over 800 graphics.

Our maps of cocaine trafficking routes are making the rounds on TikTok ([link removed]) , with one video racking up nearly a million views in recent days.

Our homicide round-up map was also recently shared by Honduras’ security minister and Ecuador's former President Rafael Correa, leading to tens of thousands of additional views and interactions.

Learn about cocaine trafficking routes > ([link removed])

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** This Week's Criminal Profile: Jimmy Chérizier, alias ‘Barbecue’ ([link removed])
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Haiti plunged further into chaos this week after Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he would resign following calls for his ouster led by gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, alias “Barbecue.”

Haiti has a fractured criminal landscape, though the gangs have shown increased unity and determination in this week’s continued onslaught against Haitian state institutions. Barbecue leads a newly expanded federation of gangs called Viv Ansanm. He is one of several powerful gang leaders looking to exploit Haiti’s current crisis to maximize his own power.
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Read our Jimmy Chérizier profile > ([link removed])
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** Media Mentions
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March 11, 2024

Courier Journal ([link removed])
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“Last month’s news story from InSight Crime described a DEA investigation that focused on López Obrador’s allies allegedly receiving millions of dollars from the Sinaloa Cartel during his unsuccessful 2006 presidential campaign.”

Read the cited article here > ([link removed])


** Our Trending Topics
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HAITI ([link removed])
G9 AND FAMILY ([link removed])
SURINAME ([link removed])
EL MENCHO ([link removed].)

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