The arrest and pending extradition of Marset’s life partner follows a string of arrests of other close allies as his criminal network unravels.
** Weekly InSight
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August 16, 2024
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This week, we analyzed ([link removed]) the crumbling inner circle of Sebastián Marset, the Uruguayan drug trafficker who has evaded authorities since 2019. The arrest and pending extradition of Marset’s life partner, Gianina García Troche, follows a string of arrests of other close allies as his criminal network unravels.
We also investigated ([link removed]) the conflicting narratives surrounding the arrest of Sinaloa Cartel leader El Mayo, Mexico’s most elusive drug lord, and how they are fueling US-Mexican tensions.
In addition, we explored ([link removed]) why worship of Santa Muerte by criminal actors continues to spread beyond Mexico; we uncovered ([link removed]) the growing role of technology in criminal operations in Brazil; and we explained ([link removed]) why the arrest of a key member of the Guatemalan cabinet signals the intensification of the fight against the government’s anti-corruption efforts.
This and more below.
** Featured
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** Marset’s Inner Circle Crumbles as the Elusive Uruguayan Trafficker Evades Capture ([link removed])
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The pending extradition of yet another alleged key player in Sebatián Marset’s money laundering schemes marks his latest setback, as the drug trafficker’s network appears to unravel.
Paraguay, Bolivia, and Spain met on August 9 to discuss the extradition of Gianina García Troche, the life partner and purported business manager of Marset, for allegedly laundering millions in drug money. The extradition requests by Paraguay and Bolivia follow her arrest on July 17 at Madrid’s international airport, as she flew in from Dubai.
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See more coverage from Uruguay > ([link removed])
** News Analysis
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** Santa Muerte Worship Continues Spreading Beyond Mexico ([link removed])
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The discovery in El Salvador of a shrine to Santa Muerte, a female deity associated with the criminal underworld, has revealed how the new religious movement has … ([link removed])
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** Technology Is Increasingly at the Heart of Criminal Operations in Brazil ([link removed])
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A multiagency force of federal and state authorities in Brazil dismantled communication towers and illegal cellphone shops, as organized crime embraces … ([link removed])
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** Truth or Lie? A Letter From El Mayo Fuels Mexico-US Tensions Over Sinaloa Cartel Arrests ([link removed])
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Controversy and conflicting narratives persist around the arrests of two top Sinaloa Cartel leaders in the United States, raising … ([link removed])
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** Attacks on Guatemala’s Anti-Corruption President Growing ([link removed])
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The arrest of a cabinet member in Guatemala marks an ominous escalation of a spurious legal crusade aimed at derailing the administration of President … ([link removed])
** Impact
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What We Do > ([link removed])
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Calling all journalists, researchers, communications students, media professionals and anyone else committed to the fight against disinformation:
On Friday, August 30, InSight Crime investigators Juliana Manjarrés and Christopher Newton will lead a virtual workshop where they will explain the essential concepts of data-driven investigative journalism and provide key skills in using data analysis to counter disinformation.
The workshop is free and will run from 10:00-12:00 Colombian time. Sign up via the link below. See you there!
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** This Week's Criminal Profile: First Capital Command – PCC
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Brazil’s largest criminal group, the First Capital Command (Primeiro Comando da Capital – PCC), has been accused by the São Paulo Civil Police of attempting to expand its influence into the world of politics. The group has allegedly illicitly financed candidates and used violence to interfere with municipal elections in São Paulo.
The PCC’s incursion into the world of politics is not so much a departure as it is a natural evolution for the group, who have increasingly used municipal contracts ([link removed]) to stretch their presence into the public domain in recent years.
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Read our PCC profile > ([link removed])
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Read our Brazil coverage > ([link removed])
** Multimedia
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“For organized crime in Brazil, smartphones are now an entry point into the virtual criminal world. And while street crime is dropping overall, the demand for phones has caused a rise in nonviolent cellphone thefts. Nationally, the number of cellphones stolen has been increasing year-over-year, rising over 42.5% from 2020 to 2023.”
Read the article > ([link removed])
** Trending Topic: “El Mayo” Zambada Claims He Was Taken to the United States Against His Will
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In a statement released by his lawyer, Ismael Zambada, alias “El Mayo,” claimed he was tricked by Joaquín Guzmán López, son of Joaquín Guzmán Loera, alias “El Chapo,” into attending a meeting before being kidnapped and flown to the United States against his will.
While El Mayo’s arrest is a major symbolic success for the United States, it remains to be seen whether it will significantly impact the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations.
InSight Crime continues to provide critical analysis of this story as it develops. To learn more, read the article below or check out our El Mayo profile ([link removed]) :
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** Sinaloa Cartel Leaders Arrested in Symbolic, but Hollow Victory for US ([link removed])
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** How Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel Has Stayed United for Decades ([link removed])
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