Section » Drug Activity

Study of three drug transit routes in Costa Rica

Rodolfo Calderón Umaña reported Central America’s emergence as a principal transit route for illicit drugs from South America to the U.S. has given rise to local retail markets supplying users within the region. A study of three Costa Rican communities – one in greater San José and two along the Caribbean coast – highlights several factors that determine the scale and consequences of these local markets. Among the most important are the high levels of social exclusion experienced by households in these localities and residents’ motivation to become involved in the business because it offers resources (money, power and prestige) that cannot be achieved through the legitimate channels of education or quality employment. Other factors include the proximity of the communities to drug trafficking routes and the extent of previously existing demand from local consumers. Read Article

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Sinaloa Cartel’s representative in Ecuador detained in Bogota Colombia

ecuavisa.com reported Oscar Antonio Berrocal Sandi, alleged Sinaloa cartel representative in Ecuador, was arrested at Bogota’s El Dorado airport when he tried to enter the country from Quito, Colombia Migration reported today. Known by the alias “Charlie”, “the chef”, “the farmer” or “Rolex” Berrocal was in the spotlight of the American authorities for the crime […]

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Peru: Authorities with U.S. assistance seize three tons of cocaine hidden in coal shipment

bbc.co.uk reported Police in Peru say they have seized at least 3.3 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a shipment of coal bound for Europe. Officers discovered the stash in a house near the town of Huanchaco after a six-week surveillance operation with the help of the US Drug Enforcement Administration. They arrested two Mexican and […]

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Guayaquil Ecuador: Two foreigners detained at airport with 2,000 kilos of cocaine

Two foreign were arrested with drug eluniverso.com reported two Serbian citizens heading to Holland were arrested at the airport in Guayaquil, once detected a suitcase with 2,270 kilos of cocaine. Read Article

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Honduras: Authorities seize 52 properties belonging to drug trafficking group

hondurasweekly.com reported authorities in Honduras have seized 52 properties belonging to one of the country’s premier drug trafficking groups — the Valle family — in a move that could represent the beginning of a larger assault on the powerful clan. On August 18, authorities seized properties belonging to siblings Luis Alfonso, Miguel Arnulfo, Digna and […]

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Ollague Chile: Two Bolivians detained transporting cocaine on inter-provincial bus

biobiochile.cl reported in an unusual event, in step border Ollague, in the Antofagasta Region, staff of the national customs service surprised two young Bolivians transporting drug in ovoid in their stomachs and their clothes. Subjects were travelling in an inter-provincial bus and were selected among the passengers for a more thorough review by officials of […]

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U.S. Army donates two Fast Boats to combat drug trafficking

lainformacion.com reported the United States Army Southern Command donated today to Nicaragua two fast boats, equipment and resources for the construction of a center of operations to combat drug trafficking that operates, mainly in the Caribbean in the country, valued at about four million dollars. Read Article

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A Look At Corruption in Michoacán Mexico

publimetro.com.mx reported Michoacán is one of Mexico’s poorest States , despite being an agricultural power (produces 85% of the avocados of the country, which in turn is the world’s largest producer of the fruit) and its tourist profile, affected by the image of violence and corruption that drag. That territory acquired international notoriety in the […]

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Aruba: Venezuelan General Detained at request of U.S. Govt

BBC.COM reported A top Venezuelan official, Gen Hugo Carvajal, has been detained in the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba at the request of the American government. He had been accused by the US Treasury of assisting Colombian Farc rebels in their drug trafficking activities. The Venezuelan government said Gen Carvajal had a diplomatic passport and […]

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Ecuador: 673 Children Arrested For Drug Trafficking so Far in 2014

plenenglish.com reported..Children Involved in Drug Trafficking Actions Denounced in Ecuador Groups of drug traffickers and some family units involve children in drug trafficking actions because minors cannot be prosecuted, said colonel David Ortega, of the antidrug division in Ecuador. According to the last estimates published by the Antidrug Department, some 673 children were arrested so […]

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Ecuador: Serbian responsible for drug trafficking extradited to Russia

itar-tass.com reported detectives believe that during loading in Ecuador a port employee had been hiding packs with cocaine in service spaces of the ship. Serbian citizen Ivan Savkic accused of launching a large-scale drug trafficking channel was handed over to Russian law enforcement agencies at the airport of Ecuador’s capital, Quito, the press centre of […]

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Miraflores Lima Peru: Man with suspected ties to narcotrafficking Murdered at McDonald’s

laprensa.pe reported Police are searching intensely for the Bolivian Diego Rivera Valdivar following confirmation that it is one of the hitmen who murdered last Sunday to a man at a local McDonald’s in Miraflores. The homicides Division agents also are the footsteps of Roy Roger Oroche García, the owner of the vehicle, plate B8V-349, that […]

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Argentina: 11 Ecuadorians detained with 351 Kilos of cocaine, headed for Europe

eluniverso.com reported eleven Ecuadorians were arrested in the Argentine Province of Salta (Northern) when they tried to enter from the border Bolivia 351 kilos of cocaine, an official report said Tuesday. The drug was hidden in a double floor of a minibus with enrollment of Ecuador where he traveled the detainees and was found in […]

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U.N. reports coca growing areas decrease in Bolivia, Peru, stable in Colombia

bbc.com reported figures released by the United Nations suggest the area planted with coca – the raw ingredient for cocaine – has diminished in Peru and Bolivia. Peru is the world’s top grower of the crop, and Bolivia is the third largest. In Colombia, the second largest grower, the amount of land sustaining coca bushes […]

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Brazil: Cartel drug lord detained on way to World Cup match

Jose Diaz Barajas Detained examiner.com reported the 49 year old Brajas was arrested yesterday in Rio de Janero, while trying to catch a flight to Fortaleza in order to watch the Mexican national soccer team play against the tournament favourite, Brazil. According to Bloomberg, Luiz Cravo Dorea, head of international cooperation at the Federal Police, […]

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Peru: President indefinitely postpones plans to forcibly eradicate coca fields

theguardian.com reported Peru’s president says he is indefinitely postponing plans to forcibly eradicate coca fields in the world’s top cocaine-producing valley. President Ollanta Humala’s announcement in a televised interview Sunday night came a week after he fired his drug czar, Carmen Masias. She had announced in January that a militarised eradication effort – half-funded by […]

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Threatening Cartel Signs Appearing in El Paso Texas

dailymail.co.uk reported two billboards along highways in El Paso, Texas were vandalized and had mannequins hanging off of them. One reads ‘silver or lead’ in Spanish which is taken to mean that police and business owners can either take drug cartels’ bribes or die. Worries spreading that cartels that have ruled Mexican border towns with […]

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Mennonite Farmers identified as threat of trafficking cocaine Mexico to Canada

dailymail.co.uk reported Canadian Mennonite farmers with century-old ties to Mexico have been identified by drug agencies as the latest threat of bringing cartel cocaine north of the border. Recent cases have highlighted the problem including the trial of farmer Jacob Fehr who was jailed for seven years last week for smuggling cocaine from Chihuahua, Mexico […]

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Mexico: Extreme Violence Erupts in Tamaulipas

theguardian.com reported…a spate of extreme violence in Mexico’s north-eastern Tamaulipas state has ended the relative calm in the region where the country’s drug wars began. Officials say about 80 people have been killed in almost daily street battles. This week the state’s top detective, Salvador de Haro Muñoz, was among five people killed in a […]

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U.S. ending anti-drug trafficking assistance to Ecuador

Washington (AFP) – The United States will end decades of anti-drug trafficking assistance to Ecuador this month, pulling its staff from the INL office in the South American nation, a top official said. “I am quite prepared to acknowledge right now the INL section, which has been in Ecuador now for more than 30 years, […]

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U.S.: 90 year old senteced to prison for transporting cocaine for Mexican cartel

chicagotribune.com/rueters reported…A 90-year-old Indiana man who admitted serving as a cocaine courier for a Mexican drug cartel was sentenced on Wednesday to three years in federal prison. Leo Sharp, a decorated World War Two combat veteran who turned 90 on Wednesday, was also sentenced to three years supervised release by Judge Nancy Edmunds in U.S. […]

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Company denies any knowledge of U.S. man arrested in Ecuador on drug charges

lex18.com reported…It sounds like a movie plot, but the wife of a Morehead volunteer firefighter says it’s all true. Her husband, Dennis Walling, remains jailed in Ecuador for unknowingly carrying a suitcase lined with cocaine. Dennis Walling said he thought he was interviewing with Atlanta based Air Serv in Ecuador in March when his suitcase […]

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Putayamo Colombia: Tourist from UK dead, apparently from drinking Indigenous drink Yage

rt.com reported that a British teenager was found dead by the side of the road by police in a remote rainforest area of Colombia after taking hallucinogenic Yage in a tribal ritual with other tourists. Henry Miller, a 19-year old from Bristol, who was on a gap year is understood to have taken Yage, which […]

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Ecuador: U.S. citizen remains in custody for drug charges

dailyindependent.com reported ….What began as a promising job interview has turned into a living nightmare for a Morehead couple. Sarah Walling said her husband, Dennis “Pepper” Walling, had found an opening for a security position with AirServ International RAM. The company allegedly offered to fly Walling to Ecuador to interview for the position. “He was only […]

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Peru: convicted Drug Mule in Peru may return to Scotland to serve sentence

dailymail.co.uk reported that Drug mule Melissa Reid is set to be sent back to Scotland to serve her sentence for cocaine smuggling. In a shock development, the Peruvian government has just written to the Scottish authorities seeking clearance to let the 20-year-old complete her seven year jail term in her home country. And Scotland’s justice […]

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Italy: 215 kilos of cocaine seized hidden in banana shipment from Ecuador

ansa.it reported that authorities seized 215 kilos of “extremely” pure cocaine at the port of Gioia Tauro, Italy. The cocaine was located in hidden bags that were hidden in a banana shipment aboard a container ship from Ecuador. estimated street value of the booty is 43 million euros. The find was a result of cross-checking […]

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Ecuador: GPS used to track shipments of precursor chemicals

infosurhoy.com reported that Ecuador is Using satellite tracking, authorities supervise the transportation of controlled substances to avoid having them fall into drug traffickers’ hands. With the aim of preventing the diversion of precursor chemicals, which can be used to manufacture illegal drugs, Ecuador is installing a monitoring system that tracks these substances from the moment […]

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Mexico: Knights Templar has moved beyond drugs, illegal mining, logging, extortion

Diversification of Knights Templar cartel latest sign of drug syndicates’ expanding criminal portfolios. The pseudo-religious Knights Templar drug cartel in western Mexico has diversified to the point that drug trafficking doesn’t rank among its top sources of income, according to the Mexican government’s special envoy to Michoacán. The cartel counts illegal mining, logging and extortion […]

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Ciudad Juarez, Mexico: Residents fear spike in violence after Chapo’s arrest

kens5.com reported that both law enforcement and locals expect bloodshed as new leadership assumes control of the Sinaloa cartel. “I guess there’s going to be a lot more heads that are going to roll,” said Reza, who walked back across the bridge to El Paso. Border residents fear a spike in violence after Mexican forces […]

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Mexico: Takedown of Guzman may have little impact on flow of drugs

bostonherald.com reported that the humiliating takedown of fugitive Mexican drug cartel kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman — busted shirtless in a seaside hotel room and marched before the media as he was whisked away to jail after more than a decade on the run — is a major moral victory but will do little to […]

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Guayaquil Ecuador major transit point for cocaine shipments

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Mexican Mafia murder plot to kill rival Canadian drug lords in Phillipines

The Mexican mafia have now spread their killing tentacles across the world to the Philippines as local Manila Police claim that they are behind a murder plot to kill rival Canadian drug lords operating in an international drugs ring. Police in the Philippines say they have intelligence about a plot by a Mexican cartel to […]

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Honduras passes legislation authorizing Air Force to shoot down aircraft suspected of drug smuggling

rt.com reported that Honduras lawmakers have passed legislation authorizing the country’s Air Force to shoot down aircraft suspected of carrying drugs in an effort to curb the cocaine trafficking through the country to the US. The bill proposes banning flights 6 pm to 6 am in Honduras’s airspace, especially if traveling at 5,500 meters and […]

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Mexico: authorities confirm 17 year old patient injecting krokodil from Houston

independent.co.uk reported that health authorities in Mexico have confirmed a 17-year-old patient believed to have injected the drug krokodil was from Houston, America.Dr. Enrico Sotelo, the head of the council on addictions in the western state of Jalisco said the patient is a Houston resident who came to Mexico to visit the Pacific coast resort […]

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Ibarra Ecuador: Priest among five arrested in drug sting

Eluniverso.com reported that the confiscation of 74 kilos of cocaine and the arrest of five people, including a priest, was the result of the anti-drug operation called transporter, held in Ibarra, which included raids and seizures in other four cities in the country. READ THIS BOOK FOR AN INSIDE LOOK AT ECUADOR’S CULTURE The police […]

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Canadian Drug Ring busted in Phillipines with Mexican cartel connections

vancouversun.com reported that police in the Philippines believe Vancouver gangster James Riach was working directly with a Mexican cartel when he set up a major drug operation in Manila last year. Rommell Vallejo, chief of the Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division of the National Bureau of Investigation, said Riach and three other Canadians have been […]

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Maicao Colombia: Lebanese descendants tired of being blamed for laundering, funneling money to Hezbollah

Today, Hezbollah is the most powerful political movement in Lebanon — and its influence stretches all the way to Maicao. Each year, millions of dollars of drug money are laundered in Maicao, where some community members openly proclaim their support for Hezbollah. Recent U.S. Treasury Department actions have slowed the flow of cash to terrorist […]

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Drug Mules from the UK sentenced to six years prison in Peru

theguardian.com reported Michaela McCollum Connolly and Melissa Reid have been sentenced to six years and eight months in jail on drug trafficking charges. The pair’s lawyer says the two women, who pleaded guilty to the charges, are not appealing the ruling. The 20-year-olds were stopped at Lima airport in August with £1.5m of cocaine in […]

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Guayaquil Ecuador: At least 1000 inmates suffering drug withdrawal since transfer to new prison

Eluniverso.com reported that Around of 1,000 inmates have been diagnosed with problems of addictions in the new prison in Guayaquil, so it will be attended by doctors from the Ministry of public health, since these competences were transferred by the Ministry of Justice. If you are looking for a deeper cultural look at life in […]

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Spain dismantles large cocaine operation with links to South America

The Spanish Civil Guard dismantled a network dedicated to introduce cocaine into Spain and elsewhere in Europe from South America, in an operation in which were arrested 43 people and seized more than 62 kilos of this drug and more than USD 1.2 million fake. As reported today by the General Directorate of the Civil […]

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Quito Ecuador: Police identify 76 areas infested with microtrafficking of illegal drugs

Elcomercio.com has identified at least 76 areas in Quito where micro trafficking or retail sales of illicit drugs are being carried out. Key Neighborhoods San Roque – at least 37 marijuana vendors Casco Colonial La Mariscal – nine murders reported so far in 2013 San Roque is a neighborhood nestled in the foothills of the […]

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Ecuador: Ports vulnerable to drug trafficking in containers

Elcomercio.com reported that Guayaquil is considered ‘white of regional traffickers for the transshipment of cocaine in bulk in sea containers’. This port is also used for the transfer of imported chemicals, some of which are diverted for illicit purposes. Thus concludes the United Nations Office on drugs and crime (Unodc) within its program of control […]

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Cancun Mexico: 40 kilos of Marijuana discovered in hotel zone

A package with 40 kilos of marijuana were found early in the morning by the security guard of a vacation center of the hotel zone of Cancun, who gave notice to the Municipal Police. According to the police report, Andrés Altamirano Ambrosio, chief security Solarys Royal Hotel, located at kilometer 19 Boulevard Kukulcan, gave notice […]

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Guayaquil Ecuador: Drug Agents size 234 kilos cocaine on ship headed to Bulgaria

Ecuadorian anti-narcotics units have intercepted 224 kg of cocaine, loaded on a ship in Guayaquil and destined for Bulgaria. The head of the anti-drug unit of the Guayas province, Vladimir Leon, revealed that the bust had been planned for a long time, and is part of a broader operation over the last days, during which […]

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Ecuador: Military moves into northern Manabí province in counter narcotics operation

Elcomercio.com reported that the passage of the military who were carrying guns and moved on special vehicles caused surprise among the inhabitants of the North of Manabí. The fact was recorded between Monday and yesterday in the cantons Sucre, San Vicente and flints. In these sites, according to the police, has been detected that drug […]

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Mexican armed forces in charge of security at port of Lazaro Cardnas, Michoacan

Reuters reported – Mexican armed forces have taken charge of security in the Pacific port of Lazaro Cardenas, a major cargo hub in a part of the country struggling to contain violent drug gangs. The government said on Monday that units of the army, navy and federal police were moving in to oversee access to […]

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Ecuador: 500 rescues so far 2013 from unlicensed drug-treatment clinics

– Some 500 people have been rescued this year from unlicensed drug-treatment clinics that brutalize and even torture their patients, Ecuador’s attorney general said Friday. About 30 people are being processed after being arrested in operations against these unlicensed rehabilitation centers, Galo Chiriboga said during a joint press conference with Health Minister Carina Vance. Read […]

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17,000 forced to seek refuge from violence in northern triangle of Central America

Violence caused by crime, drug trafficking and gang gangs has forced more than 17,000 people of Northern Triangle of Central America, formed by Honduras , El Salvador and Guatemala, to seek refuge in another country since 2008, experts warned today in Tegucigalpa. Read Article .

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Guayaquil Ecuador: 1.5 tons of cocaine seized in pineapple sshipment destined for Belgium

Eluniverso.com reported that 1.5 ton of drugs found last Wednesday in the seaport of Guayaquil was bound for Belgium, Europe, as General William Balarezo, commander of Metropolitan Police District. The officer explained that the alkaloid was discovered in a container filled with pineapple and were considering other containing bananas. “And this will give us the […]

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U.S. shuts drug smuggling tunnel on border with Mexico

US authorities have shut a sophisticated drug smuggling tunnel recently dug under the US-Mexican border. The tunnel – said to be 2.4 miles long – linked a warehouse in Tijuana to another in San Diego, California. Derek Benner, head of Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego, said it was equipped with lights, ventilation and an […]

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Ecuador: Offical acknowledges presence of transnational criminal groups

Insightcrime.org reported that a top official from Ecuador has publicaly acknowledged the presence of transnational criminal groups from Colombia and Mexico, but insisted the country is only used to transit drugs, despite evidence of grrowing drug production. Speaking during an interview on ECTV (see video below), Vice-minister for Internal Security Javier Cordova named Colombia’s Rastrojos […]

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Guayaquil Ecuador – 13 detained from gang of assasins, drug dealers

Police, Judiciary and Prosecution Wednesday arrested 13 people, suspected members of a network dedicated to the killings and sale of drug control in the north of Guayaquil. This was announced by Interior Minister, José Serrano, through his Twitter account . In the operation of the band, which operated in Guayas, Santa Elena, Manabi and Los […]

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Santa Cruz Bolivia, schools on red alert for microtrafficking of drugs to students

erbol.com.bo reported that the Department of Education Service (Seduca) declared red alert in all schools and colleges of Santa Cruz, due to increased reporting of drug microtráfico student level. The deputy director of Seduca, Bartholomew Puma, told Erbol Alternative Radio, which issued a circular, ordering school boards, parents, principals and teachers to pay more attention […]

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Brazil: Federal Police Seizes 800 Kilograms of Marijuana

On October 16, 2013, the Brazilian Federal Police (PF) reported that it seized a truckload of marijuana weighing 800 kilograms.  The truck was stopped in São Luís do Purunã, about 50 kilometers south of Curitiba, the state capital of Paraná.  After receiving tips from local residents, the police spotted the truck at the tollbooth near […]

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Police Operation in Paraná, Brazil, Creates Eighteen Arrest Warrants

On October 24, 2013, Gazeta do Povo reported that the Brazilian Federal Police (PF) has created arrest warrants for eighteen people involved in a cigarette smuggling scheme originating in Paraguay.  Arrest warrants have been issued in several towns in the west of the state of Paraná, as well as Belém, capital of the state of […]

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ECUADOR – LARGE DRUG TRAFFICKING RING DISMANTLED, INCLUDING POLICE

Police in Ecuador have broken most Wednesday to drug gang and hit men operating in the Ecuadorian coast. The criminal faction, in addition to controlling drug trafficking in Guayaquil, maintained important links with international cartels like Sinaloa Mexican or Colombian of stubble. It is, as pointed Andes news agency, the most significant blow to organized […]

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Police in Campina Grande, Brazil, Arrest Trio with 11 Kilograms of Drugs

On October 22, 2013, NE10 reported that police arrested a trio in the state of Paraíba with 11 kilograms of drugs hidden in their car.  Police made the bust in the city of Campina Grande, about 125 kilometers west of the capital city of João Pessoa.  According to reports, police found six kilograms of crack […]

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Police Seize 35 Kilos of Marijuana at Brazilian Amazon Checkpoint

On October 18, 2013, the Brazilian Federal Highway Police (PRF) reported that police busted a motorist traveling from Mato Grosso do Sul to Manaus with 35 kilograms of marijuana in his car. The car was stopped in Vilhena, in Rondônia.  Police found 33 tablets of marijuana in the trunk, as well as side and rear […]

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Drug Expert says Scotland should emulate Medellin Colombia progess in drug war

Ioan GrillHe points to successful projects in cities such as Medellin in Colombia. It was once the stronghold of former drug warlord Pablo Escobar, whose cartel controlled 80 per cent of cocaine sold in the US. After Escobar was shot dead in 1993, Medellin was transformed from a battlefield for drug warlords into one of […]

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Bolivia: Plane drops one million dollars in package over Santa Cruz

foxnews.com reported that an anti-drug squad in the South American country seized $1 million in US dollars on Sunday after the money was dropped in a plastic bag from a small plane flying over Santa Cruz province, The Telegraph reports. Bolivia’s Interior Minister, Carlos Romero, said the money was withdrawn from a bank in Paraguay […]

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Peru: Sendero Rojo using clandestine airstrips to transport illegal drugs

The former soldier and Red Path defector known as “Pantera” EXPRESS revealed that “chulleros”-charge of moving the drug into the Vraem-not afraid to carry heavy loads through suicide as true routes gorges, streams infested with snakes poisonous swamps, and other slippery roads that are death traps and suicide for those unfamiliar. “A few years ago […]

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Clandestine Airstrips Guajira Colombia being used to ship drugs to Venezuela

VIDEO IN SPANISH DOES YOUR FIRM NEED HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED MEDIA MONITORING SERVICES FOR LATIN AMERICA? – GO HERE mundinews.com reported In the Colombian Guajira are clandestine, tolerated by the Colombian authorities, as used by rebel groups to drug trafficking and weapons to Venezuela, said Sunday the journalist and politician José Vicente Rangel in section The […]

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Peru: Two UK Women Plead Guilty in Trafficking Cocaine case

Globalpost.com reported that UK nationals Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum have given up their six-week attempt to prove their innocence, after they were accused of attempting to smuggle 24 pounds of cocaine out of Peru. More than 140 drug “mules” have been arrested at the Lima airport so far this year. Read Article

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Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil: Police Arrest Notorious Drug Trafficking Gang in Region

Globo reported on September 26, 2013 that the police detained 10 suspects of a drug trafficking gang in Mato Grosso do Sul. Among those detained was the leader of the gang; a 21-year old man in a wheelchair. The gang is responsible for murdering members of rival gangs, including that of a 17-year old. They […]

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Manaus, Brazil: Suspect Arrested at Airport for Drug Trafficking

acritica.uol.com.br reported on September 23, 2013 that a suspect was detained at the Eduardo Gomes International Airport in Santos Dumont, Manaus for transporting 12 kg of marijuana in his luggage. The suspect was traveling from Rio de Janeiro, receiving R$6,000 to transport the drug between both cities. He was previously arrested in England for drug […]

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Bolivian registered Cessna crashes Peru, 350 kilos of cocaine seized

ElComercio.pe reported that a Cessana plate CP-2677 was seized by police at a clandestine airstrip in Oxapampa . Los traffickers escaped. Pasco: confiscate 349 kilos of cocaine in small plane of Bolivian flag The ship plate CP-2677 was seized by police at a clandestine airstrip in Oxapampa . Los traffickers escaped Pasco: decomisan 349 kilos […]

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Venezuela: Three National Guard Members Arrested for smuggling cocaine on Air France flight

Reuters.com reported that Venezuela has arrested three National Guard officials for alleged involvement in smuggling 1.3 tonnes of cocaine on an Air France flight from Caracas to Paris, the South American nation’s public prosecutor’s office said on Sunday. The seizure of the cocaine haul valued at as much as 200 million euros ($270.19 million) comes […]

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Minas Gerais, Brazil: Police Discover 400 kilos of Marijuana Hidden Inside Truck

Globo reported on September 20, 2013 that the Federal Police launched Operation ‘Invasion IV” in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais to combat drug trafficking and organized crime. Police discovered 400 kilos of marijuana divided into 481 tablets on a truck that left Mato Grosso do Sul destined for Juiz de Fora. The drugs were hidden […]

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Paraná, Brazil: Weapons and Drugs Confiscated at Paraguay-Brazil Border

Terra reported on September 20, 2013 that the Federal Police in conjunction with the IRS confiscated two guns, 200 points of LSD and 60 perfume bottles on the International Friendship Bridge between Paraná and Paraguay. The police detained two suspects after approaching a vehicle entering Brazil with Paraguayan license plates. Read Article

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Brazil and Peru Police Forces Close 8 Cocaine Laboratories

acritica.uol.com.br reported on September 20, 2013 that the Federal Police with the help of the Peruvian police closed eight cocaine-producing laboratories on Peruvian territory. The laboratories were 1 kilometer from the Brazilian border. One seizure involved confiscating 240 kilos of cocaine. In addition, the police seize 5,920 gallons of gasoline on a Peruvian vessel traveling […]

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Pará, Brazil: Suspects Arrested for Drug Trafficking and Possession of Explosive Material

agenciapara.com.br reported on September 19, 2013 that the Civil Police detained four suspects for drug trafficking activity in the village resort of Santarém , Pará. The police seized drugs and materials used to pack the narcotics. The operation in the village is an attempt to control drug trafficking and other related crimes such as theft […]

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Ecuador: Police seize 180,000 doses of liquid cocaine on bus to Cuenca

Elmercurio.com.ec reported that on Sunday September 15, 2013, police in a routine road check of a cooperativa “Azuay” bus in route from Huaquillas to Cuenca discovered a shipment of 63.40 kilos of liquid cocaine. a raid on Ye Cumbe. The plastic container seized held 180,000 deses of cocaine worth $700,000. Authorities indicated that drug traffickers […]

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Carchi Ecuador: 20,000 poppy plants destroyed by military

More than 20,000 poppy plants burned by soldiers in Carchi Plants were camouflaged in bean crops. Authorities reported second time crop of poppy plants have been discovered in Carchi Eluniverso.com reported that a farmer of 48 years was arrested Tuesday morning in the San Joaquin Look Canton, South Carchi because cultivation of beans between two […]

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Mexican Cartels Operating in Panama

At least four Mexican drug trafficking organizations are operating in Panama and have been linked to murders, the La Prensa newspaper reported Monday, citing intelligence reports. Bureau of Prisons and intelligence reports “confirm the presence … of the Los Zetas, Beltran Leyva, Sinaloa and Juarez” cartels, which “use Panama as a base of operations for […]

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Ecuador: 50 kilos of cocaine seized at Cotopaxi International Airport

Elcomerico.comFor the first time in the Cotopaxi International Airport in Latacunga, police seized on Sunday September 15, 2013, 50 kilos of cocaine, according to agents abroad would be valued at U.S. $ 2.525 million. According to preliminary police investigations, the shipment arrived on a trailer from the Quito airport Tababela. The drugs were in a […]

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Cotopaxi Ecuador: Drugs siezed in trucks shipping flowers

Cotopaxi Following an intelligence developed by the Provincial Narcotics Unit of Cotopaxi, last Sunday achieved the military seizure of 40 boxes that were camouflaged within a truck carrying flowers. The action took place at 06:30 on Sunday when the charge was intended to be entered, the staff helped the police with dogs Dog Training Regional […]

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Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil: Truck Driver Paid R$50,000 to Transport Drugs

On September 12, 2013, progresso.com.br reported that the Federal Police seized 514 kgs of cocaine in Mato Grosso do Sul. The police intercepted the truck carrying the drug destined for São Paulo. The driver admitted to receiving R$50,000 to transport the drug. Police report other seizures earlier that week: 2.7 kgs of cocaine seized on […]

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Pernambuco, Brazil: 100kg of Marijuana in Truck Seized by Police

Globo reported on September 14, 2013 that the Military and Federal Police confiscated 100 kilograms of marijuana in truck coming from São Paulo to Pernambuco. The truck driver admitted to being hired by two people five months to transport the drugs. The man is charged with interstate drug trafficking. The Federal Police believe the drugs […]

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Brazil: Brazilian and Peruvian Police Join Forces to Remove Cocaine Laboratories

Terra reported on September 13, 2013 that the Brazilian Federal Police and the National Police of Peru agreed to join forces to find and remove cocaine production laboratories in the Peruvian Amazon. Police report “Operation Trapeze” will discover 15 hidden laboratories that can produce up to 10 tons of cocaine a year. Last year, the […]

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Colombia: Canadian Woman detained with two kilos inside fake pregnant stomach

Colombian police arrested at Bogotá airport to a Canadian citizen carrying two kilos of cocaine hidden in a latex tummy with pretending to be pregnant, police sources said Wednesday. The woman, identified as Tabatha Leah Ritchie, 28, a social worker by profession, had entered the country on August 6 from Toronto (Canada). Read Article

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Tijuana Mexico: 2 kilos crystal seized, hidden in air bag compartment of truck

A total of 2 kilos 900 grams of “crystal” and $ 10,000 in drugs hidden compartment in a vehicle were seized by agents of the State Preventive Police (PEP) in addition to the arrest of two people, in response to an operation in the Otay Mesa delegation. Read Article

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Two detained trying to enter U.S. at Nuevo Laredo with 14 kilos of methamphetamine

milenio.com reported the seizure occurred when two men tried to enter the United States with 14 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in a van. Nuevo Laredo • Agents Customs and Border Protection arrested two people in possession of more than 14 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine valued at nearly a million dollars, they tried to enter the […]

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Dover UK: 47 kilos of cocaine seized on banana boat from Ecuador

dover-express.co.uk reported that MILLONS of pounds worth of cocaine was seized on a banana ship in Dover on Sunday. Officers seized 47 kilos of Class A drug from the cargo vessel at the port. Two men from Ecuador have been charged with attempted importation after the cocaine was found in the hold by the Border […]

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Brazil: Corruption reported as most popular crime

Veja.com.br reported on September 9, 2013 that the Federal Police report that about R$1 billion has been diverted in the public sector due to fraud and corruption. Police report such crime has surpassed that of drug trafficking and smuggling. Between January and August of this year, 20.7% of work by the Federal Police focused on […]

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Fortaleza, Brazil: Foreigners Detained at Airport for International Drug Trafficking

opovo.com.br reported on September 5, 2013 that Federal Police arrested two foreigners from Sao Tome and Principe and Portugal for international drug trafficking. The suspects were arrested at the Pinto Martins International Airport with 7 kilograms of cocaine. The flight was destined for Lisbon, Portugal. Read Article

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Imbabura Ecuador: 250 kilos of cocaine seized during routine operation

It’s been a month of the seizure of 249.3 kilos of cocaine, registered with Integrated Control Police, in Mascarilla, so that a new seizure with similar characteristics is made in this place. Imbabura Police explained that at approximately 21:30 on Wednesday, in the control mask and for a routine operation, located 240.9 kilos of cocaine, […]

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Piauí, Brazil: Since January 2013, Police Confiscate 2,000 kilos of Drugs

Globo reported on September 1, 2013 that the Specialized Police Repression of Narcotics reported 1,900 kilos of drugs seized in Piauí between January and August of this year. One operation included the confiscation of more than 1,000 kilos of marijuana. More than 50 police investigations took place over this time period. Police report such success […]

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Arapongas, Brazil: Arrests Increase for Drug Trafficking Charges

tnonline.com.br reported on September 1, 2013 that according to the Military Police, the number of arrests for drug trafficking in Arapongas increased by 32% compared to last year. Between January and August of last year, there were 87 arrests compared to 115 for this year. Police report the changing profile of traffickers and the increased […]

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Manaus, Brazil: Police Operation Arrests 8 Suspects for Drug Trafficking Activity

acritica.uol.com.br reported on August 28, 2013 that the civil police launched “Operation Free Fair” in Manaus to combat a gang suspected of drug trafficking activity in the region. Among the eight arrested include two teenagers charged with drug trafficking, association for trafficking, and conspiracy. The gang, led by two inmates, conducted such criminal activity with […]

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Acre, Brazil: Suspects Detained for Selling Abortion Pills

Globo reported on August 29, 2013 that the Federal Police detained six suspects including the owner of the pharmacy, accused of selling abortion pills in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre. According to a forensic examination, the tablets were from Italy and are banned in Brazil. The pills were sold between R$100 and R$250. Fear of surveillance, […]

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Sao Paulo, Brazil: Lawyer Detained for Drug Trafficking Association

Globo reported on August 30, 2013 that police arrested in Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo, a 38-year-old lawyer accused of association with drug trafficking. The lawyer was suspected of selling drugs with the gang as well as defending the drug gang for distributing drugs to certain cities within the state. Aside from the lawyer, police arrested […]

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Guayaquil, Ecuador: Police Seize Over 4 Tons of Cocaine Destined for Europe

From lainformacion.com on August 29, 2013- Ecuadorian Narcotics Police seized more than four tons of cocaine in the city of Guayaquil making this the second largest drug seizure in Ecuador for 2013. The drugs were destined for the Belgian city of Antwerp. In addition to the drug seizure, authorities arrested five Ecuadorians. The seized drugs […]

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Isla de Maipo, Chile: Authorities Dismantle Drug Network

From Terra on August 30, 2013- Agents of Chile’s OS-7 dismantled a drug trafficking network after 4 months of investigations in the city of Isla de Maipo in the Metropolitan Region. During the operation, which included raids on three houses, 17,500 doses of drugs (marijuana and cocaine) were seized and five suspects were arrested. In […]

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Sao Paulo, Brazil: Traffickers Use Postal Service to Transport Drugs

On August 28, 2013 Terra reported that federal police in Operation AWB arrested two people suspected of international drug trafficking. The suspects are accused of sending drugs abroad through postal service Sedex. According to police, the drugs are destined mainly to Spain, the UK, and Australia. Read Article

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Piaui, Brazil: High Number of Deaths in City Related to Drug Trafficking

Globo reported on August 28, 2013 that out of 154 deaths in the city of Teresina, 89 murders were related to drug trafficking activity. Police report the violence is due to increased seizures. The drug dealers are fighting for control of drug outlets, mainly cocaine that comes from other states. Innocent people, especially teenagers, fall […]

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Fortaleza, Brazil: Cocaine Refining Lab Discovered by Police

tribunadabahia.com.br reported on August 28, 2013 that a cocaine refining drug lab was discovered on a farm near the Industrial Center of Aratú in Fortaleza. On site, police seized cocaine base paste, cocaine, and other products used to refine the narcotics. Police arrested three men for drug trafficking and were sent to the Homicide and […]

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Villa Rica, Colombia: Authorities Discover Underground FARC Complex

From lainformacion.com on August 27, 2013- Colombian authorities seized 226 kilos of cocaine on a FARC controlled farm in the Cauca Department in the southwest of the country. In addition to the farm, authorities discovered an underground complex complete with security systems. The complex had several rooms with 15 in. thick walls, remotely controlled doors, […]

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San Jose, Costa Rica: Dismantled Gang Used Mail Service to Traffic Drugs

From lainformacion.com on August 28, 2013- Authorities in Costa Rica dismantled an international drug trafficking gang that was using the postal service to send and receive drugs. The group was led by one Lithuanian and two Romanians who had recruited officials from the state-owned postal service. This organization shows the continued “diversification” of drug trafficking […]

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Ciudad Juarez, Mexico: Authorities Capture Sinaloa Cell Leader

From lainformacion.com on August 28, 2013- Mexican police arrested alleged drug trafficker Mario Nunez Meza in Ciudad Juarez near the U.S border. Meza is accused of leading a violent Sinaloa cartel cell in northern Mexico and is wanted by Mexican and U.S. authorities, as well as Interpol. Authorities claim that Meza is linked to hundreds […]

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Santiago, Chile: Police Seize 25 Kilos of Cocaine, Dismantle Drug Ring

From Terra on August 28, 2013- More than 25 kilos of cocaine, valued around 500 million pesos, were seized by authorities in Santiago. The drugs were to be sold in the capital during the long weekend around Independence Day. The drug ring was being operated from prison by Omar Tormo, who is serving 15 years. […]

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