News briefing – Week of 5 June
During a visit to Mexico City, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel offered support to Mexico on the renegotiation
During a visit to Mexico City, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel offered support to Mexico on the renegotiation
A large-scale crackdown was carried out by Panamanian authorities who seized four tonnes of cocaine worth $400 million and which led to the detention of 64 people
Spanish and Ecuadorian authorities seized 5 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a cargo vessel at Santa Elena, Ecuador, and bound to Spain via Panama. The haul is estimated at $250m and is considered as one of the largest cocaine seizures to date. Twenty individuals were arrested on charges of drug trafficking.
U.S. Coast Guard seized more than 1.700 kilos of cocaine with an estimated value of $56 million along the Central American coastline. The seizure was part of the international operation Martillo, launched in 2012 and which has so far intercepted about 700 metric tonnes of cocaine.
12.000 kilos of cocaine worth $400 million were seized, 14 vessels were intercepted and 40 suspected smugglers were arrested off the Pacific coast of South and Central America by U.S. Coast Guard. The seizure was part of a successful three-month counter-drug mission which involved multiple law enforcement and military agencies.
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…
72 people have been accused of operating a multi million-dollar drug-trafficking ring in Puerto Rico. Reportedly, the suspects were conspiring to distribute marihuana, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base. The group would have generated $27 million, according to the authorities. 250 kilos of cocaine were found by the Costa Rican Police on a container ship that…