May 23, 2025
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This week, InSight Crime took a deep dive ([link removed]) into the world of narco submarines. A string of vessel interdictions on the shores of Europe and Africa suggest that drug traffickers are rolling out the use of these vessels to ship cocaine worldwide. We analyzed 240 seizures to learn more about these narco subs and how criminal groups continually adapt their designs to stay ahead of law enforcement.
Also this week, a recent gang massacre provides ([link removed]) a window into the tectonic shifts taking place in Ecuador’s underworld; a report by Peruvian organizations examines ([link removed]) how overlapping pressures have undermined protections for Indigenous communities; the arrest of a prominent human rights defender in El Salvador suggests ([link removed]) policies used to attack organized crime are being repurposed to target political opponents; and historic marijuana seizures in the Dominican Republic point ([link removed]) to an increase in the flow of the drug into the Caribbean nation.
This and more below.
** Featured
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** Under the Radar: What Hundreds of Narco Sub Seizures Tell Us About Global Cocaine Routes ([link removed])
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A near-record number of narco submarines were intercepted crossing the Atlantic and Pacific in 2024, with drug-laden vessels appearing in new areas as traffickers increasingly use this discreet shipping method to get cocaine to international markets.
Narco subs have been around for decades, primarily used to ferry cocaine from Colombia’s Pacific coast to Central America or Mexico. But recent seizure data for these hard-to-detect boats suggest that narco subs are growing in number, reach, and sophistication.
Read the article here > ([link removed])
See more cocaine coverage > ([link removed])
** News Analysis
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All News > ([link removed])
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** Massacres, Alliances, and Betrayals: Inside the Gang War That Tore Ecuador’s Tiguerones Apart ([link removed])
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On March 6, about 20 armed members of the Tiguerones criminal group lurked in the hills …
The 3 Biggest Threats to Indigenous Communities in Peru’s Amazon ([link removed])
El Salvador’s Anti-Gang Crackdown Now Has Political Opponents in Its Crosshairs ([link removed])
What’s Behind Record Marijuana Seizures in the Dominican Republic? ([link removed])
** Impact
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What We Do > ([link removed])
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InSight Crime investigator Chris Newton offered authoritative analysis on The Underworld Podcast regarding Uruguay's evolving criminal landscape. In recent years, Uruguay’s ports have increasingly served as transshipment hubs for major criminal groups, including Rosario’s Monos, Brazil’s PCC, and a shadowy new criminal organization from the state of Rio Grande do Sul known as the Manos.
Read our Uruguay coverage > ([link removed])
** This Week's Criminal Profile: First Capital Command – PCC
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This week, a leader of the First Capital Command (Primeiro Comando da Capital – PCC) named Marcos Roberto de Almeida, alias “Tuta,” was handed over to Brazil after he was arrested by Bolivian authorities. He allegedly operated alongside imprisoned PCC boss Marcos Willians Herbas Camacho, alias “Marcola,” as the gang’s top figure outside of prison.
The PCC is Brazil’s biggest and best-organized criminal network. The group was founded in São Paulo in the 1990s, and it has carved a bloody path to national dominance. It is believed to have members in every Brazilian state and has expanded internationally.
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Read our First Capital Command – PCC profile > ([link removed])
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Read our Brazil coverage > ([link removed])
** Multimedia
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May 20, 2025
#Peru #Pataz
"Gold fever has unleashed a wave of violence in Pataz, Peru. The recent murder of 13 security workers is just the latest chapter in a story marked by brutality and the struggle for control of gold."
Watch full video > ([link removed])
** Media Mentions
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May 21, 2025
Bloomberg ([link removed])
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"‘I don’t think this will be a stain on Sheinbaum’s security strategy, but it will generate pressures,’ said Victoria Dittmar, a researcher at Insight Crime who specializes in Mexico."
Read our Mexico coverage > ([link removed])
** Trending: Advisors to Mexico City Mayor Murdered in Brazen Attack
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Two members of Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada's team - a secretary and an advisor - were murdered on the morning of May 20th. The motives and perpetrators of the attack remain unknown, though the style of the killing suggests it was a professional hit. The murders are just the latest act of violence against public officials in Mexico.
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** InSight Crime’s 2024 Homicide Round-Up ([link removed])
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** Attempt to Kill Mexico City’s Top Cop Puts Jalisco Cartel in Crossfire ([link removed])
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Read our Mexico profile > ([link removed])
Read our coverage of homicides > ([link removed])
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