The involvement of non-state armed organisations (NSAOs) in illegal economies is often seen as a sign of the changing nature of contemporary armed conflicts. In particular, it is assumed that they no longer care about winning over the people's 'hearts and minds' and become violent and abusive towards the population. This paper challenges these claims and shows how, despite their involvement in criminal activities, NSAOs in South Bolivar still continued their attempts at developing and strengthening a local political base. Moreover, excessive violence against civilians was not directly related to the drug economy but aimed at achieving political and military ends.