Detective Jesús Bonilla of Nassau County is investigating crews of "criminal tourists" who target athletes and celebrities within Chile [1].

These investigations highlight a shifting landscape in organized crime where traditional hierarchies are replaced by fluid, decentralized networks. This evolution makes it more difficult for law enforcement to dismantle criminal operations through the arrest of single leaders.

Bonilla has spent years tracking these groups, which he describes as operating without a central command structure. The lack of a formal hierarchy allows these groups to remain agile and evade traditional surveillance techniques used to target gangs with a clear chain of command.

"They don't have bosses," Bonilla said [1].

According to the investigation, these groups do not simply operate in isolation but actively seek to grow their influence. The crews utilize a system of recruitment to sustain their activities, and reach new targets [1].

"The crews recruit, operate and continue to expand," Bonilla said [1].

Law enforcement efforts are currently focused on disrupting these activities in Nassau County. The primary targets for these crews are individuals with high public visibility, specifically those in the sports and entertainment industries [1].

"targeting athletes and celebrities," Bonilla said [1].

Because these individuals often travel frequently and maintain high-profile lifestyles, they are viewed as lucrative targets for the "tourist" crews. The term refers to the transient nature of the criminals, who may enter the country specifically to execute these crimes before leaving.

“"They don't have bosses,"”

The rise of 'criminal tourists' suggests a transition toward a 'gig economy' model of crime, where independent operators collaborate for specific high-value hits rather than maintaining permanent gang structures. This decentralized approach complicates international policing and suggests that celebrity security may need to evolve to counter transient, non-traditional criminal networks.