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September 26, 2025 | View in your browser ([link removed])
This week, InSight Crime published a report from the ground in Venezuela, where the arrest of at least seven people posing as corrupt officials from the justice system, police, and administrative bodies highlights ([link removed]) how entrenched corruption has turned public administration into an opportunity for organized crime.
Also this week, the spike in fuel theft in Ecuador, amid security forces’ efforts to confront a growing front in the country’s crime war, could be further exacerbated ([link removed]) by recent diesel subsidy cuts; and the weaponization of artificial intelligence by Brazilian criminal groups is driving ([link removed]) high-tech financial fraud and exploiting gaps in a fast-growing digital ecosystem that authorities struggle to contain.
This and more below.
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On the Radar: US Designated Barrio 18 a Terrorist Group ([link removed])
This week, we analyze whether the new US terrorist designation for the Barrio 18 gang is political or practical, another prison riot in Ecuador, and how AI is helping organized crime in Mexico.
Watch the full video here > ([link removed])
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** 📅Don’t Miss Our Event | How War-on-Terror Tactics Could Change the Fight Against Organized Crime ([link removed])
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Today at 11:00 am Eastern Time (UTC-4), InSight Crime invites you to an exclusive donors-only discussion on what happens when the United States targets Latin American crime groups as it has terrorist organizations. Participants will be able to ask our experts questions, and we’ll share the key takeaways after the event. Donate today to join ([link removed]) .
** Featured
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** Venezuela Is So Corrupt That Criminals Are Impersonating Government Officials ([link removed])
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At least seven people have been arrested in Venezuela this year for posing as corrupt officials from the justice system, police, and administrative bodies, showing how entrenched corruption has turned public administration into an opportunity for organized crime.
The most recent case occurred in the central state of Carabobo, where a lawyer was arrested for impersonating a prosecutor from the Attorney General’s Office (Ministerio Público).
Read our analysis here > ([link removed])
Read more Venezuela coverage > ([link removed])
** News Analysis
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** All News > ([link removed])
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Diesel Subsidy Cut Could Make Fuel Theft Worse in Ecuador ([link removed])
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Ghost Riders and Deepfake Doctors: Inside Brazil’s AI-Driven Crime Surge ([link removed])
** Impact
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** What We Do > ([link removed])
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On the two-year anniversary of the Venezuelan government’s announcement that Tren de Aragua had been “totally dismantled” following its takeover of the group’s headquarters in the Tocorón prison, regional outlets including ABC ([link removed]) , El Nacional ([link removed]) , and El Universo ([link removed]) turned to InSight Crime for expert analysis on the group, which the Trump administration designated a terrorist organization earlier this year.
Read our Tocorón Takeover analysis here > ([link removed])
** This Week's Criminal Profile: Barrio 18
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The 18th Street Gang, also known as Barrio 18, is one of the largest youth gangs in the Western Hemisphere, alongside its better-known rival, the Mara Salvatrucha (MS13). Active from Central America to Canada, the group has been weakened in El Salvador by President Nayib Bukele’s security crackdown since March 2022. This week, the gang made headlines after the US government designated it a foreign terrorist organization on September 23, to justify more aggressive actions against the group.
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Read our Barrio 18 profile > ([link removed])
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Read our El Salvador coverage > ([link removed])
** Media Mentions
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** About us > ([link removed])
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September 20, 2025
The Guardian ([link removed])
“Henry Shuldiner, a researcher from InSight Crime who wrote a recent report on narco-subs, recalled how in late 2024 Colombian police intercepted a semisubmersible as it crossed the Pacific towards Australia and New Zealand, a journey that takes at least double the time it takes to get to Europe.”
Read our full analysis here > ([link removed])
** Trending: Paraguay Captures Alias ‘El Monstruo’, Peru’s Most Wanted Criminal
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On September 24, Paraguayan authorities arrested Erick Luis Moreno Hernández, alias “El Monstruo,” Peru’s most wanted extortionist. Extortion has risen hugely in Peru in recent years, with criminal groups targeting individuals, businesses, and even public schools
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** An Extortion ‘Monster’ Is Now Peru’s Most Wanted Criminal ([link removed])
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** Peru Extortion Scheme Shows How Private Schools Make Easy Targets ([link removed])
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Read our Peru coverage > ([link removed])
** Support our work ([link removed])
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We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact in fighting organized crime.
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