Latin America’s most powerful criminal groups have expanded beyond the drug trade – and have become more resilient as a result. That’s what my colleagues and I discovered while researching for a new study on the structural transformation of organized crime across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Criminal networks now draw revenue from illicit and legal sources alike. Many of them police neighborhoods and influence local politics. Others invest in legitimate businesses and exploit global transport and financial systems, using shell companies and digital payment platforms to conceal the origins of their money.
