Ponta Pora, Brazil: Drug Traffickers Detained for Smuggling Cocaine

Globo reported on July 3, 2013 that the Civil Police in Ponta Pora, Mato Grosso do Sul, detained three suspects part of gang led by the largest drug dealer in the Federal District of Brasilia. The suspects are accused of receiving and transporting cocaine from other countries such as Bolivia, Colombia, and Paraguay to the Federal District. Drugs were kept in a warehouse located along the Brazil-Paraguay border in which truck drivers were hired to transport the cocaine. The investigation lasted 15 months and the suspects face up to 25 years of imprisonment. Read Article

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Belem, Brazil: Family Members Detained for Drug Trafficking Activity Between Colombia and Brazil

Globo reported on June 27, 2013 that Federal and Civil Police detained six people from the same family in Belem, accused of international drug trafficking. The investigation began in October 2012 in which police confirm the drugs were stored on an island about 40 minutes from Belem. Members of this family were arrested before in […]

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Colombian Drug Lord Detained at Airport for False Documentation

correio24horas.com.br reported on June 3, 2013 that the Federal Police this past Friday evening, arrested Colombian drug lord John Freddy Manco Torres, known as “El Indio”, at the Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (Galeão) in Rio de Janeiro. “El Indio” was arrested due to the use of a false Spanish passport. He was wanted in […]

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Brazil: International Drug Traffickers Detained After Federal Police Operation

On June 4, 2013, Terra reported that the Federal Public Ministry in Rio de Janeiro, in conjunction with the Federal Police and the IRS, concluded a United Nations operations intended to combat a group of 15 suspects; Brazilians, Colombians, Spaniards, and Portuguese, accused of international drug trafficking and money laundering. One investigation included that of […]

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São Paulo, Brazil: Colombia Visits to Introduce Tourist Campaign

noticias.r7.com reported on May 21, 2013 that the state office for Colombian Tourism Promotion, Investment, and Exports launched a tourist campaign in São Paulo, Brazil, called “Colombia, Magic Realism”. The campaign is an attempt to further attract and increase Brazilian tourists to visit Colombia. The event will include businessmen and traders from both countries and […]

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Seven drug laboratories dismantled along Colombia-Ecuador border

Seven people were arrested after officials dismantled seven illegal drug laboratories along the border between Colombia and Ecuador. In the Ecuadorian town of San Lorenzo, officials discovered an illicit chemicals marketing scheme was operating under the cover of a lumber company. According to El Nacional, the supplies were taken to Colombia to produce drugs, where […]

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Africa a “drug bridge” between Latin America and Europe, UN says

The United Nations International Narcotics control reported that Africa has become a hub for drug trafficking from Latin America to Europe. According to an El Mundo report, drugs from countries such as Colombia enter Africa through the west coast. At the same time, countries in eastern Africa often serve as transit areas for drugs heading […]

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Argentina: Heroin worth 200,000 euros seized at Bolivian border; Colombian arrested

Customs agents in Argentina arrested a Colombian man along the Bolivian border after he was caught with heroin. According to Nuevo Diario de Salta, he was carrying 1.890 kilograms of the drug. In Europe, this amount of drugs could be worth 200,000 euros. He was arrested after displaying strange behavior. This is the first time […]

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Nearly two tons of cocaine seized in the Caribbean region over weekend

Nearly two tons of cocaine were seized in the Caribbean in two operations during the August 18, 2012 weekend. The first operation took place near San Blas Islands, Panama. According to Fox News Latino, a go-fast type boat was found by Colombian officials carrying 1,362 kilos of cocaine hydrochloride. No arrests were reported. The second […]

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Cocaine seized on cargo ship in Colombia; Hidden in barrels of stucco

203 kilos of cocaine were found on board a cargo ship in San Andres, Colombia. It had been shipped from Barranquilla, Caracol Radio reports. The drugs are estimated to be worth 6 million pesos. They were hidden in six containers, camouflaged within 34 barrels of stucco. No arrests have been reported, although officials continue to […]

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Colombia begins manual coca eradication along Ecuadorian border

Colombian officials hope to eradicate 5,000 hectares of illegal coca plantations along the Ecuadorian border by October 15, 2012. This plan calls for manual destruction of the crops, according to Fox News Latino. The areas in focus include Narino, Putumayo, and Guaviare, where officials say coca production increased dramatically between 2010 and 2011. In 2007, Colombian […]

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Officials break up Colombia-United States drug trafficking ring

Authorities in Colombia and the United States captured three Colombians involved in a drug-trafficking ring that operated between Colombia and New York City. The suspects, identified as Juan Fernando Mejía Saldarriaga, Germán Darío Estrada Montoya, and Roberto Bustamante Ballesteros, are reported to be the main contacts of the ring. The drug network is believed to […]

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Guatemalan attempts to fly to from Colombia with heroin in stomach

Lesther Alexander Choxon Cifuentes (28) was captured in the Cartagena airport in Colombia as he attempted to leave the country with 600 grams of heroin in his stomach. A Guatemalan citizen, he was preparing to board a plane en route to Guatemala with a stop in Panama, El Universal reports. He was arrested after authorities […]

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Colombian drug trafficking network captured in Spain

Police in Mallorca, Spain dismantled an international drug trafficking network dedicated to distributing cocaine. Seven Colombians were arrested, Terra Noticias reports. Police discovered seven kilos of heroin in a laboratory as well. The operation had been planned for months, but only began after two vehicles were intercepted at the port of Palma. They had travelling […]

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Seven drug laboratories found along border between Ecuador and Colombia

Seven drug laboratories along the border between Ecuador and Colombia were found and destroyed in a joint operation. According to La Hora, the discovery of the laboratories dealt a blow to a network that produced drugs with coca leaves from Colombia and chemicals from Ecuador. Officials determined that around 60 kilos of drugs had been […]

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Mexican narco-trafficker extradited to United States; Linked to Sinaloa cartel

The Mexico narco-trafficker Sandra Avila Beltrán, also known as the Queen of the Pacific, has been extradited to the United States. She was wanted for transporting drugs into the United States, Terra reports. She was accused in 2007 of assisting in the transport of cocaine from Colombia into Mexico. The Sinaloa Cartel would then send […]

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Ecuador: Three Colombian women caught in prostitution ring

Two Colombian women, 19 and 14, were arrested after officials caught them in a prostitution operation in Ecuador. They were travelling to a nightclub in the north of Ibarra to work, El Norte reports. The women were discovered during a routine traffic check after displaying suspicious behavior. Officials also noticed their Colombian accents. The two […]

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Panama a transit country for human trafficking; Many come from Africa

Experts estimate that over 80,000 individuals are trafficked each year, and that Panama has become a major transit country. According to TVN Noticias, many individuals involved in these operations pay high sums to be taken to a new country. Many of those trafficked in Panama come from Africa via the Atlantic Ocean. Security forces in […]

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Apure, Venezuela along new drug route to North America; Controlled by FARC

Officials have determined that the state of Apure in Venezuela is a crucial stop along a drug route from South America to the United States and Europe. Because the state is located along the Colombian border, most of the drugs passing through are related to FARC. According to La Patilla, 24% of cocaine that reaches […]

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Colombia: Two clandestine airstrips found; Constructed by FARC

Police in Colombia have announced the discovery of two clandestine airstrips owned by the FARC organization for drug trafficking purposes. The airstrips were located in jungle areas of Balboa and Mercaderes, in Cauca. They were found through joint efforts of the National Police, the Attorney General, and the Colombian Air Force, Univision reports. The airstrips […]

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Colombia: Semi-submersible and drug workshop discovered; Linked to FARC and Urabueños

A homemade semi-submersible was found and destroyed by members of the Colombian Army in a rural area near the Gulf of Urabá. According to El Universal, it was discovered inside a secluded drug workshop large enough to contain 25 individuals. The semi-submersible had been packed with 6 tons of cocaine. When officials arrived at the […]

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Nicaragua determines Colombian cartels operate in Caribbean after multiple incidents

After extensive intelligence work, the police in Nicaragua have determined that its area of the Caribbean is used by narco-traffickers, particularly those belonging to Colombian cartels. Sucesos Critica reports that last month Nicaraguan officials disbanded a drug trafficking organization operating between Panama and Honduras. Authorities also combated gunfire in the Caribbean with other criminal groups. […]

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Drug mule caught in Guatemalan airport transporting cocaine; Flew from Colombia

Luis Antonio Rios Perez (27) was detained in the Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Guatemala after flying from Barranquilla, Colombia with liquid cocaine. He had swallowed 46 capsules of the drug to evade detection, the Government of Guatemala website reports. However, after passing through security controls after arriving in Guatemala, officials noted his nervous […]

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Narco-trafficker caught in Peru; Owned cocaine processing factories

Alcides Gamio Mallqui (44), one of the most wanted narco-traffickers in Peru, also known as Jaime Gamio, was arrested in Tingo María. He was wanted for trafficking over 500 kilos of drugs each month, RPP Noticias reports. His principle areas of operation included Caunarapa, Chipaco, and Maravilla. The suspect also constructed his own cocaine processing […]

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Leader of Los Urabeños gang flew to Honduras on stolen Colombian plane

Alexánder Montoya Úsuga, believed to be the second-in-command of the Los Urabeños gang, was arrested on July 17, 2012 in Honduras. He was wanted for flying on an aircraft previously stolen from the El Dorado airport in Colombia, UPI Español reports. He is also believed to have been responsible for ordering and renting airplanes used […]

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Costa Rican authorities seize shipment of drugs en route to Europe

National drug enforcement police in Moin, Costa Rica discovered and seized a shipment of drugs that arrived in the city’s port. According to Infosur Hoy, the drugs arrived from Colombia and were to be shipped to Europe after stops in Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. The exact final destination in Europe is unknown. The shipment […]

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Psychologist arrested at Colombian airport with 250 grams of cocaine; Headed to Aruba

Psychologist Yamal Antar Zawady Ospino (36) was caught in the Riohacha airport in Colombia attempting to fly to Aruba with 250 grams of cocaine. According to El Heraldo, the drugs were hidden inside latex gloves and balloons. The suspect claimed he had been commissioned by a woman identified as Dayana Buelvas to transport cosmetic materials. […]

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Four Costa Ricans arrested in Colombia with one ton of cocaine on lobster boat

The Armed Forces in Colombia detained four citizens of Costa Rica in waters near San Andrés with one ton of cocaine. The arrestees had been sailing in a lobster boat, La Nacion reports. They were intercepted after officials detected a boat moving at high speed toward Central America. 81 bags of cocaine were found on […]

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Three reggaeton artists investigated by US DEA; attended narco-trafficker’s wedding

Reggaeton singer Arcángel and the Jowell and Randy duet are under investigation in the United States after officials discovered the three artists attended the wedding celebration of arrested narco-trafficker Camilio Torres, alias “El Fritango.” The singers were hired as entertainment at the party, El Universal reports. The party was to last several days at the […]

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Seven U.S. citizens attended wedding party of arrested Colombian drug trafficker

Seven U.S. citizens, including three police officers, attended the party of Colombian drug trafficker Camilo Torres, alias “Fritanga.” Torres had been arrested on July, 2 2012 shortly after his wedding. He had organized the celebration party on a Caribbean island to follow the ceremony, during which he was arrested. The U.S. citizens present at the […]

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Soldiers caught transporting drugs in Colombia

Five soldiers and four civilians were caught carrying 603 kilos of cocaine while traveling along a highway in Colombia in the Antioquia area. The suspects were wearing camouflage clothing and were carrying weapons. According to Terra Noticias, a lieutenant and a corporal were among the arrested individuals. The van in which they travelled was stopped […]

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Colombian narco-trafficker of Los Urabeños gang caught; Wanted in USA

Camilo Torres Martínez (30), alias “Fritanga” or “Mentira,” was captured shortly after getting married and guests arrived to celebrate his wedding for a week on Múcura Island. He was wanted for narco-trafficking, specifically to Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Mexico, and the United States. According to La Tribuna, he belonged to the Los Urabeños drug trafficking organization. […]

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150 million pesos worth of heroin seized in Colombia

The police department of Risaralda, Colombia seized eight kilos of heroin worth 150 million pesos. Two men and two women were arrested during the operation, La Tarde reports. They are suspected of involvement in a drug trafficking ring that uses cars to camouflage the drugs. The operation occurred in the sector known as La Postrera, […]

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Central member of Los Rastrojos gang caught in Colombia; involved in 30 murders

The National Police in Colombia announced that Edison Antonio Pelaez (49), alias “Mincho,” was arrested on a farm in Montenegro, around 185 kilometers west of Bogota. Mincho is suspected of involvement in the Los Rastrojos gang, La Tercera reports. He is believed to have attempted to assume control of the drug-trafficking paramilitary organization. Officials consider […]

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Colombia: Over 500 hectares of illegal crops destroyed; associated with FARC

Officials in Colombia have announced that 564 hectares of illegal crops, mostly coca leaves, have been eradicated. The crop fields were located in various areas around the country. They are thought to belong to FARC members and other criminal organizations in the area, who would use them for drug production and distribution, the Comando General […]

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U.S. issues money-laundering sanctions in Venezuela and Colombia; links to Hezbollah

The U.S. Department of Treasury announced sanctions against five individuals for laundering money in Venezuela and Colombia on behalf of a Lebanese drug-trafficking organization. One of the suspects is believed to be raising money for Hezbollah, an Islamic terrorist group. Ali Mohamed Saleh, who has dual Colombian-Lebanese citizenship, is accused of coordinating Hezbollah’s activities in […]

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Mexico City airport scandal: Federal agents trafficked drugs to the U.S. and Spain

After three federal police officers were shot by two other officers in the Mexico City airport on June 25, 2012, officials have been investigating an international drug trafficking network operating within the airport. According to Milenio, drug shipments from Colombia, Peru, and Guatemala were permitted through the airport. Corrupt federal agents would encourage customs agents […]

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More than 64,000 hectares of illicit crops growing in Colombia, UN reports

The United Nations (UN) reports that illicit crops in Colombia cover 64,000 hectares, an increase of 2,000 from the 2010 figure. Previously, the number had been declining, with 80,000 in 2007 and 62,000 in 2010, El Imparcial reports. However, the trend seems to be reversing and illicit crops are once again on the rise. According […]

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Central America main route, warehouse for drug trafficking; Creole groups emerge

Countries in Central America are increasingly being used as drug warehouses and routes toward Mexico. From Mexico, drug traffickers transport their merchandise into the United States. This increase in activity in Central America has led to the emergence of native “Creole” organizations that participate in local trafficking, 24 Horas reports. Colombian narco-traffickers are mainly responsible […]

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Peru: Man forced to traffick drugs after girlfriend is kidnapped by Colombians

Borja Alvaro Fernandez, a Spanish citizen, was arrested in the international airport in Lima, Peru, after officials found him with 3 kilos of drugs. The suspect claimed he was being extorted by two Colombian drug traffickers, who forced him to work as a mule in exchange for freeing his girlfriend, who had been kidnapped. They […]

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Two drug treatment laboratories found and destroyed in Colombia

Police in Santa Cruz, Colombia discovered and destroyed two drug laboratories. They were five kilometers apart, according to a La Razon report, suggesting they were connected. The laboratories were strategically placed near ecotourism cabins in El Condor and were obscured in bushes, making them difficult to access. Excessive vehicle activity in such a remote area […]

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Police arrested in Huila, Colombia for involvement in drug trafficking

Four Huila police officers were arrested for the crimes of fabrication, trafficking, and possession of drugs, as well as conspiracy. The officers had been involved in the transportation of cocaine paste by car, according to El Tiempo. They will be brought to the criminal court in the Justice Palace for their first hearings on June […]

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U.S. accuses former Chief of Security in Colombia of drug conspiracy

Mauricio Santoyo, former chief of security under President Alvaro Uribe from 2002-2006 and retired police general in Colombia, has been accused by the United States of drug conspiracy. La Republic reports that the United States believes Santoyo conspired to bring cocaine into the country with the help of assassins and narco-traffickers from 2000-2008. It is […]

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Peru: Most-wanted narco-trafficker of Monzón Valley caught in Irazola

Joel Rosales Calixto (44), alias “Shiuri,” was caught by national police in Irazola, in the Padre Abad province of the Ucayali region in Peru on June 14, 2012. According to Diario Impetu, he had been one of the most wanted narco-traffickers operating in the Monzón Valley. He had moved to this area in order to centralize […]

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Spanish athletic director charged with laundering money from drug trafficking in Latin America

José Luis Pérez Caminero, the athletic director of Atlético de Madrid, was charged by a Spanish drug with the crime of money laundering. 19 other individuals were charged with the same crime. The laundered money was a product of drug trafficking in Latin America, specifically concerning Colombian and Mexican organizations. According to a Terra report, […]

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Girlfriend of drug trafficker “Megateo” captured in Vega de San Antonio, Colombia

Yanith del Socorro Selveda Quintero, identified as the girlfriend of the drug trafficker known as “Megateo,” was captured by police in Vega de San Antonio, Norte de Santander, in Colombia. She is being investigated for crimes of conspiracy, possession of drugs and arms, as well as trafficking of drugs and arms. The arms in question […]

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Colombia: University student caught in airport attempting to traffick drugs

Héctor Fabio Carvajal Zapata, 37, student at the Universidad Libre, was caught in the Matecaña airport in Colombia for attempting to traffick drugs. The anti-narcotics police in Pereira surprised him at the airport where he intended to fly with 57 packages of cocaine to the San Andrés Island, The Archipielago Press reports. The drugs were […]

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Nearly 80 kilos of cocaine seized along Venezuela-Colombia border

Venezuelan officials seized almost 80 kilos of cocaine in the Ureña zone of the Táchira state that runs along the border with Colombia. The discovery occurred after drug-sniffing dogs belonging to the Bolivarian National Guard detected the cocaine in two vehicles. Two individuals were in the first vehicle, 55 and 20 years old, both of […]

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Unidentified plane sighted in Colombia; linked to plane found in Ecuador

The Colombian Air Force detected an unidentified plane that resembled one found in a hangar in Santa Elena, Ecuador. One official stated the plane was sighted June 8, 2012, while another report claims the illegal flight was spotted June 2, according to El Commercio. An investigation officially began after Minister of the Interior José Serrano […]

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Drug trafficking family arrested in Sahagún, Colombia

National police captured a family running drug trafficking operations in Sahagún, Colombia. Jorge Eliécer Basilio Giraldo (44) was arrested, as well as his wife, Mary Luz Berna Flórez (36), and son, Yeferson Basilio Bernal (20). Many people in the Sahagún community knew of their drug activity but refrained from reporting them out of fear, El […]

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Drug route through Colombia to the Caribbean disrupted

Two men carrying 395 kilos of cocaine were caught attempting to transport the drugs to the Caribbean, El Heraldo reports. The stash originated in Medellín and was in route to the Gulf of Urabá. From there, the drugs were to be transported to the Turbo port, in Antioquia. Urabá police report a vehicle carrying the […]

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Assassin leader of Los Urabeños group caught by soldiers in Colombia

Wilmar Mosquera Palacios, alias “Niche Visaje,” was captured by National Army soldiers in the Barranco Loba municipality, south of Bolívar in Colombia. Niche Visaje is known to have worked as an assassin before becoming the head of the Los Urabeños criminal group in Colombia, El Universal reports. He was one of the 20 most wanted […]

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Colombian mafia spreads throughout Latin America, increase in crime noticed

The Colombian mafia has been spreading its influence throughout Latin America, the Colombian Ministry of Justice and Law reports. Many mafia members flee to other countries in Latin America, especially Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Chile, in order to evade law enforcement or to protect their families. Such criminals perceive these countries to have legal […]

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El Salvador: Two kilos of cocaine found in JetBlue plane with U.S. crew

The Narcotics Division of the National Civil Police in El Salvador and the Attorney General’s Office have reported the discovery of two kilos of cocaine in a JetBlue plane in the Comalapa airport on June 6, 2012. The captain, first officer and two crew members were all U.S. citizens. The aircraft was an Airbus A320 […]

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8 members of FARC died in combat, Defense Minister says

Colombian Minister of Defense Juan Carlos Pinzón said that at least 8 guerrillas belonging to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) group died during a military operation in Nechí, Antioquia, to the north of the country. According to BBC Mundo, Admiral Roberto Garcia, head of the Navy, stated that the deceased individuals belonged to […]

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Colombian Los Rastrojos gang infiltrated by police, leads to arrests

Police have successfully infiltrated the Colombian Los Rastrojos gang, which led to several recent arrests of central leaders and members, as well as the seizure of weapons and illegal materials. Authorities had been working for several months to investigate the structure of criminal gangs, El Heraldo reports. Their intelligence led to the capture of 15 […]

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Colombian foreign minister warns of drug cartels in Bolivia, agreement signed

Foreign Minister of Colombia María Ángela Holguín warned on June 5, 2012 that Colombian cartels are operating in Bolivia. According to Erbol Digital, she hopes to launch a joint effort to curb their activities. The names of the trafficking organizations were not specified; however, she did state that detrimental consequences would arise if efforts are […]

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Colombia upholds Argentina’s extradition request for narco-trafficker “El Canoso”

The criminal chamber of the Supreme Court of Colombia agreed to extradite Argemiro Sierra Pastrana (70), alias “El Canoso” to Argentina, where he is wanted for crimes associated with drug trafficking throughout Central and South America, as well as Europe, in addition to human smuggling. He is one of the most wanted narco-traffickers in South […]

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24-year-old man killed after retaliating against hitmen in Colombia

Yepes Yesiker Antonio Aponte (24) died after retaliating against hitmen that shot Brave Daniel Arrieta (32) in the Lipaya neighborhood of Barranquilla, Colombia. Yesiker Aponte had left his residence on June 3, 2012 in order to watch a soccer game on a public screen. Around 6:30 p.m., two men appeared on a motorcycle and shot […]

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International drug gang disrupted in Ireland, operated in Spain

Eight individuals have been arrested for participation in international drug trafficking, two of which were stopped in the Dublin airport in Ireland for carrying 500 grams of cocaine hidden in their clothing. Five of the suspects were Colombian, two were Spanish, and one was Ecuadorian. The two arrested in Dublin were women. Police raided two […]

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Argentina a sanctuary for Colombian drug traffickers, causes financial bubble

More Colombian drug traffickers are turning to Argentina as a sanctuary, La Nación reports. These criminals have been increasingly participating in real estate business and money laundering in Argentina, as well as using the country as a shelter for family members. Diego Murillo Bejarano, alias “Don Berna,” a former Colombian paramilitary-turned-drug trafficker arrested in the […]

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Leader of Colombian drug-trafficking gang Los Rastrojos captured in Venezuela

Diego Pérez Henao, better known as “Diego Rastrojo,” was captured early on June 3, 2012 in the Rojas municipality in Venezuela. The operation was coordinated by the National Drug Office in Venezuela with the support of Colombian authorities. He was the head of the Colombian drug trafficking organization Los Rastrojos and is accused of trafficking […]

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333 clandestine airstrips destroyed in Venezuela since 2007

On May 31, 2012, the Ministry of the Interior and Justice of Venezuela together with the National Armed Forces of Bolivia destroyed a clandestine airstrip that was used to traffick drugs in the Apure state. The government also claimed to have dismantled an additional 35 illegal runways along the border with Colombia, AVN reports. Since […]

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Surprise strike against narcos in San Germán, Colombia

A police force of at least 150 people and 40 trucks surprised the San Germán community in Colombia around 6 a.m. on May 30, 2012, where they had organized a strike against narcos. The armed police began by entering residences they considered to be suspicious. The preliminary report states that 17 people were arrested, many […]

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Ecuador and Colombia: Main origins of maritime drug trafficking to Central America

In 2005, the Southern Command of the United States began monitoring air and sea traffic to determine where illicit trafficking occurs in Latin America. It has determined that Ecuador and Colombia have seen the most maritime activity and claims these countries have more ships that are likely to be carrying drugs to Central America. In […]

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Colombian hitman strikes in bakery, is captured by police

An assassin entered the Pan Suizo bakery in Fontibón, Colombia and fired three shots, thus killing his victim. The killer, estimated to be 18 years of age, attempted to flee the scene after the incident by running, but was caught by police, El Espacio reports. Before the assassination, the victim had been sitting and drinking […]

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Number of FARC factions being driven out of drug business

A growing number of FARC factions are being driven out of the cocaine business by the police and army. Rather than disband, these FARC gangs turn more to other criminal activities, ranging from robbery, kidnapping and extortion to illegal mining and lumbering. For the average Colombian, these means FARC is still a threat. FARC has […]

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Video: 17-Year-Old Threatens to Kill His Sisters and Mother, Bogotá, Colombia

Last night, a 17-year-old boy held his mother and sisters hostage threatening to kill them in their home in Bogotá, Colombia. According to the video posted by El Espectador, the authorities attended to the situation, and the boy will undergo psychological care. The rest of the family will receive counseling.

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Prank Report of Paseo Millonario Mobilizes 1500 Colombian Police Units in Bogotá

A supposed prank reporting a paseo millonario mobilized 1500 Colombian police officers of Bogotá to search for Karen Gamba, a reporter, as revealed by semana.com. The taxi driver José Castro was arrested and made to search for Gamba with the police who found her safe at home. Gamba denies having made such a report and […]

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FARC Announces Names of 3 Officials to be Released

As the New Year approaches, FARC has released 3 names of the 6 hostages that they will soon release. According to latribuna.hn, they are part of 11 military and police officials who have been held hostage for 12 years. FARC does not want the government to make any attempts to find and rescue these individuals. […]

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Increase in the Frequency of Paseo Millonario Thefts in Bogotá, Colombia

Between January and October of this year in Bogotá, Colombia, the frequency of paseo millonario type thefts has increased by 17.04 from 2010 according to noticias.terra.com.co. 75% of the city has experienced a case of this kind of theft. The police have classified the types of paseo millonario into three categories: paseo millonario clásico, paseo […]

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Colombia Compensates Victims of Violence

Today, President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia passed 5 decrees in regulation of the Law of Victims to come into effect January 1st of next year. According to prensa-latina.cu, the reparations will particularly go to those planning to invest in education, living, or other productive endeavors. The law hopes to convince victims to cooperate with […]

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Cartagena could be cut off from the rest of Colombia

Heavy rains have destroyed homes leaving families without shelter as well as destroyed roads, El Espectador reports. Given the seriousness of the situation, the mayor, Judith Pinedo Florez flew on a helicopter to have a complete picture of the critical areas affected by the severe rains. Read Article

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Colombian government reiterates interest in building “mega hotel” in the Tayrona Park

According to the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development the company interested in building the luxury hotel is interested in investing in ecotourism in the Tayrona National Parl, El Espectador reports. According to their declarations, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development values ​​and respects the ancestors and the culture of our indigenous peoples […]

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Sixty percent of Colombians do not have a decent job

The general attorney’s diagnosis shows a waste of human capital, El Tiempo reports. Six of every ten Colombians who are employed do not have a decent job. They work on their own and most are in the informal sector, they work without a formal contract, earn less than the minimum wage and are outside the […]

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Super Hotel in the Tayrona Park in Colombia will impact the environment

Commenting on the announcement by President Juan Manuel Santos to build a 7-star “environmentally friendly” hotel in Tayrona National Park, RCN Radio was able to establish that there are no studies for this project and that the project will have an impact on the environment. The studies to obtain the licenses to build the project […]

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“Mega” Laboratory for the production of cocaine found in Colombia

Colombian Counternarcotics Police deployed a major operation against the business of the criminal gang, Anti-Subversive Popular Revolutionary Army of Colombia, ERPAC, whose leader is Eberto Lopez Montero, alias ‘Caracho’, El Espectador reports. According to the official report, the “mega” laboratory, located in Guaracu, Meta, was used mainly for the processing of cocaine. Read Article

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Colombia’s Attorney issue 81 arrest warrants for politicians with links with paramilitaries

Colombian attorney aims to establish whether former officials and candidates in Antioquia, Córdoba and Chocó had link with the Elmer Cárdenas Bloc of the AUC, El Espectador reports. Read Article

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Over half a ton of cocaine seized in the Atrato River, Colombia

546 kilos of cocaine were hidden in false bottoms of two commercial vessels on the Atrato River, in the area of Tagachi in Chocó, The National Army reports. Apparently, the captures planned to take the drugs to Turbo, which would then be transported by sea to Central America and then to North America where it […]

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Indigenous groups protest against gold mining in Cauca, Colombia

Indigenous peoples demand the government to avail the constitutional mandates of human rights and free, prior, and informed consent, El Espectador reports. The Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC) called for a march on the Panamerican Highway in order to protest against the extraction of gold in mines located in the protected zones of Canoas […]

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Colombia’s Ministry of Defense has a strategy to prevent child recruitment

Defense Minister, Juan Carlos Pinzón and senior military and police phased out a new strategy to prevent child recruitment by illegal group, El Espectador reports. This strategy is part of the Program for Humanitarian Attention to Demobilized peoples from the Ministry of Defense. So far this year (2011), more than 1,200 guerrilla fighters have demobilized, […]

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Gang recruited homeless to collect extortions in Colombia

The criminal gang would initially threaten their victim by demanding 200 million pesos (US $ 100,000) in exchange for their safety, El Espectador reports. The band was disbanded due to a lawsuit in Boyacá by one of the victims. Detainees will be sentenced to 12 years in prison. Read Article

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Household debt reaches disturbing levels in Colombia

According to a study by Colombia’s Central Bank, the level of household debt is reaching worrying levels at the end of the first six months of this year (2011), El Espectador reports. The study says household debt is reaching similar levels to those recorded during the economic crisis of the 1990s. The report notes that […]

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Ten suspected members of FARC’s clandestine party are capture

The one-year investigation led the Colombian police to locate 10 members of the main structure of the Clandestine Communist Party of the FARC, known as the PC3, Caracol News reports. The police say that these suspects are directly related to the infiltration of student protests in Bogotá, Barrancabermeja, Cali and Bucaramanga. Read Article

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Former rebels in Colombia could join illegal organization once again

Colombia’s president Juan Manuel Santos called on congress to approve a legislation draft that seeks to give a legal ground to the process of reintegration to demobilized rebel fighters, El Espectador reports. Santos warned on Wednesday October 5, 2001 that if the project is not approved at least 25,000 reinserted rebels could join illegal groups […]

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Public education will not be privatized in Colombia

The House of Representatives rejected on Monday October 3, 2011 a bill to reform post-secondary education in Colombia, El Tiempo reports. Colombia’s education Minister, Maria Fernanda Campo, said that the government seeks to improve the quality of higher education and to make it more accessible, especially for poor young people. She also said that the […]

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Gunmen kill a woman in Pasacaballos, Colombia

Marticela Moreno Pérez, mother of 7, was shot three times a few meters away from family members, El Universal reports. The gunmen left in a red motorcycle. One person resulted wounded in the shooting as well, Alberto Avila Julio, 24. Both were taken to a hospital in Cartagena, where the woman was pronounced dead. The […]

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Colombia maintains its stance on Palestinian state

Colombia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Maria Angela Holguin, reiterated Colombia’s position of creating a Palestinian state, insisting that Israelis and Palestinians must hold “direct negotiations”, El Espectador reports. According to diplomatic sources, Abbas will ask Colombia’s president Juan Manuel Santos to reconsider his country’s position before the Security Council of the United Nations where Colombia is […]

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More than 200,000 hectares stolen from displaced people in Los Llanos Orientales, Colombia

The Colombian Superintendence of Notaries and Registration exposed the magnitude of land theft in Los Llanos, Colombia, El Tiempo reports. The land theft is greater than initially calculated. There were not 187,000 hectares as initially calculated, but at least 211 000 hectares, according to the latest report from the Colombian Superintendence of Notaries and Registration. […]

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Tumaco, Colombia ravaged by violence and drug-trafficking

Extortions, hit-men, and drug trafficking are the main contributers of violence in the port-town of Tumaco, El Pais reports. Despite this, authorities assure that the problem is decreasing; yet, locals disagree with that statement. For the last few months ago the community has been run by armed men that decide who deserves to live, who […]

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FARC’s “Black Pearl” will not navigate in the Pacific Ocean

FARC’s Black Pearl could not make its first trip in the Colombian Pacific, El Colombiano reports. The narco-submarine was built out of fiberglass and steel and was able to navigate itself 4 to 5 feet under water and could carry up to four tons of cocaine. According to the anti-narcotics police, this is the second […]

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Two police officers in Cesar, Colombia are captured for having ties with Bacrim

Assistant superintendent Aníbal Domingo Castro Arjona and patrol officer Cristian Camilo Zambrano, active members of the Police force in Cesar, were captured in Casacara and La Gloria respectively, by agents of the same Institution, El Pais Vallenato reports. The Public Prosecutor (Fiscalia) asked the Second Penal Court of Valledupar for the orders of capture against […]

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Colombian National Institute of Monitoring of Medicines and Foods detects illegal duplicates in sanitary registries

Civil servants of Invima manipulated the organization’s databases to grant illegal sanitary registries, El Tiempo reports. According to an internal investigation, there were seven cases of duplicity from registries. Some of the products the organization deals with can be utilized for criminal purposes, though no product was commercialized; however, the problem is that the registry […]

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Narco submarine (submersible) belonging to FARC found in Choco, Colombia

Colombian anti-narcotics police located and neutralized a modern submersible in the small town of Condoto, Choco, in Western Colombia, reports El Esperctador. The submersible, valued at 2 million US dollars, had a capacity to transport between 4 and 5 tons of cocaine. Anti-narcotics director, Carlos Enrique Rodriguez Gonzalez noted that the operation was achieved with […]

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Colombian – Ecuadorian Border: Shootout Leaves Young Ecuadorian Dead, Soldier Wounded

According to ElComercio.com a young Ecuadorian was willed and an Ecuadorian soldier wounded during a confrontation between the Ecuadorian military and a group of FARC guerillas located on the Colombian side of the San Miguel River. Officials say the confrontation occurred last Thursday, August 11th while a military patrol was performing control operations along the […]

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Argentina: Highest alcohol consuming nation in South America

The World Health Organization released recent figures placing Argentina, Guyana and Ecuador as the top three alcohol consuming nations in South America, according to andes.inco.ec. The report shows that the average person over 15 in the Americas consumes 8.7 liters of alcohol per year, 40% more that the global average of 6.2 liters a year. […]

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U.S. Embassy Issues Travel Warning for Citizens in Bogotá, Colombia

•The United States Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia has issued a travel warning for U.S. citizens. •Elespectador.com reports that in specific zones such as the Zona Rosa and the Zona T as well as the Parque de la 93, citizens run the risk of violent crimes. •Members of the U.S. embassy have been drugged with scopolamine […]

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Video: Special Education School Robbed 9 Times This Year

•Recently, the special education school Jorge Eliécer Gaitán in Ibagué, Colombia was robbed for the 9th time this year. •According to the video by elespectador.com, the thieves took tools, food, and other essentials necessary to run the school. •The culprits presumably entered through the roofs at night as there is no security at night. Read […]

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Colombia, Mexican Narcotics Figurehead of Goods Captured

The Colombian Police have captured Dolly Cifuentes Villa, the figurehead of the Sinaloa cartel, involved in narcotics in Mexico. Her actions involved over 30 companies, and she is to be extradited to the United States. Her brother served Pablo Escobar as a pilot. Read Article

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Indigenous People In Danger of Extinction, Colombia

The UN has launched a campaign today to celebrate the International Day of Indigenous Peoples which will attempt to save 35 indigenous communities that are at risk of extinction. Semana.com reports that these indigenous Colombian suffer from homicides, persecutions and other crimes at the hands of armed groups. The indigenous groups at risk of extinction […]

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