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Shootout on Colombia-Ecuador Border Claims 6 Lives
The Ecuadorean army engaged a Colombian "irregular group," most likely FARC rebels, in a pitched battle that resulted in the deaths of an Ecuadorean officer and five Colombians, again showing the...
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Mexico Vigilantes in Talks with Govt After Freeing Soldiers
Self-defense groups in Guerrero, Mexico have freed detained soldiers and entered into talks with the state government in an attempt to diffuse the crisis that threatened to derail efforts to legalize...
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Uruguay's Ex-President Vasquez In Favor of Regulating Cocaine Market
In a surprise that comes just days after an historic vote by Uruguay's lower house to legalize marijuana, the country's ex-president Tabare Vasquez said Uruguay should now consider ways "to regulate"...
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FARC Run Tungsten Mining in South Colombia
An investigation by Bloomberg has revealed Colombia's FARC guerrillas are heavily involved in the mining and sale of tungsten -- a mineral used in the cars, phones, tablets, computers and televisions...
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Dominican People Smugglers Trafficked Cubans to Puerto Rico
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have broken up a people smuggling ring that moved Cubans to Puerto Rico, highlighting how criminal groups are cashing in on new routes now taken by Cubans seeking...
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Sinaloa Cartel Controls Over 40 Marijuana Trafficking Routes
Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel controls more than 40 land, sea and air marijuana trafficking routes that run throughout Mexico and to various parts of the US and Europe, highlighting the extent of the...
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US Slams Early Release of Mexican Drug Lord
A former Mexican drug lord responsible for the 1985 murder of a US DEA agent has walked free on a technicality after serving just 28 years of his 40 year sentence, sparking outrage from US officials...
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Megateo
Victor Ramon Navarro Serrano, alias "Megateo," leads the only remaining faction of the EPL guerrilla movement. Megateo is considered the most important drug trafficker in Norte de Santander, has a $1...
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Are the Knights Templar Mexico's Third Most Powerful Cartel?
From its origins as a breakaway faction of the battered La Familia Michoacana, the quirky Knights Templar of the Pacific coast state of Michoacan have emerged as the third most prominent of Mexico's...
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Peru Security Forces Kill Shining Path No. 2
Peru's security forces have inflicted a blow against the country's Shining Path guerrilla insurgency after killing the rebels' second in command during a skirmish in a southern jungle region. Orlando...
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Nicaragua Navy Needs More Boats to Tackle Drug Trafficking
The Nicaraguan military has called for international help to build up its navy as it struggles to muster the resources needed to patrol newly acquired territorial waters near the Colombian island of...
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Honduras to Create New Community Police Force
The Honduras government plans to create a new force of 4,500 community police, and to reorganize the structure of existing police units, though neither plan seems capable of addressing the deep rooted...
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Central American 'Maras' Expanding in Spain: Govt
Central American street gangs have established a presence in Spain and receive orders from their counterparts in Honduras and El Salvador, says the Spanish government, adding to fears these "maras" may...
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Colombian Coyotes Smuggled South Asian Migrants
Authorities in Colombia have broken up a human smuggling ring that transported Nepalese and Bangladeshi migrants into Central America, highlighting the apparent growth in illegal South Asian migrants...
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New Paraguay Govt to 'Lie Less' About Drug Trafficking
The incoming head of Paraguay's anti-narcotics agency has admitted the scale of the country's drug trafficking problem, as the new administration of Horacio Cartes continues to raise concerns over...
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Venezuela Thieves Turn to Hair Theft
Thieves in Venezuela have begun stealing hair -- which can be sold for around $80 on the black market -- as a new form of income, highlighting the extent of the rampant insecurity affecting the...
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Guatemala Prisoner Details Operations of Extortion Ring
A prisoner in Guatemala has testified in court about his participation in an extortion ring run from inside the prison via cell phone, providing a glimpse into a common phenomenon in Latin American...
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Gun Control Reform in Venezuela Part 2: Reactions and Criticisms
Though described by many as an important step forward in curbing violence, the gun reform law passed in June came under criticism and scrutiny right out of the gate by opposition members, government...
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US 'Doubts' about Guerrilla Drug Trafficking Reflected Political Reality
Documents declassified by the government of Brazil say the US underestimated the potential for the deep links between the region's guerrillas and drug traffickers that exist today, an assertion that...
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Mexico Files for Arrest of Released Capo at US Request
In an attempt to placate US officials, Mexico has filed a provisional arrest warrant to facilitate the capture and extradition of former drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, a participant in the murder of a...
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