Summery - WikiLeaks



Drug Seizures from Saturday August 6th – Friday August 12th 2011(Some attacks that fall outside the range of this sweep are included because they were part of a Journal or diary and weren’t put out until this week. )SummeryAugust 4, 2011Zulia Lara border, Venezuela: Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) seized 30 packages of cocaine weighing about 31.3 kg near the Zulia Lara border. Intelligence reports indicate that the cocaine was bound for Valles del Tuy, Miranda State and was seized from a secret compartment in a car at the Jacinto Lara toll station. The drug is said to have originated in Colombia and its ultimate destination was to have been the Caribbean islands for onward carriage elsewhere.August 5, 2011 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Police arrested Lucio Mauro Carneiro dos Passos (aka Biscoito) described as one of the most dangerous drug lords in the Mangueira Hill area in the days preceding the installation of a Peacekeeping Police Unit (UPP) in the community. Passos was caught at his home in the Jacarezinho shantytown on the north side of Rio de Janeiro with four pistols, four sub-machine guns, ammunition, and 1 kg of cocaine. Barra do Garcas, Brazil: Federal Police (PF) arrested an unidentified driver on Federal Highway BR-158 in Barra do Garcas, Mato Grosso, near the state's border with Goias, and seized 140 kg of marijuana. The narcotic was in an unspecified vehicle the suspect was driving. August 6, 2011Thailand/Malaysian Border: In a joint Thai-Malaysian drug suppression operation based on information from the interrogation of a prisoner. ONCB officials and Region 9 and border patrol police arrested 2 suspects, both from Narathiwat province, and seized 432,000 methamphetamine pills which were bound for Malaysia from them at Soi 5/1 on Thesapattana road in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province on Saturday.The drugs were destined for Malaysia. At about the same time, Malaysian police arrested nine suspects, including a major Malaysian drug trader known only as Bob, and seized 16kg of crystal methamphetamine, 22kg of heroin, and 2,000 speed pillsBangkok, Thailand: 27-year-old Guinea national was arrested with 2,500 grammes of ice hidden in his suitcase at the Suvarnabhumi airport.Bangkok, Thailand: Two Laotians were arrested with 2,000 speed pills at Mor Chit bus terminal.Nakhon Sawan, Thailand: police arrested Phanom Kidsanong, 37, with an amount of marijuana at the Phayuha Khiri checkpoint.Baja California, Mexico: military personnel searched buildings in San Antonio de los Buenos, and Tijuana,. They arrested three people and seized 5.81 metric tons of marijuana; a small arm; $4,900; and five vehicles. Mexicali, Mexico: Authorities responded to a citizen report of illegal activity at a home in the 27 de septiembre neighborhood where they seized 1.58 metric tons of marijuana and two vehicles.Rosarito, Mexico: Authorites conducting air recognizance in the Playas de Rosarito municipality located and incinerated marijuana crops spanning over 1 hectare, 450 meters squared. Ras Al Khaimah, U.A.E. : Law enforcement officials seized around 1,000 narcotic pills that were hidden in a bottle of mineral water from a driver entering the country from Oman through the checkpoint of Ras Al Khaimah. According to law enforcement officials, the anti-narcotics department received confidential information about a GCC national intending to smuggle narcotics into the country.Lukeville, Arizona: CBP agents operating a mobile surveillance system near Lukeville saw a vehicle acting suspiciously on State Route 85. A search of the truck revealed 134 bundles of marijuana, weighing about 2,960 pounds. Agents seized the truck and turned the narcotics over to the Drug Enforcement Agency. The suspects from the vehicle fled southward toward MexicoCalifornia, USA: “Operation Full Court Press” a month long series of raids that targeted illegal farming operations in the heavily wooded mountain areas in Glenn, Colusa, Tehama, Mendocino, Lake and Trinity counties was concluded on Saturday August 6th. The operation resulted in the reported seizure of 632,058 marijuana plants, 1,986 pounds of processed marijuana, $28,031 of U.S. currency, 38 weapons, 20 vehicles and the arrest of 132 individuals, according to the latest figures from the state Department of Justice. Authorities would not comment on whether or not any of the suspects have links to the cartels.Tijuana, Mexico : Soldiers raided three residences located on Padre Hidalgo Avenue and Los Altos Street in La Gloria neighborhood and on Fundadores Boulevard in the El Rubí neighborhood seizing 5.8 tons of marijuana, a pistol, 4 vehicles and nearly $5000.Mexicali, Mexico: soldiers responded to an anonymous citizen's tip regarding drugs being stored at a residence located in the 27 de September neighborhood. Once at the location, soldiers seized 159 packages of marijuana weighing 1.5 metric tons and 2 vehiclesPlayas de Rosarito, Mexico: soldiers discovered a marijuana field that measured 450 square meters while conducing aerial and land reconnaissance in Playas de Rosarito, Baja California.San Jose, Guatemala: authorities seized 3,000 barrels of chemical precursors from behind a gas station located on 8th Avenue in Zone 3 of San José Pinula. These barrels were being stored within four vehicles, two of which were reported as having Mexican license plates. Tecate, Mexico: Soldiers seized 1.2 metric tons of marijuana from the interior of an abandoned vehicle that was located near El Centinela mountains. Baja California, Mexico: Soldiers discovered eight marijuana fields that covered 4,722 square meters while conducting operations approximately 20 kilometers south of Tijuana.Ensenada, Mexico: Soldiers located and destroyed two marijuana fields that covered 9,200 square metersNew Delhi, India : The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) announced that they had arrested 2 Afghanis and 4 Nigerians and seized 10.65 kg of high grade heroine. A series of interrogations revealed that the Afghanis were supplying the heroin in bulk, which was moved through Pakistan and across the border with India via land and air routes, where they often bribed passengers to carry the drugs with them when they come to India for medical treatment. From India, the heroin was smuggled to Canada, the US and Europe by the Nigerians. Turkey: Turkish police uncovered a drug trafficking gang after surveilling local street dealers for seven months. Police then launched an operations against their operations in Ankara, Gaziantep, Mardin, Batman, Antalya, Diyarbakir and Sanliurfa; seizing 202.8 kilograms of hashish in the process. Sinaloa, Mexico: Military personnel assigned to the 9th Military Zone conducted land recognizance in the Saca de Agua town, in the Badiraguato municipality. They seized one of the largest quantities of opium ever seized by Sedena: 200.3 kg of a dark liquid with a penetrating smell of opium; 99.86 kg of opium gum in a semi-solid paste; 7.9 kg of opium gum in a solid paste; 21.1 kg of heroin; 5.8 kg of carbonate (used to make heroin); 637.9 kg of marijuana; 22 kg of marijuana seeds; and 1.2 kg of poppy seeds. This seizure represents a considerable blow to organized crime, costing them 209,070,580 Mexican pesos in market value ($16,736,258.99)August 7, 2011 Madanpur, India: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 2,075 kg of ganja Sunday night. The seizure occurred 25 km away from Aurangabad town, on the Grand Trunk road. The DRI officials said that ganja is mainly smuggled from north-eastern states, including Nagaland and Manipur to West Bengal where the narcotics are stored. After making sure that there is no police or customs activity, the narcotics handlers transport it to different destinations in Bihar and UP. The DRI officials said that this gang was mainly transporting ganja to Aurangabad, Varanasi and Burdwan.Helmand Province, Afghanistan: Afghan and coalition forces destroyed close to 900 kg (2,000 pounds) of narcotics during operations in Helmand province Sunday. The combined forces identified a vehicle which has been known to be associated with a narcotics processing facility, observed two men dismount the vehicle and begin to unload a significant amount of narcotics, and initiated an operation that resulted in arrest of both men and the destruction of 600 kg of hashish and approximately 290 kg of opium, as well as an AK-47. Tijuana, Mexico: A tractor-trailer containing 2 tons of marijuana was seized as it was preparing to cross through the Otay Mesa P.O.E. The bust occurred after an anonymous tip led soldiers to inspect the trailer, where they found the marijuana hidden inside a produce shipment. Nimroz province, Afghanistan: A combined Afghan and coalition vehicle interdiction operation seized and destroyed a drug cache in Khash Rod district, Nimroz province, The operation seized 353 pounds of opium, as well as 88 pounds of precursor chemicals and drug making equipment. Nangahar province, Afghanistan: A combined Afghan and coalition patrol seized and destroyed drug and weapons cache during an operation in Achin district, Nangahar province. The operation seized 331 pounds of opium, small arms ammunition and explosive components. Tijuana, Mexico: Authorities responded to a citizen's tip that led to the arrests of four alleged La Familia Michoacana operators in the Azteca neighborhood. 6.3 kilograms of crystal meth and 3.2 kilograms of cocaine were seized during the arrests. Tehran, Iran: In their biggest bust to date, Iranian authorities seized 26 kilograms of heroin, 140 kilograms of crack, 214 kilograms of opium, four Kalashnikov rifles, one Colt rifle and seven vehicles. According to the head of Iran's anti-drug police, the smugglers “..transported heroin from south of Sistan through the mountains via minor roads to Tehran, distributing a part of it in the capital and sending the remainder on to Orumiyeh".Quezon City, Philippines: Two cousins who claimed that they were fishermen from Samar province were arrested by anti-narcotics operatives of the Quezon City Police District at around 6:00 Monday night? for carrying at least 1 kg of cocaine in a backpack. It is speculated that the seized contraband could be part of a shipment of cocaine dumped by drug dealers in the waters off Samar in 2009.The police had received information about a drug deal that was to take place between Timog and Tomas Morato, and conducted stakeout in the area, which culminated in the arrest of the cousins.Nimroz District, Afghanistan: The counter-narcotics police seized 159 kg of opium, killed three drug smugglers and captured three others in the Khanjak area of Khashrod. Farah Province, Afghanistan - 160 kg of opium and eight kg of heroin were discovered and seized Nangarhar, Afghanistan - The statement says 100 kg of opium, 50 kg of morphine, one kilo of heroin and 5,000 kg of opium seed were seized in Ghani Khel District.Parwan Province, Afghanistan - The police recovered 69 kg of hashish in a Corolla car and detained a person in connection with it in the Sakarga area of the Salang District.Fariab Province, Afghanistan - 50 kg of opium was seized in Dawlatabad District.Farah Province, Afghanistan - National security officials discovered and seized 52 kg of narcotics in a vehicle in the Anardara District. He added that two people were also arrested with two weapons in connection with it and are being interrogated.Sao Paulo Hinterland, Brazil: Military Highway Police (BPRv) intercepted a truck with Altonia, Parana, license plates, at kilometer 644 of State Highway SP-294 in the Sao Paulo hinterland, arrested a suspect and seized 990 kg of marijuana hidden under the vehicle's false flooring. The truck was loaded in Deodapolis, Mato Grosso do Sul and was bound for Sorocaba, Sao Paulo.Brazilian Amazon: Civil Police (PC) arrested five unidentified persons and seized close to 206 kg of marijuana on board a boat sailing on the Amazonas River. The narcotics came from Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, and Porto Velho, Rondonia. The PC also seized nine cell phones. Cabrobo, Pernambuco Brazil: Police arrested a suspect and incinerated a crop of over 14,000 marijuana plants that he was growing. The marijuana farmer was stealing water from a local reservoir to irrigate his illegal crop.August 8, 2011 Sweida, Syria: Security and Customs' authorities foiled a huge smuggling operation that sought to bring nearly 2 million narcotic Captagon tablets, of 300 KG weight, to Syria through the Jordanian-Syrian border. Authorties also seized the transport vehicle and a number of guns. Candelaria, Columbia: A cocaine laboratory was seized by agents of the Special Task Force to Combat Narcotraffic (FELCN) in the early hours morning hours. The 11-room complex was estimated to have been operational for 2 months, and have had the capacity to produce 400 kg of cocaine per week. Bukit Aman, Malaysia: 10 people were arrested by the Bukit Aman police for their involvement in an international drug syndicate with suspected links with the Thai underworld. The police suspect the syndicate had been operating for 10 months, smuggling drugs hidden inside modified back seat compartments of vehicles when travelling via the Bukit Kayu Hitam immigration and customs quarantine complex (ICQ). In a joint operation between Thai and Malaysian law enforcement, the two forces mounted a roadblock at the 1.3km stretch along the north-south expressway near Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQ and Sungai Petani South toll exit, as well as raids on two houses in Taman Berlian and Sungai Kob, Kulim. The operation resulted in the seizure of 88 slabs of heroin worth RM3.08 million, 16.1kg of syabu (RM3.22 million), a kilogramme of heroin (RM26,400), 30kg of ganja (RM60,000) and 1,999 WY pills worth RM59,970. Six Mercedes Benz cars and a Perodua Kenari were also seized Esfahan Province, Iran : Iranian Police Seize 35 Kg Opium in Esfahan ProvinceKhujand, Tajikistan: Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency announced the seizure of over 31.4 kilograms of heroin and the arrest of 3 men, including a Kunjand airport official. An investigation revealed that the suspects had met earlier in Moscow, where they entered into a criminal conspiracy with the aim to smuggle drugs to the Russian Federation. The seized heroine was about to be flown to a Russian city The Judicial and Investigative Police Directorate (Di jin) and Interpol agents in Santa Marta (Magdalena) and Uribia (La Guajira) have arrested two key leaders of the Alta Guajira gang. Investigations show that alias Cobra was in charge of storing, transporting, and shipping narcotics to the United States through the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica and that alias Pantera was in charge of narcotics until they set sail. Authorities seized eight rifles, 12 IM-22 fragmentation grenades, seven 60 mm mortars, 4,807 cartridges, 162 magazines of ammunition, and 3.2 tons of marijuana.Atlantico, Columbia - Authorities at the Ernesto Cortissoz Airport have arrested Dominican citizen Carlos Antonio Ramirez Ogando, 36, with 10.9 kg of heroin worth about $16,713Valle del Cauca, Columbia: The Cali Metropolitan Police Department responded to information that resulted in the seizure of 795 kg of marijuana (worth about $310,306) from a truck on the road between Yumbo and Vijes in Valle del Cauca Department en route to Cartagena.Giron Columbia - Information provided by an informer made it possible for the authorities to seize 30 kg of marijuana.Caranavi, La Paz, Bolivia - Counternarcotics officers have destroyed three cocaine laboratories. Authorities have seized 270 tons of marijuana in the last two months in the region.La Libertad, Columbia - Authorities Seize 45 Kg of Marijuana Ayacucho, Columbia - authorities have seized 9 kg of coca paste from a bus traveling from Huamanga-La Mar in Ayacuco Region.Istanbul, Turkey - Turkish Police arrest 3 people and seize 153.6 Kg Sistan, Iran - The police seized 26 kilograms of heroin, 140 kilograms of crack, 214 kilograms of opium, four Kalashnikov rifles, one Colt rifle and seven vehicles that were en route to Tehran and eventually OrumiyehSinaloa, Mexico - Army personnel detected a clandestine heroin laboratory in the Emiliano Zapata town, in the Elota municipality. They seized 25 kg of opium gum; 1 kg of heroin; two long arms; 114 cartridges; and two metallic presses. Opodepe, Sonora, Mexico: Military personnel assigned to the 4th Military Zone and working at the Querobabi checkpoint searched a tractor trailer and seized 47 kg of methamphetamines (crystal); 4.5 kg of cocaine; and 3.5 kg of opium gum. The driver of the vehicle was arrested. Rosslare Harbor, Ireland:Officers from Revenue's Customs Service, on (08/08/2011), seized 7.5kg of herbal cannabis with a street value of €90,000, 1.38kg of amphetamine tablets, with a street value of €20,700 and a quantity of cocaine with a street value of €28,000. The drugs were concealed in a vehicle disembarking a ferry from France. August 9, 2011 Nangrahar Province, Afghanistan - Kabul (BIA) Afghan police and coalition forces on a joint security mission in outskirts of Ghanikhil district. of Nangrahar discovered and seized 50 Kg morphine, 1Kg heroine, 100 Kg cocaine, 5000 Kg poppy seeds, 1 AK-47 rifle, 1 binoculars, 1 hand grenade, 20m electricity cable, 4 explosive fuse and other military munitions.Vladikavkaz, Russia: A 22-year-old supplier of marijuana and spice (synthetic THC) was detained in North Ossetia in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania on 9 August. The drug dealer ordered spice from St Petersburg on the Internet. He also ordered seeds of high quality hemp, which he intended to cultivate. Twenty-five parcels of spice and hemp seeds worth about 10,000 dollars were confiscated in a special operation at one of the post offices in Vladikavkaz. Marijuana was found during the search of his office.Yarumal, Columbia: During Operation "Republica 317" the authorities in Yarumal in Antioquia Department destroyed a cocaine laboratory allegedly belonging to Los Urabenos gang with the capacity to produce 280 kg of cocaine on a monthly basis. During the operation the authorities eradicated 3 hectares of coca crops.Laz Paz, Chile: Authorities in Chile have arrested 21 Bolivians charged with drug trafficking with alleged ties to drug traffickers operating from La Paz. During operations the authorities seized 72 kg of coca paste, 3 kg of cocaine hydrochloride, and 68 kg marijuana from Bolivia. Huanuco Region , Peru: Authorities in Monzon District in Huamalies Province in Huanuco Region have destroyed two cocaine laboratories allegedly belonging to drug traffickers alias Hector, alias Grober, alias Alberto, and alias Negro. the authorities also seized 1 ton of sulfuric acid.Brazilian/ Peruvian Boarder: a group of Peruvian drug traffickers allegedly attacked Brazilian indigenous persons near the border. The authorities discovered a bag with 20 kg of cocaine allegedly belonging to a drug trafficker.Merida State, Venezuela: the GNB seized 55 kg of cocaine which w as being transported in secret compartments in a vehicle driven by a Venezuelan citizen. Authorities said that it is high-grade cocaine from Colombia and marked with the cities of destination.Casablanca, Morocco: Control services at the airport of Casablanca seized seven kilograms of cocaine concealed between plastic works and kitchen utensils.The substance, which was brought from Latin America, was found out in the luggage of an African immigrant, in transit, who was handed over to the police for investigation.Washington, D.C: More than 18 pounds of cocaine were found in the cargo hold of a commercial plane that arrived Wednesday at Dulles International Airport after a Customs and Border Protection narcotics detector dog alerted officers. Officials say 7 taped packages were found during the routine inspection of the Avianca Airlines flight from Bogota, Colombia. Each package field-tested positive for cocaine, and weighed approximately 8.265 kilograms, or 18 pounds, 3.5 ounces. The cocaine has a street value of about $580,000.August 10, 2011 Roma, Texas: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Roma International Bridge seized approximately 22.3 pounds of Mexican brown heroin and 10.3 pounds of cocaine Tuesday afternoon. The estimated street value of the heroin is $1,781,316 million, while the cocaine is valued at $331,571.Guayaquil, Ecuador: In an?operation carried out in?the port of?Guayaquil, Ecuador?Police?seized?400 kg?of cocaine that?were about to be sent?to Benin, Africa. The drug?was found in?a container,?hidden among?a cargo of?fish and?octopus.Hamriya, Oman: The Royal Oman Police (ROP) foiled an attempt to smuggle heroin worth RO30,000 and arrested two Pakistani nationals. The Directorate of Narcotics Control was tipped off that narcotics were being smuggled into Oman via sea route on the northern side of the country. The suspects were caught while they were trafficking in heroin capsules in Hamriya area. Nevada, USA: A traffic stop south of Las Vegas netted more than 400 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $16.4 millionThe traffic stop was initiated just after midnight when authorities said a tractor-trailer was seen driving erratically in the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 near the town of Jean, about 30 minutes from Las Vegas.A search turned up ten?duffel bags full of cocaine bricks?hidden in the cargo and sleeping compartment, police said. Authorities said the truck began its journey in central California and was bound for the Midwest. Columbia/Venezuela: Authorities in Colombia, with the support of Venezuelan authorities, have arrested 10 pilots serving alias El Loco Barrera. Colombian authorities provided the coordinates of three illegal airstrips destroyed by the authorities in Venezuela near the border.San Jose de Chiquitos Municipality, Bolivia: Special Antinarcotics Force (FELCN) officers have arrested four Bolivians and two Colombians who were allegedly trying to dismantle a cocaine laboratory in San Jose de Chiquitos Municipality (Santa Cruz) to move it to another area.Padre Abad Province, Peru: Counter-narcotics officers in Padre Abad Province in Ucayali Department have destroyed a cocaine laboratory with the capacity to produce 1.6 tons of cocaine. During the operation the authorities seized 13 kg of coca paste.Puno Region, Peru: National Police officers have seized 14 kg of cocaine hydrochloride from a house in Juliaca in Puno Region and arrested two unidentified women and one man. Mexcali, Mexico: citizen reports of suspicious activity on Jose Ruben Romero Avenue, in the El Hipico housing development of Mexicali, Baja California, led Sedena personnel to the area. The military personnel ended up arresting one person who was in possession of approximately 31.66 kg of cocaine; a long arm; 20 cartridges of varying calibers; and two vehicles.Krichim, Bulgaria: The police operation was conducted by officials from the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and policemen from Plovdiv. Six people were arrested near the town of Krichim as they were concluding a deal for heroin: The boss G.K. Kadri (43-year-old) has a criminal record for drug trafficking, The drugs were found in three cars . Packages containing minimal amounts of heroin were seized -- samples with pure substance, electronic scales, as well as half a kilogram of heroin. The scheme that the criminal network adopted is clear. High-purity heroin was secretly imported in Bulgaria after which it was mixed with different substances and was packaged in small doses to be distributed in the region of Plovdiv. August 11, 2011 Batala, Pakistan: One person was arrested and one kg heroin was seized by authorities. Acting on a tip-off, a police team cordoned off an area near Harcharanpur village and intercepted the suspects car. He was working as a courier for heroin smugglers. The consignment was brought from Pakistan via Punjab and the man was taking it to Delhi.Esfahan, Iran: A batch of 248 kg of opium, packed as rice and transported to Esfahan was seized. The batch was imported from border provinces through Shiraz and was destined for the north of Tehran and Hamedan. According to the intelligence work carried out, this is not the first batch sent by this group. They have done these operations about four times before and according to the confessions made, they have already transported about 800 kg of drugs. New South Wales, Australia- About 94 kilograms of cannabis worth over 2 million U.S. dollars has been seized from a car on the New South Wales (NSW) north coast in eastern Australia, NSW Police said on Thursday.Officers stopped a Holden Commodore station wagon on the Pacific Highway at Coffs Harbor Wednesday afternoon, police said.A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered 94 kg of cannabis, which had been placed inside a number of large plastic bags in the boot of the car.Sydney, Austrailia - a Malaysian syndicate to bring drugs into Australia was interrupted on Tuesday when police arrested five men and seized $4 million worth of drugs in NSW and Victoria. Malaysian men, Kevin Tan Hong Yong, 28, and Peter Lim Cheng Choy, 48, were the alleged principals of the syndicate and were staying at the Holiday Inn at Haymarket, in inner-city Sydney to allegedly oversee the establishment of a new ice distribution network. One was arrested on Tuesday night while en route to Sydney Airport, while the other was arrested at a restaurant in Sydney's Chinatown district.Both were charged with four counts of supplying prohibited drugs, amounting to 1384gm of heroin, at Lansvale, in Sydney's south-west last Sunday, 996gm of ice on August 3 as well as a further 998gm and of ice and 685.3 gm of heroin on July 28. Police also arrested Cheung Wing Cheng, 39, at Hurstville, Sydney, Fook Chon Wong, 38, at Cabramatta, in Sydney, and Ding Xiao, 23, in Victoria.August 12, 2011 Progreso port, Mexico: Mexican authorities seized a half-ton of cocaine from a vessel that had arrived at a port in the Yucatan Peninsula from Lima, Peru. The cocaine was found Thursday at Progreso port inside the false bottoms of cardboard boxes of clothing. The authorities found a total of 559 packets of cocaine weighing 539 kilos (1,187 pounds), the statement read. In a joint statement, the federal Attorney General's Office and the Navy Secretariat said the Liberian-flagged Hansa Berlin was heading for Cancun, Mexico's leading tourist resort.ENTRIES WITHOUT SOLID DATESPolice Destroy 22 FARC Cocaine Labs in ColombiaGuaviare Province, Columbia: National Police destroy a total of 22 cocaine laboratories belonging to the FARC guerrilla group in San Jose del Guaviare, El Retorno and Miraflores. The labs were dismantled during “Operation Republica 81” an operation that targeted “rural infrastructure” belonging to the 1st Front and 7th Front of FARC. Each of the labs had the capacity to process around 10 kilos of cocaine base weekly. Drug enforcement agents also seized 338 kilos of coca base, 6,800 kilos of coca, chemical precursors and other materials worth about $1.05 million.Full Articles Thai, Malaysian Police Arrest Suspects Involved in Transnational Drug RingReport by Bangkok Post: "Thai-Malaysian Drug Ring Smashed" - Bangkok Post OnlineMonday August 8, 2011 01:21:20 GMTThai and Malaysian police seized large quantities of drugs and arrested a number of drug suspects in coordinated drug suppression operations on Saturday, national police chief Wichean Potephosree said at a press conference on Sunday.The conference was also attended by Pol Lt-Gen Vorapong Chiewpreecha, an assistant police chief, Pol Lt-Col Adithep Panjamanont, chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, and Narong Ratananukul, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board.Pol Gen Wichean said the joint Thai-Malaysian drug suppression operation followed the arrest and interrogation of a number of suspects in the trade of methamphetamine .Police learned from the interrogation that the suspects were part of a transnational drug ring which supplied methamphetamines to a major drug trader in Malaysia identified only as Bob, who was also wanted by the Malaysian police. On the Thai side of the border, Oncb officials and Region 9 and border patrol police arrested Waesayuti Huti Dueramae, 24, and Mustopa or Yipa Arong, 25, both from Narathiwat province, and seized from them 432,000 methamphetamine pills at Soi 5/1 on Thesapattana road in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province on Saturday.The drugs were destined for Malaysia.At about the same time, Malaysian police arrested nine suspects, including Bob, and seized from them 16kg of ice or crystal methamphetamine, 22kg of heroin, and 2,000 speed pills.A press conference was also held in Malaysia to announce the success.Pol Lt-Gen Adithep, the NSB chief, said methamphetamine is of high demand in Malaysia. Therefore, a large quantity of methamphetamines have been delivered from the North of Thailand and smuggled across the border into Malaysia.The NSB chief also announced arrests of drug suspects in three other cases.In one case, a 27-year-old Guinea national was arrested with 2,500 grammes of ice hidden in his suitcase at the Suvarnabhumi airport.In the second case, two Laotians were arrested with 2,000 speed pills at Mor Chit bus terminal.In the third case, police arrested Phanom Kidsanong, 37, with an amount of marijuana at the Phayuha Khiri checkpoint in Nakhon Sawan.Sedena Seizes Over 7 Metric Tons of Marijuana in Baja California The Secretariat of National Defense website reports on 6 August that military personnel searched buildings on Padre Hidalgo Avenue at Los Altos Street in the La Gloria neighborhood, San Antonio de los Buenos delegation, and Fundadores Boulevard, in the El Rubi n eighborhood of Tijuana, Baja California. They arrested three people and seized 5.81 metric tons of marijuana; a small arm; $4,900; and five vehicles. In Mexicali, personnel responded to a citizen report of illegal activity at a home in the 27 de septiembre neighborhood. There they seized 1.58 metric tons of marijuana and two vehicles. Finally, in Rosarito, personnel conducting air recognizance in the Playas de Rosarito municipality located marijuana crops spanning over 1 hectare, 450 meters squared. They incinerated the drugs. Two Dead at Sonora Hospital Following Shootout -Hermosillo El Imparcial on 8 August reports that two as-yet-unidentified subjects died from gunshot wounds following a shootout on Lazaro Cardenas Final Sur Street, at the El Mirador, in Sonoyta, Sonora. At the scene of the shootout, police found an AK-47 and shells from 45-mm, 9-mm, 223-caliber, and 7.62 x 39-mm weapons. At the General Hospital, someone dropped off two subjects with gunshots woun ds. When police arrived on scene, they found a 2002 black Dodge pickup truck, Sonora plates, abandoned in the hospital parking lot. The two front doors were open, and between the front seats was a dead body. Near the body was a 9-mm handgun. Another wounded person, who later died, was inside the emergency room. (Hermosillo El in Spanish -- Regional daily from Sonora State. URL1,000 narcotic pills seized8/6/11The inspectors of the Ras Al Khaimah Customs in co-operation with the Anti-Narcotics Department at the headquarters of the Ras Al Khaimah Police seized on Saturday around 1,000 narcotic pills from a driver.??He tried to smuggle them in a bottle of water. The driver was apprehended while he was entering the country from Oman through the checkpoint of Ras Al Khaimah.??Director General of the Department of Customs and Ports in Ras Al Khaimah, Mohamed Abdullah Al Mehrezi said the incident dates back to the time when the Anti-narcotics Department received confidential information about a GCC national, identified as HM intending to smuggle narcotics into the country. Accordingly, the department co-ordinated with inspectors of the customs and they detected the vehicle of the suspect and stopped him at the checkpoint. ??They inspected the vehicle and found a bottle of mineral water containing 1,000 pills of narcotics. ?The driver was arrested and referred to the Anti-Narcotics Department for legal actions against him.Border Patrol finds almost 2 tons of pot abandoned near LukevilleAccording to a release from Customs and Border Protection, agents operating a mobile surveillance system near Lukeville saw a vehicle acting suspiciously on State Route 85. As agents approached the vehicle, several subjects fled south - possible into Mexico, as they were close to the international boundary.Agents searched the abandoned truck and found 134 bundles of marijuana, weighing about 2,960 pounds, CBP officials say. Agents seized the truck and turned the narcotics over to the Drug Enforcement Agency."Surveillance technology increases situational awareness by giving agents the ability to identify and classify all possible threats, and improve response times to illicit activity," states a CBP official in a news release. "Technology deployed along the border aids Tucson Sector agents in combating smuggling organizations and disrupting their ability to transport contraband throughout the United States."Nearly a ton of pot destroyed in forest raidsOne of the largest campaigns to eradicate large marijuana gardens on public land in California history ended Saturday, August 6th with more than 100 people behind bars and nearly a ton of processed pot destroyed.“Operation Full Court Press” resulted in the reported seizure of 632,058 marijuana plants, 1,986 pounds of processed marijuana, $28,031 of U.S. currency, 38 weapons, 20 vehicles and the arrest of 132 individuals, according to the latest figures from the state Department of Justice.“More than 66 percent of all the land raided was public land belonging either to the (U.S. Forest Service or the U.S. Bureau of Land Management),” said Michelle Gregory, a justice department spokeswoman. “The other 33 or so percent was on private lands.”The operation is one of the largest eradication efforts in state history in terms of geography and the number of agents used in the field, Gregory said.She declined to say whether or not any of the 132 arrests have been connected to any specific organized Mexican or other drug cartels, though agents have frequently said they believe many, if not most, of the illegal gardens raided belong to dangerous traffickers.“We are not commenting on any information we may have gleaned (from the arrests),” Gregory said Monday.They are not commenting on the costs either.It is unclear how much the entire operation cost taxpayers and it is also unclear if anyone has been keeping track.Gregory said she was not aware of any information regarding the operation’s price tag for the month-long, six-county sweep that utilized personnel and heavy equipment from dozens of local, county, state and federal agencies.The raids targeted illegal farming operations in the heavily wooded mountain areas in Glenn, Colusa, Tehama, Mendocino, Lake and Trinity counties.Reclamation efforts will continue as law enforcement strives to remove the gardens, chemicals and related camps, which will help restore the land to its natural state, Laurel Pistel, a special agent with the Bureau of Land Management in California, said in a statement.“This is imperative to deter drug trafficking organizations from re-establishing their operations,” Pistel said.Those clean-up costs have not been reported either.Gregory said agents are still “tying up loose ends” connected to the massive drug sweep and acknowledged that several raids are tied to complex ongoing investigations that could take several more months to conclude.“But for all intents and purposes, the raids are over,” Gregory said.Officials and Glenn, Colusa and Tehama counties have been more cautious about calling the raid a victory and many believe the true success of “Operation Full-Court Press” will not be fully understood until next year when the growers return to the forest for another season.Still, most local officials have applauded the wide-ranging approach, but insist it must be a long-term approach to be completely effective.Soldiers Seize More Than Seven Metric Tons of Marijuana in Mexicali, Tijuana, and Playas de Rosarito, Baja California On 06 August 2011, soldiers from the 2nd Military Zone conducted three separate operations that led to the seizure of more than 7 metric tons of marijuana in Tijuana, Mexicali, and Playas de Rosarito, Baja California. Details regarding the operations were reportedas follows:Operation one: soldiers raided three residences located on Padre Hidalgo Avenue and Los Altos Street in La Gloria neighborhood and on Fundadores Boulevard in the El Rubí neighborhood of Tijuana [32.5335- 117.0182], Baja California. Those items seized from the interior of these residences were reported as follows:?689 packages of marijuana weighing 5.8 metric tons ?1 pistol? $(USD)4,900 ?Sand colored late model Nissan Sentra with Sinaloa license plates VKZ5799 ?Mazda pickup (license plates BN21529) ?White Jeep Grand Cherokee with National license plates AKB7709 ?Green Honda Civic without license plates ?White panel type pickup with license plates BHJ6527Operation two: soldiers responded to an anonymous citizen's tip regarding drugs being stored at a residence located in the 27 de September neighborhood of Mexicali [32.6456-115.4456], Baja California. Once at the location, soldiers seized the following items from the interior of the residence:?159 packages of marijuana weighing 1.5 metric tons ?2 vehiclesOperation three: soldiers discovered a marijuana field that measured 450 square meters while conducing aerial and land reconnaissance in Playas de Rosarito, Baja California.Guatemalan Authorities Seize 3,000 Barrels of Chemical Precursors in San José Pinula, Guatemala On 06 August 2011, authorities seized 3,000 barrels of chemical precursors from behind a gas station located on 8th Avenue in Zone 3 of San José Pinula[14.5500-90.4166], Guatemala. These barrels were being stored within four vehicles, two of which were reported as having Mexican license plates. Those individuals arrested in conjunction with this seizure were identified as:?Luis Alberto REINA Escobar, 53 Mario Raúl ULEU Alvizures, 60Isaías ALVIZURES Lorenzana, 24Soldiers Seize 1.26 Metric Tons of Marijuana and Destroy Marijuana Fields in Baja California On 06 August 2011, soldiers assigned to the 2nd Military Zone conducted land reconnaissance missions in Baja California during which time they seized marijuana and destroyed several marijuana fields. These operations were reported as follows:?Operation one: soldiers seized 1.2 metric tons of marijuana from the interior of an abandoned vehicle that was located near El Centinela mountains in Tecate [32.5714-116.6380], Baja California.?Operation two: soldiers discovered eight marijuana fields that covered 4,722 square meters while conducting operations approximately 20 kilometers south of Tijuana [32.5340-117.0180], Baja California.?Operation three: soldiers located and destroyed two marijuana fields that covered 9,200 square meters approximately 10 kilometers from the San Vicente village in Ensenada [31.8596- 116.6064], Baja California.Intelligence Agency Seizes Narcotics Worth $2.4 Million in DelhiSaturday August 6, 2011 10:15:14 GMTNew Delhi: The Delhi zonal unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) claims to have smashed an international racket and seized 10.65 kg of high-grade heroin valued at over Rs.11 crore.Acting on various intelligence inputs for the past one month, the NCB tracked the members of the alleged syndicate and arrested four Nigerian and two Afghan nationals. NCB officials said it was one of the biggest heroin seizures from Delhi in recent times.The NCB sleuths intercepted one Afghan national and recovered 4.4 kg of high-grade heroin from him. The drug was reportedly being supplied to a Nigerian drug cartel which has four members.Cross-border trafficDuring preliminary interrogation the Afghan national purportedly revealed that he had been given heroin by another Afghan national. In a swift follow-up action, the search resulted in the recovery of 5.85 kg of heroin from the possession of the second Afghan.On further interrogation, they revealed that the heroin was being trafficked across the Indo-Pak border via land and air. Describing their modus operandi , they revealed that the passengers are bribed with various temptations and in return they carry the drugs when they come to India for medical treatment.A raid was also conducted on the home of the Nigerian national where 400 gm of heroin was recovered. The total seizure amounted to 10.26 kg of heroin.The Nigerian cartel revealed that it was getting heroin from Afghan nationals in bulk and that the drug was further smuggled to Canada, the US and Europe through its Nigerian associates.Further investigation into the trafficking racket is still on, NCB officials said.Narcotic teams seize 202.8 kg hashish in operations in eight provincesTurkish narcotic teams confiscated 202.8 kilograms of hashish in synchronous operations in eight provinces, including the capital, Ankara. Ankara police followed street dealers for seven months, and reached an illicit drug trafficking gang at the end of their pursuit. Police then launched an operation against the gang in Ankara, Gaziantep, Mardin, Batman, Antalya, Diyarbakir and Sanliurfa, and impounded 202.8 kilograms of hashish.2,075 kg of ganja worth Rs 73 L seizedSleuths of the local office of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) made the biggest seizure late on Sunday night by seizing 2,075 kg of contraband ganja after intercepting a refrigerator van at Madanpur, 25 km away from Aurangabad town, on the GT Road. The DRI officials told TOI that the ganja is worth Rs 73 lakh in the Indian market and taking into account the valuation of the van, which was also seized, the valuation of total seizure would amount to about Rs 1 crore. One Sajid Ali, who hails from Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh, and claimed to have acted as co-driver, was taken into custody. The DRI officials said that ganja is mainly smuggled from north-eastern states, including Nagaland and Manipur, and taken to West Bengal where the contraband narcotics are stored. After making sure that there is no police or customs activity, the narcotics handlers transport it to different destinations in Bihar and UP. The DRI officials said that this gang was mainly transporting ganja to Aurangabad, Varanasi (UP) and Burdwan (West Bengal). To camouflage their activity, the ganja was packed in polythene bag and the van was covered with tarpaulin so that nobody could smell rat in the operation. Not only this, the van succeeded in eluding the police and customs officials. "Since we had concrete information of the van carrying ganja, we intercepted the correct vehicle and seized such a huge quantity of ganja," said a DRI official. He said that Ali is being interrogated to get more information about the whole operation. Ali along with the van was brought to Patna. 900kg of Narcotics Seized, Destroyed in Helmand ProvinceAfghan and coalition forces destroyed close to 900 kg (2,000 pounds) of narcotics during operations in Helmand province Sunday. ??In an effort to disrupt key narcotics networks in the province, combined forces identified a vehicle which has been known to be associated with a narcotics processing facility. Afghan National Security Force personnel and coalition forces observed two men dismount the vehicle and begin to unload a significant amount of narcotics. The combined forces moved toward the target, detained the men and destroyed 600 kg (1,300 pounds) of hashish and approximately 290 kg (640 pounds) of opium, as well as an AK-47. ??"The exploitation of couriers during this operation will provide details and further understanding of the trafficking system and lead to targeting of key individuals and their networks," said U.S. Army Col. Rafael Torres, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Combined Joint Operations Center director. "This is important because the drug industry in Afghanistan is a major source of money for terrorist organizations."Mexican soldiers find two tons of marijuana inside tractor-trailerA tractor-trailer preparing to cross to the United States on Sunday August 7th through the the Otay Mesa port of entry was seized in Tijuana by Mexican soldiers who reportedly discovered more than two tons of marijuana inside.The seized Kenworth tractor-trailer with California plates was on display Monday at Tijuana’s Cuartel Morelos, along with 345 packages of marijuana and several crates of chiles and green tomatoes.According to a statement from Baja California’s Second Military Zone, an anonymous tip led soldiers to inspect the trailer, where they found the marijuana hidden inside the produce shipment.The statement said the driver was arrested, but did not identify him.California Department of Motor Vehicle records show the truck is registered to Grenas Trucking LLC of San Diego. U.S. Department of Transportation records show the company’s physical address is in Otay Mesa on Avenida Costa Este.ISAF UPDATES A combined Afghan and coalition vehicle interdiction operation seized a drug cache in Khash Rod district, Nimroz province, yesterday( 8/7/11). The operation seized 353 pounds (160 kgs) of opium, 88 pounds (40 kgs) of precursor chemicals and drug making equipment. The narcotics were safely destroyed on site.A combined Afghan and coalition patrol seized a drug and weapons cache during an operation in Achin district, Nangahar province, yesterday (8/7/11). The operation seized 331 pounds (150 kilograms) of opium, small arms ammunition and explosive components. The narcotics and weapons were safely destroyed on site.PEP Agents Arrest La Familia Michoacana Operators and Seize Cocaine and Crystal Meth in Tijuana, Baja California On 07 August 2011, authorities responded to a citizen's tip that led to the arrests of four alleged La Familia Michoacana operators in the Azteca neighborhood of Tijuana [32.5340-117.0180], Baja California. Those items seized from these individuals were reported as follows:? 6.3 kilograms of crystal meth ? 3.2 kilograms of cocaineIran Makes Its Biggest Ever Seizure Of Opium - Mehr News AgencySunday August 7, 2011 15:24:21 GMTBrigadier General Chenarian said there is strong evidence that the haul belongs to a big gang of drug dealers whose members are wanted.Based on similar incidents, it can be said that the haul has been transited from Afghanistan and maybe it was destined for foreign countries or other provinces, he added.He went on to say that the type of vehicle and the way the drugs were placed therein, showed that the drugs were loaded in the vehicle behind the borders.He also estimated the value of the cargo at around $12.3 million and said one of the greatest glories of the Islamic Revolution is its war on drug."Since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2011) more than 30 tons of illicit drugs ha ve been seized in Kerman," he added.With a 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Afghanistan, Iran has been used as the main conduit for smuggling illicit drugs from its neighbor to drug kingpins in Europe.In response, the Iranian government has spent over $700 million to seal its borders and prevent the transit of illicit drugs destined for European, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian countries.Despite the presence of U.S. and British troops in Afghanistan and their extensive public relations campaign about their efforts to eliminate the production and smuggling of drugs, 3,600 tons of opium was produced in Afghanistan in 2010, based on UN statistics and estimates.2 men nabbed for carrying cocaine 8/8/11TWO men who claimed they were fishermen from Samar province were arrested by anti-narcotics operatives of the Quezon City Police District on Tomas Morato Avenue?? on Monday night? for carrying a package of cocaine.Chief Insp. Richard Ang, head of the QCPD’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (AID-SOTG), said the seized contraband could be part of a shipment of cocaine dumped by drug dealers in the waters off Samar.The men were identified as cousins Manuel and Eutiquio Balangkayan of? Eastern Samar.Ang said a? backpack the pair had with them yielded at least 1 kilo of cocaine worth around P5 million.Ang said that after they? received information about a drug deal that was to take place between Timog and Tomas Morato, he ordered? a stakeout in the area.The suspects were arrested at around 6 p.m.? in front of a bank along Tomas Morato Avenue in Barangay South Triangle.PO2 Warlito Cagurungan, officer on case,? said the cocaine was packed in a plastic bag and was hidden in a cut rubber tire covered with clothes inside? the backpack.Manuel told police that a fisherman in Samar handed him the cocaine and P1,700 as travel fare? to Manila where he would? make the delivery. Eutiquio joined his cousin later.Ang said the two were arrested while they were checking the contraband inside the backpack.According to the suspects, they were supposed to meet another person on Tomas Morato St. to whom they would? give the cocaine.“They were also promised they would be paid? P5,000 each for the delivery,” Ang? said.Police? are checking on the cousins’ story? that the seized cocaine was? part of a cocaine shipment weighing two tons? that was dumped from a ship in the waters of Samar in December 2009.Ang? said? both suspects are currently detained at the jail of the QCPD AID-SOTG.The police official added that the suspects will be charged with delivery, or transport of dangerous drugs under Section 5 of Republic Act 9165.Smuggling Operation of Two Million Captagon Tablets Foiled by AuthoritiesAug 08, 2011Sweida, South Syria, (SANA)-Security and Customs' authorities foiled a huge smuggling operation that sought to bring nearly 2 million narcotic Captagon tablets, of 300 KG weight, to Syria through the Jordanian-Syrian borders. Syrian TV reported on Sunday that following one-hour clashes, the security members were able to confiscate the huge amount of Captagon, a number of guns and the car which transported them. The TV added that the leader of the terrorist group, Hamid Muhsen al-Aqraa, born in Damascus Countryside in 1967 and wanted for justice for 10 years was arrested.Descubren un laboratorio de cristalización en una propiedad?, 8 de agosto del 2011Un laboratorio de cristalización de cocaína con tecnología colombiana fue descubierto por la Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Narcotráfico (Felcn), en la jurisdicción de una propiedad ganadera en la comunidad Candelaria, cerca de Warnes y a unos 47 kilómetros de Santa Cruz.?El laboratorio fue intervenido por agentes de la Felcn en horas de la madrugada de ayer, bajo la dirección del jefe de operativos Richard Cordero y del fiscal de Sustancias Controladas Carlos Robles.?Según las primeras investigaciones, fueron arrestadas cuatro personas sospechosas que frecuentaban por los alrededores de la propiedad. Cordero informó de que la factoría funcionaba desde hace unos dos meses y que allí ‘trabajaban’ al menos unas 15 personas.?Contaba con 11 ambientes para el funcionamiento del laboratorio y se descubrió gran cantidad de plásticos vacíos de moldes tipo ladrillo que caracteriza a las bandas de traficantes. Además el laboratorio disponía de sus propios recicladores de éter sulfúrico, también denominado ‘muerto’, uno de los? principales químicos para la cristalización de la cocaína. Asimismo, tenía secadores, gran cantidad de bidones, envases y precursores químicos.??Los traficantes tenían sus propios dormitorios, comedores y la factoría estaba al lado de un riachuelo.?La Felcn estima que el laboratorio procesaba unos 400 kilos por semana, pero que con el hallazgo los narcotraficantes perdieron alrededor de $us 300.000.?El fiscal Carlos Robles dijo que se indagará para establecer si los propietarios de la estancia ganadera tienen que ver con el laboratorio y que se hace una valoración sobre la responsabilidad de los cuatro arrestados.? Los agentes antinarcóticos destruyeron ayer el laboratorio y de forma preventiva se incautaron una de camioneta.?Police bust biggest drug syndicate in north, nab 10News ?2011-08-08 10:12By Zainal Abdul JalilALOR SETAR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- A 14-year-old schoolboy was among 10 people detained by the Bukit Aman police when they crippled the biggest drug trafficking syndicate operating in the north, with the seizure of an assortment of drugs worth about RM6.5 million.The syndicate, believed to have links with the Thai underworld, had been operating for 10 months, smuggling drugs via the Bukit Kayu Hitam immigration and customs quarantine complex (ICQ).The well-coordinated anti-drug operation, with cooperation from the Thai Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau (PNSB), saw the seizure of 88 slabs of heroin worth RM3.08 million, 16.1kg of syabu (RM3.22 million), a kilogramme of heroin (RM26,400), 30kg of ganja (RM60,000) and 1,999 WY pills worth RM59,970.The drugs were seized from four locations.Six Mercedes Benz cars and a Perodua Kenari, used by the syndicate's members, and RM152,076 were seized from the suspects.Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation director Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim attributed the police success to simultaneous operations by the Thai and Malaysian police.He said the two forces mounted a roadblock at the 1.3km stretch along the north-south expressway near Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQ and Sungai Petani South toll exit, as well as raids on two houses in Taman Berlian and Sungai Kob, Kulim.He said the ages of those detained ranged from 14 to 46, and comprised four men, two women, the schoolboy and another teenager, and two Indonesian women."We are thankful to the public for providing information on the syndicate's activities leading to their arrest within an hour," Noor Rashid told a press conference at the Kedah police contigent headquarters here today.He said syndicate members had hidden drugs inside modified back seat compartments of vehicles when travelling from the neighbouring country through the Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQ before their activities were routed by a team of policemen from the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman and Thailand.Noor Rashid said the suspects were remanded for a week, beginning yesterday, for investigations under Section 39B of Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.It is understood the police would also investigate the case under the Forfeiture of Properties Act to seize ill-gotten gains obtained from the sale of drugs.Iranian Police Seize 35 Kg Opium in Esfahan Province - Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Esfahan Provincial TVMembers of International Drug Ring Held in Tajikistan - InterfaxMonday August 8, 2011 13:41:54 GMTDUSHANBE. Aug 8 (Interfax) - Three members of a transnational criminal group, which was about to smuggle a large amount of heroin to Russia, have been detained in northern Tajikistan, the republic's Drug Control Agency said on Monday.The operation that was held in Tajikistan's second largest city, Khujand, located 340 kilometers north of Dushanbe, led to the arrest of Kyrgyz, Tajik and Russian nationals and the seizure of 31.4 kilograms of heroin.The first one to be detained was a resident of the Kyrgyz town of Osh, the second was a 27-year-old Russian citizen from Tomsk, who gave information about his abettor, a Tajik official from the Khujand international airport, the agency said."The inquiry has revealed that the arrested persons had m et earlier in Moscow, where they entered into a criminal conspiracy with the aim to smuggle drugs to the Russian Federation," the agency said.The drug haul seized during the operation was about to be flown to one of Russia's cities."The Forensic Test Laboratory of the Drug Control Agency has concluded that the seized substances are a narcotic drug heroin weighing in total 31.421 kilograms," the agency said.The suspects have been arrested and charged with illicit trafficking of a very large amount of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, plotting a crime, an attempt to commit a crime and smuggling.In the first half of 2011, Tajik security forces seized 2.751 tonnes of drugs, which is 34.4% more than in January-June 2010.Interfax-950215-AACJBNROColombia, Andean Crime and Narcotics Issues 8 Aug 11 - Andean -- OSC SummaryMonday August 8, 2011 13:24:44 GMT-- Bogota El Tiempo reports that during Operation Republica 81, information provided by a source made it possible for Counternarcotics Police officers to destroy 22 cocaine laboratories with the capacity to produce 880 kg of cocaine on a monthly basis allegedly belonging to the FARC's Fronts 1 and 7 in Guaviare Department. During the operation the authorities destroyed 338 kg of coca base, 6.8 tons of coca leaf, and chemical precursors worth about 1.9 billion pesos (about $1.06 million). (Bogota in Spanish -- Website of pro-Liberal Party, most influential newspaper published by Casa Editorial El Tiempo with the largest circulation in Colombia; URL:Authorities Arrest Two Leaders of Alto Guajira Gang Allegedly Involved in Drug Trafficking-- Bogota El Espectador reports that the Judicial and Investigative Police Directorate (Di jin) and Interpol agents in Santa Marta (Magdalena) and Uribia (La Guajira) have arrested alias Cobra and alias Pantera considered the leaders of the Alta Guajira gang. Investigations show that alias Cobra was in charge of storing, transporting, and shipping narcotics to the United States through the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica and that alias Pantera was in charge of narcotics until they set sail. During operations the authorities seized eight rifles, 12 IM-22 fragmentation grenades, seven 60 mm mortars, 4,807 cartridges, 162 magazines of ammunition, and 3.2 tons of marijuana. Authorities Arrest Dominican Drug Courier at Barranquilla Airport-- Barranquilla El Heraldo reports that the authorities at the Ernesto Cortissoz Airport serving Barranquilla (Atlantico) have arrested Dominican citizen Carlos Antonio Ramirez Ogando, 36, with 10.9 kg of heroin worth 30 million pesos (about $16,713) on the black market. (Barranquilla EL .CO in Spanish -- Website of pro-Liberal Party daily; URL:Authorities Seize 795 Kg of Marijuana in Valle del Cauca-- Cali El Pais reports that information provided by the community made it possible for Cali Metropolitan Police officers on the road between Yumbo and Vijes in Valle del Cauca Department to seize 795 kg of marijuana worth 557 million pesos (about $310,306) from a truck belonging to a courier company going to Cartagena (Bolivar) with license plates XVV-267. During the operation the authorities arrested Wilson Avila Ramirez, alias Susto. So far this year, the authorities in Cali have seized 18 tons of marijuana. (Cali El Pais in Spanish -- Website of Pro-Conservative Party daily; URL:Authorities Seize 30 Kg of Marijuana in Santander-- Bucaramanga Vanguardia reports that information provided by an informer made it possible for the authorities in Gi ron in Santander Department to seize 30 kg of marijuana. (Bucaramanga in Spanish -- Website of pro-Liberal Party daily, published by Editora del Mar, S.A.; URL:BOLIVIA Authorities Destroy Three Cocaine Laboratories in La Paz --Cochabamba Los Tiempos reports that the Counternarcotics officers have destroyed three cocaine laboratories in Caranavi Province in La Paz Department. Los Tiempos also reports that the authorities have seized 270 tons of marijuana in the last two months in the region. (Cochabamba Los in Spanish -- Website of conservative newspaper with widest circulation in Cochabamba, owned by the Canelas family. Published in partnership with the Rivero family, member of the Grupo Lider media conglomerate which also includes PAT (Periodistas Asociados de Television) television network, owned by the Daher family of Santa Cruz; URL:Authorities Seize 45 Kg of Marijuana in La Libertad-- Lima RPP Noticias reports that the authorities in La Libertad have seized 45 kg of marijuana. Authorities Seize 9 Kg of Coca Paste in Ayacucho-- Lima RPP Noticias reports that the authorities in Ayacucho have seized 9 kg of coca paste from a bus traveling from Huamanga-La Mar in Ayacuco Region.Turkish Police Seize 153.6 Kg Hashish in Istanbul, Arrest 3 Persons"COUNTER NARCOTICS: Police seize high amount of hashish in Istanbul" -- AA headline – AnatoliaAfghan police seize 600 kg of drugs in different provinces - Afghan Islamic PressMonday August 8, 2011 13:26:43 GMTKabul, 8 August: About 600 kg of narcotics have been seized, three people have been killed and six others have been captured. A statement issued by the Interior Ministry on Monday (8 August) said that the counter-narcotics police yesterday killed three drug smugglers and captured three others in the Khanjak area of Khashrod District in Nimroz Province. The statement adds that the police also seized 159 kg of opium in the operation. Furthermore, the statement says 160 kg of opium and eight kg of heroin were discovered and seized in Farah Province. The statement says 100 kg of opium, 50 kg of morphine, one kilo of heroin and 5,000 kg of opium seed were seized in Ghani Khel District of Nangarhar. According to the statement, the po lice recovered 69 kg of hashish in a Corolla car and detained a person in connection with it in the Sakarga area of the Salang District of Parwan Province yesterday. The source also said 50 kg of opium was seized in Dawlatabad District of Fariab Province.On the other hand, Farah governor told Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) that national security officials last night (7/8 August) discovered and seized 52 kg of narcotics in a vehicle in Anardara District of the province. He added that two people were also arrested with two weapons in connection with it and are being interrogated.Heroin Lab Detected in Sinaloa Culiacan Noroeste on 8 August reports that Army personnel detected a clandestine heroin laboratory in the Emiliano Zapata town, in the Elota municipality of Sinaloa. They seized 25 kg of opium gum; 1 kg of heroin; two long arms; 114 cartridges; and two metallic presses. Customs Seize Drugs at Rosslare Europort? Wednesday, 10th August 2011Officers from Revenue's Customs Service, on (08/08/2011), seized 7.5kg of herbal cannabis with a street value of €90,000, 1.38kg of amphetamine tablets, with a street value of €20,700 and a quantity of cocaine with a street value of €28,000.The drugs were concealed in a vehicle disembarking a ferry from France. Officers made the seizure following risk profiling and a reaction given by drug detection dog 'Dillon'. A 38 year old Lithuanian male was arrested and is currently being detained by Gardai in Wexford.Weapons, Ammunitions, Drugs Seized In NangrharTuesday, August 09, 2011 Kabul (BIA) Afghan police and coalition forces in a joint security mission in outskirts of Ghanikhil district of Nangrahar discovered and seized some drugs, weapons and ammunition.Afghan police and coalition forces in a joint security mission in outskirts of Ghanikhil district of Nangrahar discovered and seized some drugs, weapons and ammunition. According to Afghan ministry of interior, in the operation, 50 Kg morphine, 1Kg heroine, 100 Kg cocaine, 5000 Kg poppy seeds, 1 AK-47 rifle, 1 binoculars, 1 hand grenade, 20m electricity cable, 4 explosive fuse and other military ammunitions have been seized and discovered from Obaidy bazaar of Ghanikhil district of the province. Investigation is under way.?? ?Sedena Seizes Over 1 Metric Ton of Marijuana, Destroys 10 Marijuana Crops in Baja California The Secretariat of National Defense website reports on 7 August that personnel found an abandoned vehicle near the El Centinela hill in the Tecate municipality of Baja California, with 1.026 metric tons of marijuana inside. Personnel conduct ing land recognizance located eight marijuana crops spanning 4,722 square meters as well as a camp ground with 10 kg of marijuana, all 20 km to the southeast of Tijuana. Finally, personnel conducting additional recognizance located two marijuana crops spanning 9,200 square meters in the Ensenada municipality, approximately 10 km from the San Vicente town. All the crops were incinerated, and the drugs and vehicle found were turned over to authorities. Sedena Seizes Over 7 Metric Tons of Marijuana in Baja California -The Secretariat of National Defense website reports on 6 August that military personnel searched buildings on Padre Hidalgo Avenue at Los Altos Street in the La Gloria neighborhood, San Antonio de los Buenos delegation, and Fundadores Boulevard, in the El Rubi n eighborhood of Tijuana, Baja California. They arrested three people and seized 5.81 metric tons of marijuana; a small arm; $4,900; and five vehicles. In Mexicali, personnel responded to a citizen report of illegal activity at a home in the 27 de septiembre neighborhood. There they seized 1.58 metric tons of marijuana and two vehicles. Finally, in Rosarito, personnel conducting air recognizance in the Playas de Rosarito municipality located marijuana crops spanning over 1 hectare, 450 meters squared. They incinerated the drugs.Mexico Southeastern Crime/Narcotics/Security Issues 6-8 Aug 11For assistance with multimedia elements, contact OSC at 1-800-205-8615 or oscinfo@rccb.. - Mexico -- OSC SummaryThai, Malaysian Police Arrest Suspects Involved in Transnational Drug RingReport by Bangkok Post: "Thai-Malaysian Drug Ring Smashed" - Bangkok Post OnlineMonday August 8, 2011 01:21:20 GMTThai and Malaysian police seized large quantities of drugs and arrested a number of drug suspects in coordinated drug suppression operations on Saturday, national police chief Wichean Potephosree said at a press conference on Sunday.The conference was also attended by Pol Lt-Gen Vorapong Chiewpreecha, an assistant police chief, Pol Lt-Col Adithep Panjamanont, chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, and Narong Ratananukul, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board.Pol Gen Wichean said the joint Thai-Malaysian drug suppression operation followed the arrest and interrogation of a number of suspects in the trade of methamp hetamine.Police learned from the interrogation that the suspects were part of a transnational drug ring which supplied methamphetamines to a major drug trader in Malaysia identified only as Bob, who was also wanted by the Malaysian police.On the Thai side of the border, Oncb officials and Region 9 and border patrol police arrested Waesayuti Huti Dueramae, 24, and Mustopa or Yipa Arong, 25, both from Narathiwat province, and seized from them 432,000 methamphetamine pills at Soi 5/1 on Thesapattana road in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province on Saturday.The drugs were destined for Malaysia.At about the same time, Malaysian police arrested nine suspects, including Bob, and seized from them 16kg of ice or crystal methamphetamine, 22kg of heroin, and 2,000 speed pills.A press conference was also held in Malaysia to announce the success.Pol Lt-Gen Adithep, the NSB chief, said methamphetamine is of high demand in Malaysia. Therefore, a large quantity of methamphetamines have been delivered from the North of Thailand and smuggled across the border into Malaysia.The NSB chief also announced arrests of drug suspects in three other cases.In one case, a 27-year-old Guinea national was arrested with 2,500 grammes of ice hidden in his suitcase at the Suvarnabhumi airport.In the second case, two Laotians were arrested with 2,000 speed pills at Mor Chit bus terminal.In the third case, police arrested Phanom Kidsanong, 37, with an amount of marijuana at the Phayuha Khiri checkpoint in Nakhon Sawan.Venezuela Crime, Narcotics Issues 5-8 Aug 11For assistance with multimedia elements, contact OSC at 1-800-205-8615 or oscinfo@rccb.. - Venezuela -- OSC SummaryMonday August 8, 2011 11:34:21 GMTCaracas El Universal Online reports on 4 August that three members of the Military Police have admitted stealing 57 weapons from the General Command at Cotiza in Caracas. The theft was detected on 8 March. The three have been formally charged and the accessories will serve 2 years and two days imprisonment, while the main culprit and mastermind was sentenced to 4 years plus 30 days and 17 days and 20% of asset damage. (Caracas El Universal Online in Spanish -- Website of privately owned daily opposed to the Chavez administration; news coverage often focuses on domestic economic and social problems to challenge government policies; website is the most popular of any Venezuelan newspaper; publisher: Andres Mata Osorio; daily circulation of 85,000 copies URL: ) Murder Rate Reaches Alarming Level in Lara State --Caracas El Universal Online reports on 5 August the increased levels of insecurity is causing deep concern in Lara State. Iribarren Municipality, which includes Barqusimeto leads in the number of homicides. Lara reports three homicides every 24 hours and 90% of the victims are younger than 30. Several People Killed During Shooting Incident on a Bus --Caracas El Universal Online reports on 5 August that five people were killed last night during a robbery on a bus traveling between La Bandera bound for San Cristobal. The assailants were riding as passengers and started shooting near Paracotos a 6-year old little girl was among the dead plus a member of the National Guard who confronted the misfits. However Caracas .ve and other sources report on 5 August that the number of dead was three. Prison Inmates Release all Barinas Prison Hostages --Caracas El Universal Online reports on 5 August that Barinas inmates have released the remaining hostages after a week. On Tuesday two women were freed in exchange for food. A medical checkup will be held on Tuesday. Buses Departing La Bandera Targeted --Caracas El Universal Online reports on 5 August that between 10 and 15 buses a day are attacked leaving La Bandera Terminal headed west. The assailants working in groups of three to five pose as passengers and never act alone. Normally the guns are entered by women or children. Extortionists Pose as Black Eagles Commanders, Operate from Prisons--Caracas El Universal Online reports on 7 August that inmates pretending to be members of the Black Eagles paramilitary gang exhort their victims by cell phone with fake Colombian accents. Experts have learned of up to 10 cases a week. The caller starts out by reci ting the victim's full name and address, criminal expert Monica Fernandez explains, she is also a member of the Venezuelan Penal Forum. The inmate then makes a monetary demand supposedly to build a hospital. The victim pays up to save his or hers life. Sometimes the fake Black Eagles commander threatens to kidnap a family member. The extortionist has access to bank balance information so the demands for cash are realistic. Inmates Who Attempted Escape Suffer Injuries --Caracas reports on 4 August that an escape attempt by inmates from the General Police Command in Lara left 10 inmates injured and a member of the National guard who happened to be detained at the premises. (Caracas in Spanish --- Website of commercial 24-hour news station that serves as the most outspoken broadcast critic of the government and is a main platform for the political opposition; main owners currently in exile and government claims to have taken over a portio n of their shares; website ranks 33 rd in Venezuela; URL: ) Unofficial Caracas Weekend Death Toll: 38 --Caracas reports on 7 August that the unofficial weekend death toll in Caracas was 38-- all died violently. GNB Seize 30 Packages of Colombian Cocaine --Caracas Agencia Venezolana de Noticias reports on 4 August that the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) seized 30 packages of cocaine weighing about 31.3 kg near the Zulia Lara border. Intelligence reports indicate that the cocaine was bound for Valles del Tuy, Miranda State and was seized from a secret compartment in a car at the Jacinto Lara toll station. The people involved, no names given, have been turned over to the Public Prosecutor's Office. The drug is said to have originated in Colombia and its ultimate destination was to have been the Caribbean islands for onward carriage elsewhere. (Caracas Agencia Venezolana de Noticias in Spanish -- Website of the official Venezuelan News Agency also known by acronym AVN; URL: ) Barinas Police Outfitted With Motorcycles, New Uniforms --Caracas Agencia Venezolana de Noticias reports on 4 August that this week the Barinas Police received 25 high-power motorcycles and 2,690 uniforms. These were provided by the Governor's Office. GNB Seize 13 Tons Drugs Over Past 3Years in Merida --Caracas Agencia Venezolana de Noticias reports on 4 August that the GNB have seized in Merida State more than 13 tons of drugs over the past three years. GNB Colonel Cesar Yasin Gomez said during 4 th anniversary celebrations that 3,500 kg were seized in 2008, 4,700 kg during 2009, and 5,000 kg in 2011. CICPC Rescue Kidnapped Youngster in Ciudad Guayana, 7 Kidnappers Arrested--Caracas Agencia Venezolana de Noticias reports on 6 August that a young merchant who had been kidnapped in Ciudad Guayana, Bolivar State was rescued on Saturday by members of the Criminal and Penal i nvestigation Corps (CICPC). Jose Alberto Errante, 27 was rescued from a wooden structure with a zinc roof in Villa Bahia, Unare Parish where he was being held since Monday after he was abducted outside his home by seven Venezuelans in the Villa Granada neighborhood, west of Ciudad Guayana who were all arrested. An eighth kidnapper-- Leonardo Lopez Torres, a Colombian -- managed to escape. CICPC Kill Two Vive TV Assailants --Maracaibo .ve reports on 4 August that the gunmen who staged the attack to Vive TV in Maracaibo were taken out in Valle Frio yesterday by members of the Criminal and Penal Scientific Investigation Corps (CICPC). The two were 26-year old Kenny Dominguez and 28-year old Claudio Romero. (Maracaibo .ve in Spanish -- Website of moderately pro-government daily with highest circulation in western Venezuela and second in nationwide circulation: 140,000 copies Monday through Saturday and 170,000 copies on Sundays, owned by Grupo Edi torial Panorama. Director: Patricia Pineda; URL: ) Zulia State Takes Holiday Precautions With DIBISE--Maracaibo .ve reports on 7 August that during the one month summer holiday season security organization in Zulia State will be reinforced by 3,452 functionaries under the DIBISE (Bicentennial Security Plan). The announcement was made by Colonel Gustavo Sluzzo, head of operation of CORE-3 (National Guard Regional Command No.3) at the Pachencho Romero Stadium in Maracaibo. There will be 148 control points including fixed and mobile, more than 256 vehicles, 412 motorcycles, 22 boats, four jet skis, and three helicopters Varela Orders Prisons Not to Admit New Inmates --Maracay El Aragueno Online reports on 6 August that Iris Varela, head of the recently created Directorate of Penitentiaries and Prisons has issued orders not to admit any new inmates. This presents great problems to security and police forces. (Maracay El Aragueno Online in Spanish -- Website of Aragua State tabloid owned by the Sindoni Group with a daily circulation of 25,000 copies from Monday through Saturday and 50,000 on Sundays. Editorial Director: Evert Garcia; URL: ) Captors Release Kidnapped Woman Thanks to Police Pressure --Maracaibo reports on 4 August that 60-year old Alba Margarita Bautista Vivas was released by her captors after 15 days. He criminals decided to release her due to police operations Alba Margarita Bautista Vivas (Maracaibo , 4Aug)Alba Margarita Bautista Vivas claims she was never mistreated but her captors demanded 50 million Bolivares Fuertes VEF ($12 million) for her release. She was kidnapped on 19 July on the Lara-Zulia highway after she drove away from a service station. (Maracaibo in Spanish -- Website of newspaper critical of Chavez administration. Circulation: 75,000 copies per day; URL: ) Ve nezuela is the Country Where Most Cocaine Passes --Valencia reports on 5 August that Mexican expert Pablo Saez Padilla said during the Seventh International Conference Against Money Laundering, which was held in Caracas that Venezuela is the country with where the most cocaine passes through from Colombia Peru and Bolivia. Venezuela is followed by Mexico Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. According to Alejandro Rebolledo, other sources of illegal capital are gunrunning and the smuggling of human beings, paid murders, contraband, and public and private corruption. (Valencia in Spanish -- Website of regional tabloid of Carabobo State with a daily run of 90,000 copies. Director: Laurentzi Odriozola Echegaray; URL: ) The following media were scanned and no file-worthy items were noted:Drug dealer detained in Russia's North Ossetia - RegnumTuesday August 9, 2011 19:41:20 GMT9 August: A 22-year-old supplier of marijuana and spice to the republic was detained in North Ossetia, the Regnum news agency was told at the Gosnarkokontrol Federal Service (for Control Over the Trafficking of Narcotics) in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania on 9 August.The drug dealer from Vladikavkaz ordered spice from St Petersburg on the Internet. Goods were received by post. In addition to spice, he also ordered seeds of high quality hemp, which he intended to cultivate. Twenty-five parcels of spice and hemp seeds worth a total of R300,000 (about 10,000 dollars) were confiscated in a special operation at one of the post offices in Vladikavkaz. If successfully sold, the amount could increase fivefold and reach about R1,500,000 (about 50, 200 dollars). Marijuana prepared for sale was found during the search of the citizens' workplace, Irina Abayeva, an official representative of the (Gosnarkokontrol) Service said.(Description of Source: Moscow Regnum in Russian -- Independent national news agency carrying reports from affiliated regional news agencies and its own network of regional correspondents)Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of Commerce.Brazil Crime and Narcotics Issues 8 Aug 11For assistance with multimedia elements, contact OSC at 1-800-205-8615 or oscinfo@rccb.. - Brazil -- OSC SummaryTuesday August 9, 2011 02:16:15 GMTOn 8 August Tiago Pariz reports in Brasilia Correio Braziliense that on 7 August hackers posted a message on the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) website warning that the 2014 World Cup of soccer would provide an opportunity for embezzlement of public monies. The party took the website off the air to track the hacker, and informed Federal Police (PF). (Brasilia Correio Braziliense (Internet Version-WWW) in Portuguese --- pro-government daily URL: ) National Justice Council Maps Brazilian Court System Corruption --On 8 August Julian Basile and Maira Magro re port in Sao Paulo Valor that the National Justice Council (CNJ) has launched an effort to map corruption in the Brazilian court system. The study seeks to cover from embezzlement of funds, sale of rigged court rulings, land grabbing, and irregular contracts. The article reports on irregularities uncovered in a number of states. Magistrates are linked to at least 630 of the 3,500 cases under CNJ investigation. The council convicted judges of 45 occasions between April 2008 and December 2010. The CNJ applied the maximum punishment in 21 cases; the guilty judges are forced to retire on full salary. They simply no longer work. (Description of Source: Sao Paulo Valor in Portuguese -- Financial daily, published jointly by the Folha and Globo media conglomerates) Federal Government Steps Up Civil Servant Corruption Punishment --On 8 August the National Federal Police Officer Union Federation (Fenapef) website reports that in July and January to July, resp ectively the administration dismissed 98 and 328 civil servants linked to irregular procedures and corruption, according to the National Comptroller's Office (CGU). The number of dismissals for a single month or semester is the highest since 2003. The effort to combat corruption and impunity in the administration prompted the federal government to hand down punishment to 3,297 public workers linked to wrongdoing in January 2003 to July 2011; 2,812 civil servants were dismissed. (National Federal Police Officer Union Federation (WWW) -Text in Portuguese --- National Federal Police Officer Union Federation; URL:) Sao Paulo Sao Paulo State homicides mapped O Estado de S.Paulo - 8 AugustCrack Proliferation Blamed for Homicide Increase in Sao Paulo Hinterland --On 8 August Carlos Lemos, Marcelo Godoy, and Rodrigo Burgarelli Sao Paulo O Estado de Sao Paulo Digital reports that Sao Paulo Public Security Secretariat data shows that homicides in Sao Paulo State declined 71.2% in 2001 to 2011. The data also reveals the inverse in four regions of the state: the northwest, northeast, Ribeira Valley, and along the coast. The rise in homicides in the region is attributed to penitentiary locations, crack proliferation among sugar cane plantation workers, and the uncontrolled growth of certain cities. Police Chief Marcos Carneiro Lima plans to broaden the Civil Police Homicide and Personal Protection Division (DHPP) coverage scope. (Sao Paulo O Estado de Sao Paulo Digital in Portuguese -- website of conservative, influential daily, critical of the government; URL: )Military Highway Police Seize 990 Kg of Marijuana in Sao Paulo Hinterland --On 7 August the Sao Paulo State Public Security Secretariat website reports that on 6 August Military Highway Police (BPRv) intercepted a truck with Altonia, Parana, license plates, at kilometer 644 of State Highway SP-294 in the Sao Paulo hinterland, arrested a male identified as M.O.G., 24, and seized 990 kg of marijuana hidden under the vehicle's false flooring. The truck loaded in Deodapolis, Mato Grosso do Sul, was bound for Sorocaba, Sao Paulo. (Sao Paulo State Public Security Secretariat (WWW) -Text in Portuguese --- Official site of the Sao Paulo State Public Security Secretariat URL: )Rio de Janeiro Police Arrest Drug Lord in Rio de Janeiro --On 6 August Solange Spigliatti reports in Sao Paulo O Estado de Sao Paulo Digital that on 5 August police arrested Lucio Mauro Carneiro dos Passos, aka Biscoito, described as one of the most dangerous drug lords in Rio de Janeiro's Mangueira Hill in the days preceding the installation of a Peacekeeping Police Unit (UPP) in the community. Passos was caught at his home in the Jacarezinho shantytown on the north side of Rio de Janeiro. On the occasion t he police seized four pistols, four sub-machine guns, ammunition, and 1 kg of cocaine. Among other crimes Passos is accused of a number of homicides, including the murder of Rio's Bangu 3 penitentiary warden in 2008. Acre Peruvian Gangs Invade Protected Amazon Region Lands in Acre --On 8 August Maria Emilia Coelho reports for Sao Paulo O Estado de Sao Paulo Digital that armed Peruvian gangs surrounded a Funai (National Indian Foundation) team in the Envira Ethnic and Environmental Reservation in Igarape Xinane, Acre, in July. The Funai team was in the region observing a tribe of indigenous people who live near the Humaita River spring. Ashaninka tribesmen alerted the Funai about the Peruvians who invaded the region, on 11 July. The alert launched an operation that arrested Joaquim Antonio Custodio Fadista, a Portuguese drug dealer on 3 August. Fadista had been arrested in March and extradited to Peru. The Brazil-Peru border region has the largest isolat ed indigenous tribe population in the Amazon. A number of attempts have been made to annihilate the tribes viewed as a hindrance to the region's exploitation. Amazonas Pirates Rob Passengers on Solimoes River in Amazonas --On 8 August Liege Albuquerque reports in Sao Paulo O Estado de Sao Paulo Digital that on 7 August some six pirates boarded a boat with 150 passengers and 10 crew members sailing along Solimoes River in Manacapuru, Amazonas. The gang hurled items robbed from the passengers to a stolen boat for close to an hour. No arrests are reported. Pirates attack an average two passenger boats per week on rivers in the Amazon region, especially close to Manaus, the Amazonas State capital city. Civil Police Seize 206 Kg of Marijuana in Amazonas --On 8 August Rio de Janeiro Globo G1 website reports that on 7 August Civil Police (PC) arrested five unidentified persons and seized close to 206 kg of marijuana on board a boat sailing on the Amazonas River. The narcotics came from Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, and Porto Velho, Rondonia. The PC also seized nine cell phones. (Rio de Janeiro Globo G1 (Internet Version-WWW) in Portuguese --- Rio de Janeiro Globo Network website - center-right, generally pro-government URL:) Brazilian Air Force Joins Border Crime Combat Effort in Amazon Region --On 8 August an article posted on the Brasilia Defense Ministry's Brazilian Air Force website outlines the Brazilian Air Force's role in Operation Agata that the federal government launched on 5 August. The effort was designed to fight crime in the region of Tabatinga and Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas. (LAP20110806020001) (Brasilia Defense Ministry - Brazilian Air Force (WWW) - Text in Portuguese --- Defense Ministry's Brazilian Air Force webs ite URL: ) Mato Grosso Federal Police Se ize 140 Kg of Marijuana in Mato Grosso Hinterland --On 6 August Solange Spigliatti reports in Sao Paulo Agencia Estado that on 5 August Federal Police (PF) arrested an unidentified driver on Federal Highway BR-158 in Barra do Garcas, Mato Grosso, near the state's border with Goias, and seized 140 kg of marijuana. The narcotic was in an unspecified vehicle the suspect was driving. (Sao Paulo Agencia Estado in Portuguese -- Center-right news agency. URL:) Gunman Murders Mato Grosso Hinterland Mayor --On 6 August Solange Spigliatti reports in Sao Paulo Agencia Estado that on 5 August an unidentified man murdered Antonio Luiz Cesar de Castro, the Democrats (DEM) mayor of Nova Canaa do Norte, Mato Grosso. The hooded murderer approached the victim at a party in a club, fired six shots at him, and walked away. Castro is the second Mato Grosso mayor murdered in a fortnight. Parana Federal Police Seize 1,100 Boxes of Contraband Cigarettes in Parana's Hinterland --On 8 August the Brasilia Justice Ministry's Federal Police Department website reports that on the 6-7 August weekend Federal Police (PF) operations seized a total 1,100 boxes of smuggled cigarettes on board a boat and a truck in the Parana hinterland near the Brazil-Paraguay border. (Brasilia Justice Ministry - Federal Police Department (WWW) -Text in Portuguese --- Justice Ministry's Federal Police Department website URL:) Pernambuco Police Eradicate 14,000 Marijuana Plants in Pernambuco Hinterland --On 8 August Solange Spigliatti reports in Sao Paulo Agencia Estado that on 7 August police arrested Neilton Rocha dos Santos, 41, and incinerated a crop of over 14,000 marijuana plants that he was growing in Cabrobo, Pernambuco. The marijuana farmer was stealing water from a local reservoir to irrigate his illegal crop.Colombia, Andean Crime and Narcotics Issues 9 Aug 11Medellin El Colombiano reports that during Operat ion "Republica 317" the authorities in Yarumal in Antioquia Department have destroyed a cocaine laboratory allegedly belonging to Los Urabenos gang with the capacity to produce 280 kg of cocaine on a monthly basis. During the operation the authorities eradicated 3 hectares of coca crops. (Medellin El in Spanish -- Website of pro-Conservative Party, leading Medellin daily; URL:La Paz La Razon reports that the authorities in Chile have arrested 21 Bolivians charged with drug trafficking with alleged ties to drug traff ickers operating from La Paz. During operations the authorities seized 72 kg of coca paste, 3 kg of cocaine hydrochloride, and 68 kg marijuana from BoliviaLa Paz La Razon reports that so far this year, the authorities in Cochabamba have seized $8.5 million in alleged drug trafficking money including $1,5 million from an unidentified family clan, $1.3 million seized from the Gomez-Ledezma clan, and $3.78 million from alias SerpicoGuayaquil Expreso reports that an anonymous call made it possible for the authorities at Guayaquil Port to seize 400 kg of cocaine hydrochloride from a shrimp container bound for South Africa last weekend. Expreso also reports that the authorities at the Jose Joaquin de Olmedo Airport serving Guayaquil seized 18 kg of cocaine and arrested two Ecuadorans and two Spaniards.Lima El Comercio reports that the authorities in Monzon District in Huamalies Province in Huanuco Region have destroyed two cocaine laboratories allegedly belonging to drug traffickers alias Hector, alias Grober, alias Alberto, and alias Negro. El Comercio also reports that the authorities seized 1 ton of sulfuric acid.Lima El Comercio reports that a group of Peruvian drug traffickers allegedly attacked Brazilian indigenous persons near the border. El C omercio also reports that the authorities discovered a bag with 20 kg of cocaine allegedly belonging to a drug trafficker.Mexico's Northern Border Tuesday August 9, 2011 15:06:15 GMTThe Secretariat of National Defense website on 8 August reports that military personnel from the 2 nd Military Zone seized 345 packages of marijuana weighing a total of 2.17 metric tons in Tijuana, Baja California. The drugs had been hidden among boxes of fruit in a tractor trailer, and the driver of the vehicle was arrested.The Secretariat of National Defense on 8 August reports that military personnel assigned to the 4 th Military Zone and working at the Quer obabi checkpoint in Opodepe, Sonora, searched a tractor trailer and seized the following: 47 kg of methamphetamines (crystal); 4.5 kg of cocaine; and 3.5 kg of opium gum. The driver of the vehicle was arrested. Navy Arrests 12, Seizes Vehicles, Drugs, Weapons in 3 Days The Naval Secretariat website reports on 7 August in press release 253/2011 that land patrols were conducted on 3 August in the Francisco Villa town of San Fernando, Tamaulipas, and naval personnel arrested two people in two vehicles who were in possession of two small arms, three magazines, and a variety of cartridges. The suspects were Jose Elias Elias Mireles; and Misael Gomez Munoz. On 4 August, naval personnel responded to citizen reports of two people with radio communication equipment allegedly reporting on the movements of federal authorities. The two people were located in the parking lot of a mall in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and arrested: Pedro Galindo Valenzuela and Eloy Alejandro Hernandez C antu. In a separate event, during urban patrols, Rolando Denova Junior was arrested. He was in a vehicle and in possession of 31 doses of cocaine in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. Also on 4 August, a citizen report led authorities to Nuevo Laredo, where a subject was spotted with a firearm. The subject ran into a car wash and authorities pursued. Eventually, six people were arrested for ties to organized crime, and from them authorities seized drugs, ammunition, and two vehicles. On 5 August, a truck was found parked in Nuevo Laredo. The person inside, Eloy Martinez Vazquez, was arrested when authorities searched the truck and found a 38 Super revolver; approximately 70 g of marijuana; a small arm; and 13 cartridges, 38 Special caliber. Finally, on 6 August, a backpack was found at a construction site in Tampico, Tamaulipas. Inside it, authorities found two M-16 magazines; an AK-47 magazine; 26 cartridges, .223-caliber; and a sharp instrument.Mexico Western Crime/Narcotics/Security Issues 09 Aug 11 - Mexico -- OSC SummaryTuesday August 9, 2011 15:06:14 GMTThe Office of the Attorney General of the Republic website reports in bulletin 1038/11 on 8 August that three suspected Zeta members were arrested as they drove along the Lagos de Moreno bypass on the highway to San Juan de los Lagos in a white 2005 Audi vehicle, Jalisco plates. When state police searched the vehicle, they found a 38-mm Special handgun; an AK-47 rifle; five clips of varying calibers; and 13 radio transmitters. The suspects--Hector Daniel Reyes Reyes, a.k.a. El Zeta 13; Lidia Jazmin Hernandez Paez, a.k.a. La Chaparra; and Guadalupe Raquel Ruvalcaba Montes, a.k.a. La Chuky--are suspected of organized crime, health code violations, and weapons possession. Reyes admitted to working for the Zetas, locating drug sale s points in Lagos de Moreno, and Hernandez and Ruvalcaba admitted to being lookouts for the Zetas, reporting on the movements of authorities and rival groups.The Office of the Attorney General of the Republic website reports in bulletin 1037/11 on 8 August that formal arrest warrants were served on 7 suspected members of the Sinaloa Cartel: Sergio Diaz Cisneros, a.k.a. El Lagrimita; Erick Eduardo Diaz Montes, a.k.a. El Puton; Arturo Garcia Palma, a.k.a. El Primo; Juan Carlos Hernandez Aparicio, a.k.a. El Pampano; Luis Angel Castro Perez, a.k.a. El Calle; Lorenzo Antonio Aguilar Roman; and Jorge Cristian Flores Rodriguez, a.k.a. El Cris. They were arrested on 19 June in Acapulco, Guerrero . Diaz was a leader of the lookouts and paid assassins in the La Barredora criminal gang, which worked for the Sinaloa Cartel.Sedena Seizes Opium, Heroin, Marijuana in Sinaloa - The Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) website reports on 8 August that military personnel assigned to the 9 th Military Zone conducted land recognizance in the Saca de Agua town, in the Badiraguato municipality of Sinaloa, on 6 August. They seized one of the largest quantities of opium ever seized by Sedena: 200.3 kg of a dark liquid with a penetrating smell of opium; 99.86 kg of opium gum in a semi-solid paste; 7.9 kg of opium gum in a solid paste; 21.1 kg of heroin; 5.8 kg of carbonate (used to make heroin); 637.9 kg of marijuana; 22 kg of marijuana seeds; and 1.2 kg of poppy seeds. This seizure represents a considerable blow to organized crime, costing them 209,070,580 Mexican pesos in market value ($16,736,258.99)Sedena Seizes Opium, Heroin, Marijuana in Sinaloa - The Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) website reports on 8 August that military personnel assigned to the 9 th Military Zone conducted land recognizance in the Saca de Agua town, in the Badiraguato municipality of Sinaloa, on 6 August. They seized one of the largest quantities of opium ever seized by Sedena: 200.3 kg of a dark liquid with a penetrating smell of opium; 99.86 kg of opium gum in a semi-solid paste; 7.9 kg of opium gum in a solid paste; 21.1 kg of heroin; 5.8 kg of carbonate (used to make heroin); 637.9 kg of marijuana; 22 kg of marijuana seeds; and 1.2 kg of poppy seeds. This seizure represents a considerable blow to organized crime, costing them 209,070,580 Mexican pesos in market value ($16,736,258.99).Ecuadorian police?seize?400 kg?of cocaine?that went to?AfricaSeven KG of Cocaine Seized at Casablanca AirportCasablanca — Control services at the airport of Casablanca seized, on Tuesday evening, seven killogrammes of cocaine concealed between plastic works and kitchen utensils.The substance, which was brought from Latin America, was found out in the luggage of an African immigrant, in transit, who was handed over to the police for investigation. In 2010, the customs services have seized some 66.8 tonnes of drugs, including 15 kg of cocaine at the Tangier port and 3.6 kg at the Mohammed V airport in Casablanca.Ecuador?Police?seized?400 kg?of cocaine?were being sent?to Africa,?an?operation carried out in?the port of?Guayaquil, said on Wednesday?the institution.The drug?was found in?a container,?hidden among?a cargo of?fish and?octopus,?as?the CNP, which?pointed out that it?was bound forBenin."We have found?documents?indicating that?export?to that countrywould?therefore?believe that this?was the place?where he was todisembark," he told?reporters?Lieutenant?Freddy?Ramos, spokesman for the?Narcotics?Division?in the province of?Guayas, whose capital?is Guayaquil.In the operation?were arrested?two Ecuadorians,?but it is suspected?that three other?national, an Ecuadorian?andColombian?are involved?in the crime, the report said.On?July 5,?the CNP?said that?until then?had?been seized?11.3 tonsof drugs in?2011,?mainly cocaine, 10% more than?confiscated?in the same period?of 2010.Ecuador?seized a?record 68?tons of drugs?in 2009 (including?64 tons of?cocaine) and?18 tons?in 2010,?police said.Austin man had $1.8 million in heroin at border, officials sayWednesday, August 10, 2011, 03:07 PM PRESS RELEASE FROM THE U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION:ROMA, TEXAS - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Roma International Bridge seized approximately 22.3 pounds of Mexican brown heroin and 10.3 pounds of cocaine Tuesday afternoon. The estimated street value of the heroin is $1,781,316 million, while the cocaine is valued at $331,571.On August 9, 2011, a CBP officer working at the Roma/Miguel Aleman International Bridge referred to secondary, a northbound 2007 Ford Edge sedan and its driver, a 53-year-old U.S. citizen from Austin, Texas. While in secondary, CBP officers seized nine packages of alleged Mexican brown heroin and four packages of alleged cocaine that were found in a secret compartment in the vehicle’s right and left front fenders. The Ford Edge was also seized by CBP.The male driver was transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) for further investigation.Cris Cantu Jr., CBP Port Director, Roma/Falcon Dam said, “Our cadre of frontline officers did a great job in referring this vehicle to secondary and seizing this huge and significant amount of hard narcotics.” Cantu further said, “I commend our officers for their work in securing our nation’s borders.” Central Province Police Seize 248 kg of Opium - Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Esfahan Provincial TVThursday August 11, 2011 14:34:00 GMT(Col Reza'i, the head of the provincial police for combating narcotics) Fortunately, through a hard intelligence work of two months on the issue, a batch of 248 kg of opium, packed as rice and transported to Esfahan was seized. The batch was imported from border provinces through Shiraz and was destined for the north of Tehran and Hamedan. According to the intelligence work carried out, this is not the first batch sent by this group. They have done these operations about four times before and according to the confessions made, they have already transported about 800 kg of drugs. Thus, if we deduct these 240 kg, they have already transported some 600 kg of drugs.Venezuela Crime, Narcotics Issues 9-11 Aug 11 - Venezuela -- OSC SummaryThursday August 11, 2011 12:47:03 GMTCaracas National Assembly of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reports on 9 August that Interior and Justice Minister Tareck El-Aissami has delivered 150 briefcases containing high-tech drug detection equipment worth 430,000 Bolivares Fuertes (VEF) ($100,000). The equipment was delivered to military, police, and security organizations as part of the 2009-2013 National Counternarcotics Plan. The minister recalled that these chemical reagents were sold to Venezuela at $7 but as of Tuesday they will be provided free manufactured by the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB). (Caracas National Assembly of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Spanish -- Official website of the Venezuelan National Assembly; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" .gob.ve ) CICPS Dismantle Gang of Car Thieves --Caracas El Universal Online reports on 7 August that the Criminal and Penal Scientific Investigation Corps (CICPC) successfully dismantled "Los Nacionales" gang that specialized in stealing cars. CICPC National Director William Flores Trosel explained that investigators were tipped off when someone presented forged documents to the National Land Transit Institute. The gang operated in several states. Under questioning the car owner said that he saw an Internet ad for a Ford Explorer 2088 sold in Maturin, Monagas State. The Investigation led to the arrest of eight people with eight stolen vehicles. (Caracas El Universal Online in Spanish -- Website of privately owned daily opposed to the Chavez administration; news coverage often focuses on domestic economic and social problems to challenge government policies; website is the most popular of any Venezuelan newspaper; publisher: Andres Mata Osorio; daily circul ation of 85,000 copies URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Truck Thieves, Highwaymen Pose Threat to Drivers, Cargo Owners --Caracas El Universal Online reports on8 August that highwaymen steal 1,000 trucks a year. Some eight highwaymen or "road pirates" generally operate in each assault and use two cars and two motorcycles. One vehicle passes the truck and forces it to slow down and stop. The rest of the gang move in and take the truck to a safe place where it is unloaded. The driver and helper are held for a day or two and the truck is concealed. Venezuela Rejects US Extradition Request --Caracas El Universal Online reports on 8 August that Simon Daniel Chocron who is sought by Interpol to face charges in the United States for obscene exhibitionism involving pornographic material and minors. Chocron is a swimmer and is accused of pedophilia. The Supreme Court of Justice has decided that he is to stand trial in Venezuela, thus will not be extradited to the United States because the Venezuelan Constitution expressly forbids that its citizens be extradited. Uribana Prison 'Coliseum' Leaves 31 Injured Inmates--Caracas El Universal Online reports on 8 August that the number of injured inmates in Uribana Prison now stands at 31. All of them are receiving medical attention at Barquisimeto Central Hospital. The injuries were due to the practice called coliseum," which seeks to emulate ancient Roman fighters. The report quotes El Impulso de Barquisimeto newspaper.Violence Observatory Estimates 19,000 homicides in 2011 -- Caracas reports on10 August that according to estimates by the Violence Observatory the number of homicides in Venezuela this year could be as many as 19,000 compared to the 16,000 in 2010. This was said by Director Roberto Briceno Leon, who added that it is state policy not to do anything to face crime, not repress, not act, and not enforce the law. He went on to point out that in 1998 there were 118 detentions for every 100 homicides compared to nine for every 100 over the past three years. He reckons that the government does not want to appear as being repressive. He also criticized Minister Iris Varela for wanting to release 20,000 inmates, which only serves to increase impunity. (Caracas in Spanish --- Website of commercial 24-hour news station that serves as the most outspoken broadcast critic of the government and is a main platform for the political opposition; main owners currently in exile and government claims to have taken over a portion of their shares; website ranks 33 rd in Venezuela; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) FARC Member To Remain Under DIM Detention --Caracas .ve reports on 9 August that the Office of the Prosecutor General has decided to jail FARC member Guillermo Enrique Torres Cueter, knows as the "FARC Singer" (cantor de la FARC). He was captured by the Military Intelligence Directorate (DIM) on 21 May and 67 days later.on Friday Judge Norma Ceiba told Prosecutor Daniel Guedes: "We are not pressing any charges against him, but do request his arrest in view that Interpol has issued a Red Alert for detention and extradition. Colombia now has to formally request his extradition. Torres himself has requested President Chavez not to extradite him. (Caracas .ve in Spanish -- Website of generally balanced daily owned by Cadena Capriles media group with relatively objective news coverage; publisher Eleazar Diaz Rangel often takes a pro-government line in his columns but other commentary reflects a range of pro- and anti-government views; highest nationwide circulation daily with over 200,000 copies; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) GNB Seize 55 Kg. of High-Grade Colombian Cocaine --Caracas Agencia Venezolana de Noticias reports on 9 August that the GNB seized 55 kg of cocaine in Merida State, which w as being transported in secret compartments in a vehicle driven by a Venezuelan citizen. The announcement was made by Division General Franklin Marquez, head of National Guard Regional Command No. 1 (CORE-1). The vehicle is a Ford Blazer driven by 25-year old Jose Enrique Castillo, caught while trying to escape down a trail. Marquez said that it is high-grade cocaine from Colombia and marked with the cities of destination. So far this year Detachment No. 16 in Merida has seized 832 kg of drugs and arrested 21 people and confiscated 21 vehicles.(Caracas Agencia Venezolana de Noticias in Spanish -- Website of the official Venezuelan News Agency also known by acronym AVN; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Venezuela Dismantles 17 Cocaine-Processing Labs --Caracas Agencia Venezolana de Noticias reports on 10 August that with operations Sierra and Centinela 17 cocaine laboratories have been dismantled in the states of Tachira and Zulia in 2011. Interior and justice minister Ta reck El-Aissami said on Wednesday that Venezuela has been at the forefront in counternarcotics operations over the past five years adding that prior to 2004 with the DEA this was never the case. Sebin Captures Internet Swindler --Caracas Agencia Venezolana de Noticias reports on 10 August that the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) captured in Carabobo a Venezuelan citizen who swindled people over the Internet selling forged passports using webpage HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" CICPC Recover Stolen Newborn baby --Maracaibo reports on 9 August that the CICPC rescued at 1100 yesterday a kidnapped newborn baby. A woman has been arrested and turned over to the Public Prosecutor's Office. .She stole the baby at a bus terminal on 2 August. Carolina Olivares, 21 was the woman arrested. The baby's mother is 14-year old Marinneli Medina. (Maracaibo in Spanish -- Website of newspaper critical of Chavez administration. Circulation: 75,000 c opies per day; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Aragua Registers 14 Weekend Deaths --Maracay El Aragueno Online reports on 9 August that 14 deaths by gunfire were registered this weekend in Aragua State. Most took place in Sucre Municipality followed by Marino. (Maracay El Aragueno Online in Spanish -- Website of Aragua State tabloid owned by the Sindoni Group with a daily circulation of 25,000 copies from Monday through Saturday and 50,000 on Sundays. Editorial Director: Evert Garcia; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) The following media were scanned and no file-worthy items were noted:Caracas National Counternarcotics OfficeMaracaibo .veValencia Website has been offline since 29/07/11.Caracas People's Power Ministry for Interior and JusticeMaterial in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright holder. Inquiries rega rding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of Commerce.Colombia, Andean Crime and Narcotics Issues 11 Aug 11For assistance with multimedia elements, contact OSC at 1-800-205-8615 or oscinfo@rccb.. - Andean -- OSC SummaryThursday August 11, 2011 14:18:21 GMTDolly Cifuentes Villa, alias La Meno, alleged front person serving Mexicandrug trafficker. (Source: RCN Television, 10 August 2011)Authorities Arrest Front Person Allegedly Serving Mexican Drug Trafficker --Bogota El Tiempo reports that the authorities in Valle del Aburra in Antioquia Department have arrested Dolly Cifuentes Villa, 47, alias La Meno, who allegedly served as a front person for Mexican drug trafficker alias El Chapo Guzman considered the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. El Tiempo explains that Judicial and Investigative Police Directorate (Dijin) and DEA agents were able to establish that alia s La Meno used 35 companies owned by her family to launder money for alias El Chapo Guzman. El Tiempo also reports that alias La Meno's family supplied alias El Chapo with narcotics and that laundered "at least $200 million." (Bogota in Spanish -- Website of pro-Liberal Party, most influential newspaper published by Casa Editorial El Tiempo with the largest circulation in Colombia; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Authorities Occupy 32 Properties Worth 40 Billion Pesos Allegedly Belonging to Front Persons Serving Northern Valle del Cauca Cartel-- Bogota El Tiempo reports that following a two-year investigation the authorities have occupied 32 properties worth 40 billion pesos (about $22.28 million) allegedly belonging to front persons serving the Northern Valle del Cauca Cartel and an unidentified Mexican cartel. El Tiempo also reports that the authorities are after a person wanted by the authorities in Mexico for drug trafficking. National Customs and Tax Directorate Director Says Defrauders 'Launder 6 Trillion Pesos'-- Bogota El Tiempo reports that Juan Ricardo Ortega, National Customs and Tax Directorate (DIAN) director, has denounced that tax evaders launder 6 trillion pesos (about $2.23 billion) on a yearly basis. El Tiempo provides examples of how money is laundered through real estate such as properties worth 900 million pesos (about $501,393) being registered for 87 million pesos (about $48,468). Authorities Arrest Drug Courier in Caqueta --Bogota El Espectador reports that the authorities patrolling the Caqueta Department highway have arrested an unidentified man who had swallowed an "undetermined amount of capsules of cocaine." El Espectador also reports that the man claims he swallowed 63 capsules. (Bogota in Spanish -- Website of right-leaning daily owned by Bavaria Group and Santodomingo family; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Colombian, Venezuelan Authorities Arrest 10 Alleged Drug Traffickers Serving Alias El Loco Barrera, Destroy Three Airstrips-- Bogota El Espectador reports that that National Police Director General Oscar Naranjo has confirmed that the authorities in Colombia, with the support of Venezuelan authorities, have arrested 10 pilots serving alias El Loco Barrera. Naranjo also reports that Colombian authorities provided the coordinates of three illegal airstrips destroyed by the authorities in Venezuela near the border. Authorities Seize 400 Kg of Explosives Allegedly Belonging to FARC in Valle del Cauca-- Cali El Pais reports that the authorities in Bajo Calima on the road to Buenaventura (Valle del Cauca) have seized 400 kg of a powerful explosive called pentolita mixed with ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) from a minefield allegedly planted by the FARC's Libardo Garcia Front. (Cali El Pais in Spanish -- Website of Pro-Conservat ive Party daily; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Authorities Discover 'Several Irregularities' in Army Contracts-- Bogota RCN Television website reports that Defense Minister Rodrigo Rivera has requested an investigation into alleged irregularities in Army contracts worth 9 billion pesos (about $5 million). (Bogota RCN Television Online in Spanish -- Website of Radio Cadena Nacional Television, a private station owned by the industrial group Ardila Lulle; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) BOLIVIA Authorities Discover Cocaine Laboratory, Arrest Four Bolivians, Two Colombians in Santa Cruz-- Santa Cruz El Deber Digital reports that Special Antinarcotics Force (FELCN) officers have arrested four Bolivians and two Colombians who were allegedly trying to dismantle a cocaine laboratory in San Jose de Chiquitos Municipality (Santa Cruz) to move it to another area. (Santa Cruz de la Sierra eldeberdigital. com.bo in Spanish -- Website of conservative, influential, pro-business, regional newspaper with the most prestige and widest circulation nationwide. Owned by the Rivero family, member of the Grupo Lider media conglomerate which also includes PAT (Periodistas Asociados de Television) television network, recently acquired by the Daher family of Santa Cruz; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) ECUADOR Daily Reports on Narcotics Seized in Guayaquil --Guayaquil El Universo reports that the 400 kg of cocaine hydrochloride worth about $36 million seized by the authorities at Port of Guayaquil (Guayas) hidden in a shrimp container were bound for Benin in Africa. Investigation shows that the narcotics were marked with a bitten apple, the letter B, a crown, and the number 10. (Guayaquil El Universo Online in Spanish -- Website of influential daily owned by Grupo El Universo C.A.; consistently critical of the government; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Authorities Release Rabi From Kidnappers, Arrest Israeli Allegedly Involved in Drug Trafficking-- Guayaquil El Universo reports that Antikidnapping and Antiextortion Unit (Unase) officers in Manta (Manabi) have released Rabi Yishak Tom Rotem Yosef who had been kidnapped on 1 August. During the operation the authorities arrested Israeli Dan Di Nur, 54, considered the gang's leader and who had been previously arrested on 13 January in Quito with 800 grams of cocaine. Investigation shows that Israelis Joseph Museph and Anatoli Alperovich, Mexican Isac Cae Morales, and two unidentified Ecuadorans are members of the gang. PERU Authorities Destroy Cocaine Laboratory, Seize 13 Kg of Coca Paste --Lima RPP Noticias reports that Counternarcotics officers in Padre Abad Province in Ucayali Department have destroyed a cocaine laboratory with the capacity to produce 1.6 tons of cocaine. During the operation the authorities seized 13 kg of c oca paste. (Lima RPP Noticias Online in Spanish -- Website of top-rated commercial news radio station, owned by Grupo RPP, S.A. (Radio Programas del Peru); URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Authorities Seize 14 Kg of Cocaine Hydrochloride in Puno-- Lima RPP Noticias reports that National Police officers have seized 14 kg of cocaine hydrochloride from a house in Juliaca in Puno Region and arrested two unidentified women and one man. Authorities Seize 8 Kg of Opium Latex in Cajamarca-- Lima RPP Noticias reports that Counternarcotics authorities in San Miguel Province in Cajamarca Region have seized 8 kg of opium latex from Joel Terrones Rodas, 40, and Hermegildo Gilbeto Sanchez Quiroz, 50.The following media were scanned and no file worthy items were noted:(Bogota in Spanish)(Medellin El in Spanish)(Barranquilla EL .CO in Spanish)(Cartagena El Universal Online in Spanish)(Bucaramanga in Spanish)(Bogota Office of the President in Spanish)(Bogota Caracol Radio Online in Spanish)(Bogota National Navy of the Republic of Colombia in Spanish)(San Andres in Spanish)(Cochabamba Los in Spanish)(La Paz La Razon Online in Spanish)(Quito El in Spanish)(Lima La Republica Online in Spanish)(Lima El .pe in Spanish)Material in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of Commerce.Mexico's Northern Border Crime/Narcotics/Security Issues 11 Aug 11 - Mexico -- OSC SummaryThursday August 11, 2011 15:17:49 GMTThe Secretariat of Public Security website reports in bulletin 441 on 10 August that federal police officers searched David Origel Ortiz at the Tijuana Airport when they noticed bulges in the pockets of his pants. He was found to be in possession of $40,000 that he had not declared. He had flown in from Guadalajara, Jalisco. Police arrested him and seized the money. In just one week, federal police have seized the equivalent of 1,584,130 Mexican pesos ($126,845.10) at airports around the country. (Mexico Secretariat of Public Security in Spanish -- Official website of the Mexican Secretariat of Public Security. URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Military Personnel Seize Over 31 Kg of Cocaine in Mexicali -The Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) on 10 August reports that citizen reports of suspicious activity on Jose Ruben Romero Avenue, in the El Hipico housing development of Mexicali, Baja California, led Sedena personnel to the area. The military personnel ended up arresting one person who was in possession of approximately 31.66 kg of cocaine; a long arm; 20 cartridges of varying calibers; and two vehicles. (Mexico City Secretariat of National Defense WWW-Text in Spanish -- Official website of the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Zeta Leader 'El Sureno' Arrested in San Nicolas, Nuevo Leon -Ciudad Juarez El Diario on 10 August reports that a citizen report led naval personnel to the Cumbres Segundo Sector neighborhood of San Nicolas, Nuevo Leon, where they arrested Raul Garcia Rodriguez, a.k.a. El Sureno. He is believed to be the leader of the Zeta Cartel in San Nicol as. Also arrested was Abril Samanta Moron Diaz. The two were in possession of an AK-47 rifle; a 9-mm handgun; four loaded magazines; 200 doses of cocaine; ten doses of cocaine rock; and a vehicle. (Ciudad Juarez El Diario.mx in Spanish -- Most widely read border daily published in Chihuahua State. Root URL as of filing date: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Controversial Ex-Police Chief of Juarez, Chihuahua, Murdered at Restaurant -Ciudad Juarez El Diario on 11 August reports that Jose Refugio Ruvalcaba Plascencia, former police chief of Juarez and Chihuahua, was shot to death while drinking coffee at a restaurant at the intersection of Periphery de la Juventud and Politecnico Nacional Avenue in Chihuahua, Chihuahua. Three men arrived on scene and two shot at him repeatedly and then fled in a maroon Dodge Stratus vehicle that was guarded by two white Chevrolet pickups. Police found 17 shells from a .38 Super-caliber weapon at the restaurant . Ruvalcaba was carrying a .380-caliber automatic handgun, Pietro Beretta model 84FSCHEETAH, serial number H45987Y, at the time of his death, and in his vehicle, a white Durango truck, police found a 12-guage shotgun, Mossberg brand, serial number T632837. His police career had been controversial, and he had most recently owned a private security agency called Integral. Cocaine, Crystal Seizures on the Rise, Marijuana Seizures Drop -Mexicali La Cronica on 11 August reports that Commander Alfonso Duarte Mujica, from the Army's 2 nd Military Region, announced that 53.25 metric tons of marijuana were seized between 1 January and 10 August 2011. He also said that 2.538 metric tons of crystal were seized during the same period. In Baja California, Baja California Sur, and Sonora, close to 3.5 metric tons were seized, along with 168 metric tons of marijuana. Mujica pointed out that marijuana seizures have decreased, while seizures of cocaine and crystal have increased. (Me xicali La in Spanish -- Daily from Mexicali, Baja California State. URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) Three Gunned Down by Armed Group in San Nicolas, Nuevo Leon -Monterrey El Porvenir on 11 August reports that three subjects who appeared to be gang members were shot to death by an armed group behind a department store at the intersection of Miguel Aleman Highway and Las Torres Avenue, in the La Talaverna neighborhood of San Nicolas. Each of the three victims was shot more than seven times, and authorities found approximately 40 shells from a 9-mm handgun and an AK-47 submachine gun at the scene. (Monterrey El Porvenir in Spanish -- Daily from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon State. URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" ) SECURITY Device Explodes Near Allende, Nuevo Leon Mayor's Office -Mexico City Notimex on 11 August reports that a device exploded at approximately 2200 hours on 10 August near the mayor's office in Allende, Nuevo Leon. A police officer and two civilians were injured, according to Mayor Jorge Salazar. The explosive was made out of a tank with several liters of gasoline and chemicals and was left in a garbage can in the parking lot at the intersection of Allende and Privada Allende Streets. Preliminary reports indicate that the device was left by several men, presumed to have ties to organized crime, who were driving a red truck. (Mexico City ntmx NOTIMEX Online in Spanish -- Website of Mexican Government official news agency; URL: HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" )OSC found no file-worthy material in the following sources: Mexico City Office of the Attorney General of the Republic, Mexican Naval Secretariat, Mexico City Notimex, Mexico City El Universal, Mexico City Blog del Narco, Tijuana El Mexicano Online, Hermosillo El Imparcial, Nogales El Diario de Sonora, Chihuahua Tiempo, Torreon El Siglo de Torreon, Salti llo Vanguardia, Monterrey El Norte, Tampico Milenio Diario de TampicoMaterial in the World News Connection is generally copyrighted by the source cited. Permission for use must be obtained from the copyright holder. Inquiries regarding use may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of Commerce.Bulgarian Police Break up Narcotics Ring, Arrest SixStaff report: "Police Break up Narcotics Ring in Plovdiv" - Trud OnlineThursday August 11, 2011 15:17:43 GMTThe police operation was conducted by officials from the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and policemen from Plovdiv. Half a kilogram of pure heroin was confiscated. The boss of the criminal ring together with his five accomplices were arrested.The police operation conducted by the anti-mafia officers and the policemen from the Plovdiv Regional Police Department is the result of a long monitoring and a joint investigation conducted by officers from the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and criminologists from the Regional Police Department against the bosses of the drug distribution ring in the region of the town.In the course of the i nvestigation it became clear that the major members of the criminal ring control a network of dealers that dominate the heroin market in the region. Last night a joint team conducted the police operation for their arrest.Six people were arrested near the town of Krichim as they were concluding a deal for a huge amount of heroin: The boss G.K. Kadri (43-year-old), who has a criminal record for destroying somebody else's property and for drug trafficking, and the remaining members -- A.A. (27-year-old), V.B. (43-year-old), A.M. (54-year-old), N.K. (39-year-old), and D.A.(39-year-old), who all have a criminal record for different offences, including documentary frauds and a murder attempt. They offered resistance while being detained.The drug was found while three cars they were driving were searched. Packages containing minimal amounts of heroin were seized -- samples with pure substance, electronic scales, as well as half a kilogram of heroin.The s cheme that the criminal network adopted is clear. High-purity heroin was secretly imported in Bulgaria after which it was mixed with different substances permitted by the law and was packaged in small doses to be distributed in the region of Plovdiv. Thus half a kilogram of heroin, packaged in doses for the retail market, would be sold for about 90,000 leva ($66,000).The investigation into the case is under way and the homes of the criminal ring members and their cars are still being searched.94kg of cannabis seized on Australia's east coast ?SYDNEY (Xinhua) -- About 94 kilograms of cannabis worth almost 2 million AU dollars (over 2 million U.S. dollars) has been seized from a car on the New South Wales (NSW) north coast in eastern Australia, NSW Police said on Thursday.?Officers stopped a Holden Commodore station wagon on the Pacific Highway at Coffs Harbor Wednesday afternoon, police said.?A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered 94 kg of cannabis, which had been placed inside a number of large plastic bags in the boot of the car.?The car's 56-year-old male driver from Eagle Heights in Queensland has been charged with supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.?He was held in custody overnight to appear at Coffs Harbor Local Court on Thursday.?Malaysians on charges over alleged ice, heroin plot AN alleged plot by Malaysian nationals to import large quantities of ice and heroin into Australia and distribute them across the east coast is part of a "worrying trend" of increased narcotics production from the Malay archipelago. Christopher Roberts from the National Security College in Canberra said drug production in the region was increasing to meet demand in Australia for illicit substances such as methamphetamines and heroin."It's an issue of supply and demand and there may be increased demand in Australia and other countries that plays into this," Dr Roberts said.An alleged new bid by a Malaysian syndicate to bring drugs into Australia was interrupted on Tuesday when police arrested five men and seized $4 million worth of drugs in NSW and Victoria.Malaysian men, Kevin Tan Hong Yong, 28, and Peter Lim Cheng Choy, 48, were the alleged principals of the syndicate and were staying at the Holiday Inn at Haymarket, in inner-city Sydney to allegedly oversee the establishment of a new ice distribution network.One was arrested on Tuesday night while en route to Sydney Airport, while the other was arrested at a restaurant in Sydney's Chinatown district.Both were charged with four counts of supplying prohibited drugs, amounting to 1384gm of heroin, at Lansvale, in Sydney's south-west last Sunday, 996gm of ice on August 3 as well as a further 998gm and of ice and 685.3 gm of heroin on July 28.They were denied bail.Detective Superintendent Scott Cook, who leads the Asian Crime Squad of NSW Police, says the drug network was in its infancy.Police also arrested Cheung Wing Cheng, 39, at Hurstville, Sydney, Fook Chon Wong, 38, at Cabramatta, in Sydney, and Ding Xiao, 23, in Victoria.Half-ton of cocaine seized in MexicoMexico City – ?Mexican authorities seized a half-ton of cocaine from a vessel that had arrived at a port in the Yucatan Peninsula from Lima, Peru.In a joint statement, the federal Attorney General's Office and the Navy Secretariat said the Liberian-flagged Hansa Berlin was heading for Cancun, Mexico's leading tourist resort.The cocaine was found Thursday at Progreso port inside the false bottoms of cardboard boxes of clothing. The authorities found a total of 559 packets of cocaine weighing 539 kilos (1,187 pounds), the statement read.According to experts, some 300 tons of South American cocaine are shipped annually through Mexico to the United States, the world's largest market for illegal drugs.Cartels' turf battles for control of smuggling routes are one of the main drivers of the drug-related violence that has left more than 40,000 dead in Mexico in less than five years.UNKNOWN DATE ENTRIES Over 420 Kg of Marijuana Seized in Police Operation in Southern Bulgaria"Over 420 Kg of Marijuana Seized"Police Destroy 22 FARC Cocaine Labs in ColombiaUNKNOWN DATEPolice Destroy 22 FARC Cocaine Labs in ColombiaA total of 22 cocaine laboratories belonging to the FARC guerrilla group were destroyed in three cities in Guaviare, a province in southern Colombia, the National Police said.The labs were dismantled during “Operation Republica 81,” which was carried out by National Police drug enforcement agents and the Attorney General’s Office.The operation targeted “rural infrastructure” belonging to the 1st Front and 7th Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, guerrilla group, the National Police said.Each of the labs, which were located in rural areas outside the cities of San Jose del Guaviare, El Retorno and Miraflores, had the capacity to process around 10 kilos of cocaine base weekly.Total estimated average monthly cocaine base production from the labs was 880 kilos, officials said.Drug enforcement agents seized 338 kilos of coca base, 6,800 kilos of coca, chemical precursors and other materials worth some 1.9 billion pesos (about $1.05 million), the National Police said.A total of 80.8 tons of drugs were seized and 239 labs destroyed during the first quarter of this year, the National Police said in a report released earlier this year. ................
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