This week, InSight Crime interviewed sheriffs Mark Dannels and David Hathaway, each with contrasting perspectives on irregular migration.
** Weekly InSight
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November 7, 2024
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This week, InSight Crime interviewed sheriffs Mark Dannels and David Hathaway ([link removed]) from two Arizona border counties, each with contrasting perspectives on irregular migration and border security. Dannels conducts active searches for migrants in the mountains, aiming to counter what he perceives as a significant security threat, while Hathaway prioritizes curbing the influx of synthetic drugs like fentanyl. Together, they embody a broader societal debate, highlighting concerns among Americans who re-elected Donald Trump in the recent presidential election.
Additionally, we cover the US Treasury Department’s sanctions ([link removed]) on members of the Mexican criminal group the Línea for fentanyl trafficking; delve into questions surrounding the record seizure of 21 tons ([link removed]) of cocaine in Bolivia; assess the risks posed by judicial reform in Mexico ([link removed]) , and explore why Costa Rica is unlikely to descend into a cycle of violence and crime ([link removed]) similar to Ecuador’s.
** Featured
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** Two US-Mexico Border Sheriffs, Two Visions on Immigration and Security ([link removed])
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It was well after dark in southeastern Arizona, and the temperature had dipped close to freezing. Outside the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office in Bisbee, Sheriff Mark Dannels and one of his sergeants discussed reports of a large group of migrants traversing a steep mountain pass and moving through the county.
Dannels, who was born in Iowa, sports a beige suede cowboy hat befitting of his role. To blunt the chill, he wore a heavy jacket with the Cochise County Sheriff’s insignia on his arm. Chasing undocumented migrants is not his job, but he has made it so, and on this night, it had become personal: The projected trajectory of these particular migrants was his neighborhood.
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** News Analysis
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** The Doubts Behind Bolivia’s ‘Biggest Cocaine Seizure Ever’ ([link removed])
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The announcement of a 21-ton seizure of cocaine in Bolivia, if true, reinforces the country’s role as a drug producer and transit hub. ([link removed])
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** United States Targets Mexico’s the Línea Gang Over Fentanyl ([link removed])
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The United States government has sanctioned members of Mexico’s the Línea criminal group for their involvement in fentanyl trafficking. ([link removed])
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** Popular Election of Judges in Mexico: Risk of Corruption and Inefficiency ([link removed])
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Mexico’s newly approved judicial reform will see over 1,600 federal judges chosen by popular vote. ([link removed])
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** Will Costa Rica Follow the Same Criminal Path as Ecuador? ([link removed])
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High levels of violence indicate how once-peaceful Costa Rica is feeling the tightening grip of cocaine trafficking. But is the country on a similar path to Ecuador? ([link removed])
** Impact
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InSight Crime investigators Lara Loaiza and María Fernanda Ramírez took part in the second meeting of ATHENA, the Network of Women in Security and Defense, held in Colombia and organized by the Konrad Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS).
They shared insights from their work on investigating organized crime through a gender lens. InSight Crime is dedicated to examining the complex interplay between gender dynamics and organized crime across Latin America.
Read our coverage on gender and crime > ([link removed])
** This Week's Criminal Profile: The Choneros
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This week, Ecuador’s Interior Minister Mónica Palencia and Police Commander Víctor Zárate identified "Fito”, the leader of the Choneros and a fugitive since early January, as “the country’s top target.”
The Choneros are among Ecuador's most prominent criminal organizations. Initially a small logistical and armed outfit supporting drug trafficking groups, they have since grown into a powerful prison gang and a key player in drug trafficking networks nationwide. However, conflicts with former allies have weakened their operational capacity in recent years.
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Read our profile on The Choneros > ([link removed])
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Read about Ecuador’s war on gangs > ([link removed])
** Multimedia
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Spain has recently reaffirmed its role as the primary gateway for cocaine into Europe. Following a record-breaking seizure of 13 tons in Cádiz, cocaine confiscations across the country have steadily increased since 2023. The overproduction of cocaine in South America has driven record seizures throughout Europe.
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Read our coverage on cocaine in Europe > ([link removed])
** Media Mentions
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November 1
The Guardian ([link removed])
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"We have no evidence that Tren de Aragua has established a network of cells in the U.S., as it has done in Colombia, Peru, and Chile,” said Jeremy McDermott, co-director of InSight Crime, a think tank and media organization covering organized crime in the Americas."
Read our coverage of Tren de Aragua > ([link removed]) tel:1
** Trending Topic: Back to the Future: Donald Trump and Latin America
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On November 5, Donald Trump won the US presidential election, signaling an inevitable shift in regional relations. His campaign’s focus on the alleged presence of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, alongside promises to take direct action in Mexico against fentanyl-trafficking cartels, foreshadows significant changes and potential challenges for US-Latin America relations.
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** Read our coverage on the US-Mexico border > ([link removed])
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** Learn what we know about Tren de Aragua in the US > ([link removed])
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