Santa Cruz Cartel
| Years active | 1980s – present |
|---|---|
| Territory | Santa Cruz Department |
| Ethnicity | Bolivians |
| Activities | Drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, car bombing, assassination |
| Allies | Medellín Cartel, Cali Cartel, Comando Vermelho |
| Rivals | La Corporación, Bolivian government |
The Santa Cruz Cartel (Spanish: Cártel de Santa Cruz) or La Conexión is a Bolivian drug cartel and criminal organization, said to be one of the largest in the country, headquartered in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.[1]
The cartel was responsible for multiple narco-terrorist incidents in the 1980s, including assassination attempts on Drug Enforcement Administration agents and bombing attempts on politicians.[2]
The Santa Cruz Cartel is strongly allied with drug trafficking organizations in Colombia, Brazil and Mexico, though is involved in various turf wars against smaller drug gangs.[3] Local intelligence states that members of the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) drug gang have fled the favelas of Brazil to Santa Cruz in order to escape the Federal Police.[4]
References
- ^ "Foreign Cartels 'Subcontract' Bolivian Crime Families". Insightcrime.org. October 2012. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- ^ "Bolivia Narcoterrorism - Flags, Maps, Economy, History, Climate, Natural Resources, Current Issues, International Agreements, Population, Social Statistics, Political System". Photius.com. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- ^ "Bolivia and the Drug Cartels". Canadafreepress.com. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- ^ "Santa Cruz Emerges as Bolivia Trafficking Hub". Insightcrime.org. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 2017-01-12.