News briefing – Week of 17 April

Colombian authorities arrested William Rafael Vargas Maestre in Armenia (Colombia), one of Spain’s most wanted suspects in drug trafficking, who had been on the run since February 2016. With the help of Spanish law enforcement, the Colombian drug trafficking ring led by Vargas was dismantled and led to the arrest of 24 suspects. Mauritius’ Prime…

News briefing – Week of 20 March

According to the latest International Narcotics Control Strategy Report on Drug and Chemical Control, released by the U.S. State Department, a list of five Caribbean nations has been sent to the U.S. Congress by US President Trump, naming ‘major illicit drug producing and/or drug-transit countries.’ This includes the Bahamas, Haiti, Belize, the Dominican Republic and…

News briefing – Week of 27 March

Colombian police seized more than 6 tons of cocaine in the Caribbean port of Barranquilla bound for Spain. Colombian Defence Minister Luis Carlos Villegas confirmed that the shipment, worth €200 million, was carried out by several drug cartels, including El Clan del Golfo. The seizure represents the third largest cocaine seizure in the history of…

News briefings – Week of 9 January

During the final congressional session of 2016, the government of Argentina submitted plans in order to modify the country’s anti-narcotics law. The reform – if approved – would increase penalties for the production, trafficking and supply of paco, the smokeable paste at intermediary stage in processing cocaine. The post-conflict minister of Colombia acknowledged that coca…

News briefing – Week of 5 December

The Crime Rate Index for 2016 listed Mexico as the third most dangerous country in the world due to the violence created by drug-related organized crime, with the country ranked higher than countries currently at war. Ecuadorean Police seized around 10 metric tons of cocaine at Guayaquil port, which could mean the country may become…

News briefing – Week of 7 November

15 alleged organized crime figures accused of smuggling drugs from South America were arrested by the Italian police. The target was a ring which was reportedly sending drugs from Colombia to Spain, and then into Italy. The investigation was a joint effort of Italian State and financial police, and Drug Enforcement Administration officials in the…

Boletín de noticias – Semana del 19 de septiembre

En lo que va de 2016, más 64 toneladas de estupefacientes se han incautado en Ecuador, según el Ministerio del Interior. La mayoría estaba destinada al tráfico internacional, sobre todo hacia el continente europeo. Ecuador es considerado ruta de tránsito de drogas y de insumos para elaborarla. La Policía Federal de Argentina ha detenido una…

News Briefing – Week of 12 September

The Governor of Mexico’s Guerrero State is calling for the legalization of opium poppy for medicinal purposes as an alternative plan for minimizing the insecurity in the state, as revealed by Insight Crime. However, as stated by the UNODC Representative to Mexico “structural solutions” must be found to tackle the issue of violence. Reportedly, in…