By

Ridouan Taghi and two others were convicted for five homicides, two attempted homicides, and planning several other murders.

The principal crossing point from Venezuela into Colombia, the frontier city of Cúcuta, has seen rising levels of violence as it struggles to confront the growing strength of Venezuelan criminal groups.

A recent case, together with several past investigations, shows how the music and events industry is being used by organized crime groups to launder money.

The powerful criminal networks that are deeply rooted throughout the Amazon basin increasingly pursue environmental crimes as a lucrative income source.

It is an election year in Venezuela, and President Nicolás Maduro is determined to cling to power. His criminal alliances will be crucial for the survival of his regime.

The US-Ecuador cooperation agreement contains some elements of Plan Colombia, but it is fundamentally different in size, scope, and commitment. 

“There’s an unfortunate trend in the region where laws are really good on paper, but they’re not fully put into practice,” said Julia Yansura of the FACT Coalition.

The business of smuggling migrants has exposed levels of corruption among Colombian officials in key institutions, including the navy and Migration Colombia.

Given that the Satanás gang has proven it can operate effectively from within Colombian prisons, locking up more members is unlikely to curtail the group’s activities.

2024 will be the year when the cocaine supply chain catches up with record levels of coca cultivation.