InSight Crime

The recent capture of Tiguerones leaders William "Willy" and Álex "Ronco" Alcívar Bautista in Spain this week highlights a pivotal moment in Ecuador's fight against organized crime. As key players in the country's criminal underworld and the international cocaine supply chain, their arrests could accelerate the fragmentation of the Tiguerones gang, which is already under the way as a result of the government's militarized gang crackdown. But this disruption may lead to increased violence as rival groups and splinter factions vie for control. Ecuador's security strategy remains at the center of the country's criminal dynamics, with both opportunities and challenges on the horizon. How will the landscape of organized crime evolve following this significant blow? Read more: https://bit.ly/4hlxKnc

Last week, Ecuador’s President Noboa announced unprecedented new figures: there are an estimated 2,000 hectares of coca crops in the country. This figure, while still an estimation, would position Ecuador as the world’s fourth-largest coca producer, behind only Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. As the country faces increasing pressure from transnational criminal groups embedded in the international cocaine business, Ecuador’s emerging role as a producer could further complicate its war on organized crime. But questions remain about the extent of cultivation and whether Noboa’s announcement might be politically motivated. Coca crops in Ecuador are concentrated along the northern border with Colombia, and many cocaine production facilities in the border region have been linked to Colombian criminal groups. Will Ecuador’s tough stance on organized crime be enough to reverse these developments, or is this the beginning of a more complex security challenge? Read our analysis here: https://bit.ly/3AnR02R

A historic plea from TD Bank highlights the US government’s increasing efforts to combat money laundering in Latin America. By pleading guilty to laundering $600M for Colombian networks, the bank’s case marks a pivotal moment in the financial sector. While the hefty $1.8B penalty sends a clear message, the lack of high-level arrests suggests that much work remains to be done. US authorities are intensifying their crackdown on financial institutions involved in illicit activities, and the focus is now on ensuring that such failures in anti-money laundering frameworks don't persist. With new regulations like the beneficial ownership rule, enforcement is tightening, but there’s still a pressing need for adequate funding and resources to make these regulations effective. Read more at: https://bit.ly/3BVEQia

The Chone Killers and the Latin Kings are fighting an increasingly bloody battle for territory and criminal economies in Duran. Further complicating the picture is a third player: Carlos Humberto Silva Vinueza, alias “El Lloron,” whose group controls strategic high ground in Cerro Las Cabras. To understand the depth of the challenges facing Durán, Ecuador, and other regions with similar depths of state capture, read our latest investigation: “Durán, A Window into Ecuador’s Organized Crime Explosion.” https://bit.ly/4gAENs5

A recent report by Brazil's Ministry of Justice reveals complex trends in human trafficking, highlighting an increase in labor exploitation of foreigners and the persistence of forced domestic work, especially among women. The data show how cultural practices and economic dynamics perpetuate these situations. There has also been an increase in less visible forms of trafficking, such as illegal adoption and forced criminal recruitment, which makes it difficult to identify victims, and underscore the need for improved inter-agency cooperation to address this growing problem. Read our latest analysis at https://bit.ly/3Nw2Kn7

Violence in Tabasco highlights the complex dynamics at play between Mexico’s immigration policies and organized crime. The state’s migrant influx offers criminal groups new financial opportunities through extortion and human trafficking. This situation underscores the need for a coordinated approach to tackle not just organized crime, but the systemic vulnerabilities that enable these groups to thrive. Read our latest analysis at https://bit.ly/3Nxg8Hy

Genaro García Luna rose the ranks of Mexico's security forces to eventually become the country's public security chief under ex-President Felipe Calderón. He worked closely with Calderón and US authorities as they crafted a frontal attack against organized crime, a modern "war on drugs". But the former top security official had a secret. At the same time he was collaborating with US and Mexican officials, he was working hand-in-hand with the Sinaloa Cartel and other top criminal leaders in Mexico. In exchange for millions of dollars in bribes, he made sure his security forces attacked rival groups while protecting the cocaine shipments of groups like the Sinaloa Cartel. García Luna settled down in the United States after leaving public office in 2012. US authorities later arrested him there and charged him with drug trafficking and other crimes. After a five-week trial, a jury convicted him of all counts. This week, a judge sentenced him to more than 38 years in prison, essentially a life sentence for the once-lauded US anti-drug partner. But as the drug war wages on, do these prosecutions do anything to stymie corruption south of the border? Read more in our latest analysis: https://bit.ly/3BOZ0KI

Coca crops and cocaine production in Colombia increased during 2023, as the government has stopped forced eradication efforts and concentrated on seizures to fight drug trafficking. Coca cultivation in the country grew by 10% in the past year, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with the country now having 253,000 hectares of coca crops. The surprise, however, was the increase in the potential cocaine production numbers. The country now has the potential to produce 2,664 tons of cocaine each year, a 53% increase from last year. As coca has become more concentrated in production enclaves and demand in Europe is increasing, the cocaine pipeline from Colombia seems to be more resilient than ever. Read our latest analysis to understand the complex panorama the new numbers reveal: https://bit.ly/3YaQ3D4

🇨🇴 | The strength of Colombia’s powerful Gaitanista criminal group will pose a serious challenge in recently restarted preliminary peace talks, according to a recent report by the nonprofit Fundación Ideas Para la Paz (FIP). In recent years, the Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia – AGC), also known as the Gaitanistas or Clan del Golfo, has nearly doubled its membership and expanded its territorial control in Colombia from 179 municipalities in 2018 to 238 municipalities in 2024. The group has also created a six-person leadership council, following a period of destabilization after the capture of its top leader Dairo Antonio Úsuga, alias “Otoniel” in 2021. And while the group has maintained its decentralized structure, the council has tightened control over cells and local criminal groups in its territory and demanded recognition as a political actor in peace negotiations. How will these factors impact peace talks between the AGC and the Colombian government? Read more here https://bit.ly/3zSdNns

🇪🇨 | Durán has become a violent criminal hotspot. Criminal groups use the municipality as a staging point for cocaine leaving on cargo ships from Guayaquil's ports, while also selling drugs locally. Systemic corruption, underdevelopment, and extreme poverty have facilitated the growth of criminality. More than half of Durán's residents do not have potable water or sewage. The municipality lacks public schools and universities. And recent efforts to revive Durán have failed amid local and national neglect and a series of economic crises. https://bit.ly/4gAENs5