Mexican authorities have never identified any money laundering cases related to synthetic drugs or precursors in Mexico, according to our public records requests and interviews with officials. Nor were there …
Fentanyl
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Huddled in the back of a fruit and vegetable stand in the south of Culiacán, the hitman scanned the area as he described the order he received regarding fentanyl manufacturers …
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Investigations
Beyond China: How Other Countries Provide Precursor Chemicals to Mexico
by Mason Garciaby Mason GarciaOn September 21, 2021, Javier Algredo Vázquez was on his way to a US law enforcement office to reclaim chemical substances authorities had seized from him days earlier. In some …
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When Ana Gabriela Rubio Zea contacted her chemical suppliers in China on behalf of a new client, she needed to make a convincing pitch to ensure the deal would go …
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Criminal News
Mexico’s 2024 Election Could Spark Violent Criminal Realignments
by Efren Bryneby Efren BryneMexico’s increasingly diverse and horizontally integrated criminal landscape could enter a period of violent upheaval during the 2024 election.
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GameChangers 2023: US-Mexico Tensions Undermine the Fight Against Fentanyl
by Efren Bryneby Efren BryneThe differences in how the United States and Mexico approach the issue of fentanyl trafficking came into stark relief over the past year. In April 2023, US prosecutors in Washington, …
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The year 2023 was like staring through the looking glass, with Latin America and the Caribbean becoming even more surreal than usual. Nations thought to be safe suddenly found themselves …
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Criminal News
China’s New Fentanyl Controls May Impact Production in Mexico
by Mason Garciaby Mason GarciaChina has announced plans to take increased action on precursor chemicals used to synthesize fentanyl, marking an important step in attacking the flow of these substances into Mexico. The presidents …
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Criminal News
Sonora, Mexico Under Siege Amid Sinaloa Cartel Battle Over Migrant Smuggling
by Mia Meyerby Mia MeyerFor the last 12 years, the boss of the local Sinaloa Cartel affiliate managing Sásabe left the townspeople alone and allowed them to work, local residents told InSight Crime. That …
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Fentanyl Seizures on US-Mexico Border at Record High Amid Production Ban
by Sabra Bozychby Sabra BozychFentanyl seizures along the US-Mexico border have hit record highs, suggesting that, despite a supposed ban on production of the deadly synthetic opioid in parts of Mexico, a multitude of …