The stunning arrest of the Sinaloa Cartel leadership at the Texas border is likely to rearrange the map of organized crime groups in Mexico and could lead to a surge in violence, experts say.
Venezuelans are heading to the polls on Sunday in the most anticipated elections in decades, with many hoping to put an end to the repressive political system established 25 years ago by Hugo Chávez and inherited a decade ago by Nicolás Maduro. The left-wing populist has pushed the country into economic decline, leading a quarter of the 28.3 million population to flee.
Social media giant Meta said Friday that scores of Facebook posts by OCCRP member center In-Depth Solomons were blocked this week due to a “technical error,” but an expert said it most likely was the result of users reporting the website’s content as spam.
Facebook temporarily blocked scores of posts on a page run by an OCCRP member center, In-Depth Solomons, after incorrectly labeling the independent investigative news outlet’s journalism as spam. The outlet suspects that complaints by critics who want to silence independent journalism may be behind the blockade.
The wife of Armenia’s Deputy Minister of the Economy received in 2023 a salary from a company that plans to develop a ski resort on the country’s tallest mountain. Meanwhile, her husband played a crucial role in the success of the company’s bid and coordinated the larger investment project.
Two Bosnian-Americans accused of being “ringleaders” in a US$3.4-million biofuel fraud case should be released on bail set at 50,000 euro (US$54,245) each, a court in Antwerp ruled on Tuesday.
A new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime claims that Iraq is becoming a major hub for drug trafficking, as authorities there seized record amounts of Captagon in 2023, valued at up to US$144 million.
Hong Kong authorities announced the successful dismantling of a drug manufacturing facility specializing in ecstasy production and the arrest of its 19-year-old operator. This marks the first discovery of such a facility in the special administrative region of China in 20 years.
Following a court order, law enforcement agencies detained dozens of public servants and businesspeople on Tuesday, who are believed to have exploited the COVID-19 pandemic for personal gain.
A Russian court has sentenced veteran RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who holds dual U.S.-Russian citizenship, to 6.5 years in prison on charges of spreading falsehoods about the Russian army. The ruling came the same day another court sentenced U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal to 16 years in prison on charges of espionage.