Written and edited by Sullivan and Robert J. Bunker

Third Generation Gangs and Transnational Cartels brings closure to the long running Small Wars Journal–El Centro Anthology series edited by Dr. John P. Sullivan and Dr. Robert J. Bunker under the auspices of the Small Wars Foundation. The curated work focuses on Latin American gangs, cartels, and the cross-cutting issues related to them. Its forty-four chapters and supporting front and back essays highlight the important contributions of some forty scholars and practitioners in the fields of criminal insurgency, gang studies, and transnational organized crime. The chapters span the mid-2018 through later-2024 period, with the inclusion of late 2024 and early 2025 essays specifically written to give context and provide analysis related to this work. The anthology benefits from a Foreword provided by Dr. Rashmi Singh, an Afterword offered by Dr. Alexandra Phelan, and a Postscript written by Dr. Mahmut Cengiz.

(A Small Wars Journal–El Centro Anthology). Bloomington: Xlibris, 2025 [ISBN: 979-8369442999, Paperback, 782 Pages]

By Europol

This intelligence notification is based on information contributed to Europol by national law enforcement authorities. This document aims to raise awareness of the ways criminal networks exploit minors, particularly through recruitment and tasking via social media. It highlights the use of targeted language, coded messaging, and "gamification" strategies in this process. The recruitment of minors into serious and organised crime and terrorism is not a new phenomenon; however, it has increasingly become a tactic used by criminal networks to avoid detection, capture, and prosecution. In recent years, this trend has expanded across more countries, with recruitment methods evolving and minors being tasked with violent acts such as extortion and killings  

Paris: Europol: 2024. 3p.

By Deborah Manzi, Francesco Calderoni

This research analyses the resistance and resilience of drug trafficking organizations against law enforcement interventions targeting specific operational roles.

Methods

Using the MADTOR agent-based model, which draws on extensive data from a significant police operation and relevant literature, we simulate the complex dynamics of a major cocaine trafficking and dealing group. The study examined the impact of different arrest scenarios targeting traffickers, packagers, or retailers, on the organization's survival, member count, and revenue.

Results

The findings reveal that interventions targeting traffickers lead to the most significant disruptions, while focusing on retailers also yields substantial impacts. Arresting packagers causes limited disruption.

Conclusions

The findings underscore the importance of role-specific law enforcement approaches in dismantling drug trafficking organizations, considering each role's distinct characteristics and operational importance.

Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 91, March–April 2024, 102165, 13 pages