Weekly InSight
This week, InSight Crime published its first Cocaine Seizure Roundup, a comprehensive overview and analysis of cocaine seizures from around Latin America and the Caribbean. South America’s main cocaine producers
-- Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia -- all saw rises in seizures during 2022 as cocaine production reached all-time highs. In its daily monitoring system, InSight Crime gathers cocaine seizure statistics from around the region, allowing us to track patterns, identify chokepoints, and study criminal networks. 

Turning to Colombia, we look at how the murder of a leader of the Gaitanistas reveals internal divisions, even as the group plans to negotiate peace with the government. And in Brazil, we look at military crackdowns on illegal mining, which while enjoying some success, may only see lasting change when more effective legislation against the “laundering” of gold takes effect.

Featured
InSight Crime's Cocaine Seizure Round-Up 2022

An endless game of hide and seek is being played between cocaine traffickers and law enforcement across the region. Our seizure round-up seeks to shed some light on this as we identify patterns and players in the international cocaine trade.

Read the analysis >

NewsAnalysis

Venezuela's Maduro Is Key to Colombia’s 'Total Peace'


Colombian President Gustavo Petro faces many challenges to his plan to achieve "Total Peace" with his country's armed groups, but one...
 

5 Takeaways From US State Department Narcotics Report


The US State Department's yearly drug report has found that coca cultivation is slowly spreading outside of the three traditional...
Wildlife Protection Treaty Hits 50 Amid Challenges
Brazil Targets Illegal Gold Miners With Force and Legislation
Murder of Gaitanista Leader Shows Internal Divisions Ahead of Colombia Peace Talks

Impact

Our Mexico Work Accumulates Media Mentions


This week, InSight Crime’s Mexico coverage has been cited heavily following the kidnapping of four US citizens in the border town of Matamoros, in the state of Tamaulipas, allegedly by the Scorpions, a faction of the Gulf Cartel.

In the United States, we were cited by CBS News and the Wall Street Journal. Our work also appeared in Radio Formula and Expansión in Mexico, as well as in France 24 and Infobae.

Read our coverage of the Gulf Cartel >

Elsewhere, the first part of InSight Crime’s MS13 & Co. investigation has been named a top three finalist for a True Story Award.

Read the investigation here >

Criminal Actors
Profiles of some of the notable criminal personalities and groups that have marked this week.

Browse by country >

Gaitanistas - Gulf Clan

The Gaitanistas, also known as the Gulf Clan, Urabeños, and Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia...

Gulf Cartel

The Gulf Cartel is one of the oldest and most powerful of Mexico’s criminal groups but has lost territory and influence in recent...

Media Mentions
MARCH 1, 2023
MIAMI HERALD
"According to InSightCrime.org, a think tank specializing in crime in the Americas, El Salvador’s murder rate tumbled in 2022 to only 495 cases, down from 1,147 the previous year. Bukele’s ‘decisive crackdown on gangs vastly reduced the murder rate, albeit at the cost of allegedly systematic human-rights abuses,’ the group said."

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InSight Crime · Medellin · Medellin 0000 · Colombia