The Research Consortium on Drugs and the Law published a study that assesses state responses to illicitly-used drugs in eight countries in Latin America. Panamanian border control is concerned that the country is become a trafficking route for Colombian cocaine The Netherlands is reporting a rise in cocaine entering its ports. A lawyer and fraud…
Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the president of Togo has responded positively to the publication of the West Africa Commission on Drugs. Noting that West Africa was no longer merely a transit zone for drugs from Latin America en route to European markets, but also a buoyant drug market, he reiterated that those involved in distribution had…
Reports that Dominican Republic bears the brunt of trafficking through the Caribbean More discussion on the need to legalise the drugs trade – this time focused on heroin and Afghanistan by the British Ambassador InsightCrime analyses what the arrest of Tijuana cartel leader, Fernando Sanchez Arellano, means for the drug empire With many cartel leaders…
The Uruguay government is proceeding a radical attempt to tackle organized crime. It has legalized the cultivation and trade of cannabis, removing the most attractive, profitable and risk free opportunities from the control of criminal groups. In order to regulate production, cannabis cultivators will have to apply for a plot to farm the plant in…
The Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC-N) has been tracking an organised crime group that owns a number of ships that have been linked to the transport of narcotics. The operation began with the seizure of 15 tons of cannabis on the ‘Adam’ by Italian customs in April 2013. The crew of six…
The global movement for drug policy reform continues to gather momentum in both West Africa and the Caribbean. On 2 June 2014, the Jamaican cabinet amended the Dangerous Drugs Act, making the possession of small quantities of ganja (cannabis) for personal use a ticketable infraction with only a financial penalty. Infractions will be dealt with…
Costa Rica cooperated with US Coast Guard on cocaine trafficking, resulting in significant seizures The UN reports a decrease in coca cultivation in Bolivia, falls to 11-year low Ahead of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June, Ruth Dreifuss and Jorge Sampaio scan the debate on international drug policy The…
Peru has rarely been vocal on the drug policy debate. Yet the countries approach to cocaine production and trafficking may be softening. Following his election in 2011, president Ollanta Humala announced intentions to reconsider antinarcotics policy – even decriminalising coca farmers, low level cocaine processors and smugglers. Since then though, the focus has continued to…
