In Mexico, authorities this month seized close to $400 million worth of fentanyl pills in the largest synthetic opioid haul. In Brazil, the country’s biggest criminal group — known as PCC — is suspected of laundering millions through digital platforms while financing political campaigns. In Chile, a Venezuelan gang has unleashed an epidemic of human trafficking and extortion on a once peaceful society.

Across Latin America, increasingly sophisticated gangs have entrenched themselves in what has become the world’s most violent region, with access to technology, financial tools, political contacts and, of course, capital. The sudden uptick of violence in countries considered safe not so long ago, most notably Ecuador, highlights the growing transnational nature of these modern criminal enterprises, which have crossed borders and come to resemble unlawful conglomerates.

Individual countries and local governments lack the means to face this destabilizing epidemic, with effects that rippled through the recent U.S. election. More than ever, a regional approach to combat organized crime is needed.