Colombian 'drop by drop' loan gangs expand usury, money laundering in poor neighborhoods

The article details how 'drop by drop' loans, originating in 1990s Colombian drug trafficking, have become a tool for criminal gangs to profit via usury and launder drug cash in poor neighborhoods. The piece is descriptive and lacks new event data, so the claim is an established pattern rather than a fresh development. It matters as it highlights the intersection of organized crime, financial exploitation, and money laundering in vulnerable communities.