War on Drugs

[waltky]

Big El Paso drug bust...

1,638 Pounds of Pot, 37.5 Pounds of Cocaine Seized in 21 Busts Last Week, Just at El Paso
November 21, 2017 | - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the El Paso port of entry seized 88.6 pounds of marijuana last Thursday -- in just one car.

That drug bust was one of 21 seizures made during the seven-day period ending at midnight on Nov. 16. In that single week in the El Paso area, officers seized a total of 1,638 pounds of marijuana in 16 drug busts -- and 37.5 pounds of cocaine in another five drug busts. The 88.6-pound marijuana seizure happened last Thursday night when a 2000 Nissan Sentra, driven by a 33-year-old Mexican citizen, entered the Ysleta international crossing from Mexico. A drug-sniffing dog alerted CBP officers to the presence of marijuana, and officers said they found 80 marijuana-filled bundles in the trunk and engine compartment.

Drug bundles in engine compartment.​

The Mexican driver was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents to face charges stemming from the failed smuggling attempt. “The drug smuggling threat remains consistent, and dedicated CBP officers are focused on stopping this illicit flow while facilitating legitimate trade and travel,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso port director. CBP says on a typical day, it seizes 7,910 pounds of drugs at all U.S. ports of entry, based on Fiscal Year 2016 data.

In addition to drug smuggling, CBP officers also identified numerous violations in other areas, including agriculture enforcement. CBP agriculture specialists recorded 17 violations last week in the El Paso area, resulting in penalties of $3,475 being assessed. Prohibited agricultural items seized during the seven-day period included pork, pork chorizo, pork skins, bologna, raw chicken, guavas, potatoes, apples, kiwis, oranges, avocados, hawthorns, and pomegranates. Thirteen wanted criminals were arrested at El Paso area ports last week, in addition to other enforcement actions.

1,638 Pounds of Pot, 37.5 Pounds of Cocaine Seized in 21 Busts Last Week, Just at El Paso

 

[Jackson]

Build that wall!

 

[waltky]

Granny says, "Dat's good - dey need to do the same in Mexico...

US, Colombian Agents Break Up Large Drug Ring
March 12, 2018 - U.S. and Colombian agents have broken up an international drug-trafficking ring and arrested 14 suspects for allegedly smuggling thousands of kilos of cocaine into Puerto Rico, U.S. officials say.

The arrests over the last two weeks bring the total number of suspects detained in the long-term investigation to 30, with more than 2,000 kilos of cocaine seized.

An official opens a package of seized cocaine in Colombia​

"We will continue maximizing our multi-agency and international efforts, and will combine resources to investigate and prosecute those who disregard our laws and smuggle drugs into our jurisdiction and increase the incidence of violent crimes in our communities," U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez said Monday.

The suspects have been indicted on charges of conspiring to smuggle cocaine from Colombia into the United States through Puerto Rico. If convicted, the defendants face 10 years to life in prison.

US, Colombian Agents Break Up Large Drug Ring

 

[waltky]

Coast Guard seizes half a billion dollars of cocaine in the Pacific...

Coast Guard Seizes 36,000 Pounds of Cocaine During Pacific Drug Patrol
21 Mar 2018 - The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded roughly 36,000 pounds of cocaine into a California pier on Tuesday, which had been seized during a drug patrol operation in the Pacific Ocean.

The drugs, estimated to be worth around $500 million, were taken during 17 different seizures by five Coast Guard vessels during February and March, officials stated in a news release. The drugs were offloaded on Tuesday by crew members of the USCGC Bertholf at San Diego's B Street pier, KFMB-TV reported. "This offload by the Bertholf represents the great work being conducted in the Eastern Pacific combating the transnational organized crime groups, behind the drug trade which spread instability, fear and harm to people, communities and entire nations," Rear Adm. Todd Sokalzuk, the 11th Coast Guard District commander, said.

Pallets of seized suspected contraband sit on the deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf prior to being offloaded by Bertholf’s crew at B Street Pier, San Diego, March 20, 2018. Over 36,000 pounds of cocaine was seized in 17 interdictions by five different cutters in the Eastern Pacific between February and early March.​

Sokalzuk added that the crews aboard the Venturous, Bear, Diligence and Harriet Lane cutters, in addition to the Bertholf, assisted in the seizures of "record amounts of cocaine for the third year in a row." The Bertholf's commanding officer, Capt. John Driscoll, echoed similar sentiments, praising the crews who "worked around-the-clock." The cocaine that was seized "would have gone to fund the nefarious work of transnational criminal organizations," Driscoll said, and noted that the seizure "helps prevent a great deal of human suffering and will likely save hundreds of lives that would have been lost to these illegal drugs."

The Coast Guard stated the drug seizure operation is part of a "Western Hemisphere Strategy" implemented in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean, believed to be "known drug-transit zones." The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and Justice Department also aided in the efforts, officials said.

Coast Guard Seizes 36,000 Pounds of Cocaine During Pacific Drug Patrol

 

[waltky]

Trump goin' after the cartels...

US, Mexico Open New Maritime Front in Drug War
29 Mar 2018 — The U.S. and Mexico are sparring over immigration and trade, but the two countries are joining forces on the high seas.

The U.S. and Mexican governments are sparring over immigration and trade, but the two countries are joining forces on the high seas like never before to go after drug smugglers. The United States, Mexico and Colombia will target drug smugglers off South America's Pacific coast in an operation that is scheduled to begin Sunday and last for the foreseeable future, Coast Guard officials told The Associated Press. U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Paul F. Zukunft teased the idea during a recent defense conference in San Diego, saying the United States "can't do it alone." "It's no secret we are besieged with the flow of drugs from Latin America to the United States," he said. U.S. and Mexican forces have routinely worked together at sea, but the latest effort "marks a significant step in terms of information sharing, collaboration and cooperation between the United States, Mexico and other partner nations," according to the Coast Guard. The Americans and Mexicans will exchange intelligence more freely than in the past, which could mean sharing information on well-traveled routes for drug smugglers or preferred paths for specific smuggling organizations, Coast Guard spokeswoman Alana Miller said.

They will also board the other country's vessels to view operations and gain expertise, Miller said. In 2015, three members of the Mexican navy boarded a Coast Guard vessel during a port call in Huatulco, Mexico, but this operation calls for more frequent exchanges, and they will be at sea. The operation will last "for the foreseeable future as long as it's working for everyone," Miller said. "It's sort of open-ended." Traffickers over the years have increasingly turned to the sea to move their illegal goods, traversing an area off South America that is so big, the continental United States could be dropped inside. Smugglers routinely move cocaine out of countries like Colombia to Central America and Mexico via fishing boats, skiffs, commercial cargo ships — even homemade submarines. The operation comes after five years of record seizures by the Coast Guard. But U.S. officials say because of limited resources, the U.S. military's smallest service still catches only about 25 percent of illegal shipments in the Pacific. Even so, the Coast Guard annually seizes three times the amount of cocaine confiscated at the U.S.-Mexico border. Yet ocean smuggling has not grabbed lawmakers' attention like the flow of drugs across the nearly 2,000-mile-long (3,200-kilometer-long) land border, where the Trump administration wants to spend billions to build a continuous wall.

In this March 2, 2017 photo, an unidentified U.S. Coast Guardsman communicates with the pilot of a helicopter during take-off and landing exercises on the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Stratton in the eastern Pacific Ocean.​

As much as 20 percent of the cocaine moving through South America ends up in the United States, and most of it lands first in Mexico from seafaring smugglers. The hope is boats will be stopped before their shipments are loaded onto Mexican trucks that fan out on various routes bound for the U.S. border, authorities said. Large boats can cart 20 tons (18 metric tons) of cocaine or more. Mexico has historically been among the Latin American countries that are most reluctant to join operations with the U.S., which can be traced back to the Mexican-American War that was fought 170 years ago. The United States cannot open military bases in Mexico, and U.S. officials, for instance, cannot venture into Mexican waters without prior permission, even if they are chasing drug vessels. The Coast Guard now stops its pursuit and alerts Mexican authorities if suspicious boats cross into their territorial waters. It's unclear whether this new cooperation will affect those restrictions. Treaties with nations such as Colombia have allowed U.S. authorities more latitude, such as permitting Coast Guard officers to board Colombian-flagged ships. U.S. officials have touted Colombia's joint anti-drug efforts as a model for the region.

The U.S. and Mexican military relationship has strengthened since the two nations signed the 2008 Merida Initiative to work together in the drug war. There have been more cross-border trainings, especially with the Mexican Navy, which is considered less corrupt than the Mexican Army and has raised its profile with the captures and killings of drug bosses. The combined operation was planned in a series of meetings over the past year. The maritime services signed letters of intent to work together to fight organized crime while respecting each country's sovereignty and territorial waters. David Shirk, associate professor of political science at the University of San Diego, said the operation falls in line with Trump's vow to go after the "bad hombres," while President Enrique Pena Nieto has recognized organized crime is so severe that Mexico needs help. "With more walled-off sections of the border, we've seen drug trafficking organizations literally go underground or offshore," he said. Last year, the Coast Guard seized more than 455,000 pounds (206,000 kilograms) of cocaine worth more than $6 billion and brought more than 600 suspected traffickers back to the United States for prosecution. The Coast Guard has been criticized for holding suspects on ships where they cannot easily access lawyers. Shirk said joint operations could lead "to serious violations of suspects' rights at sea and possible human rights violations in the process."

Coast Guard officials say they respect suspects' rights. Where suspects will be sent with the three countries participating in the operation will be decided on a case-by-case basis. U.S. military officials have been reluctant to openly discuss details of the cooperation with their Mexican counterparts, sensitive to the Mexican public's historical view and recent barbs between the two presidents. Jorge Chabat, a political scientist at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching in Mexico City, said he doubts the combined operation will get much negative reaction from a Mexican public tired of drug violence. "The more insecurity we have, the less nationalism we have in Mexico," he said. Ultimately, he doubts the joint operation will make much difference. "This is something they have to do to maintain drug trafficking at the same level, and not allow it to grow," he said. "That's the most you can do. You can't just surrender."

US, Mexico Open New Maritime Front in Drug War

 

[waltky]

Big ol' Golden Triangle drug bust...

Thailand announces large drugs bust
Wed, Apr 04, 2018 - Thailand has made one of its largest crystal methamphetamine busts, seizing 700 million baht (US$22.4 million) of the drug, police said yesterday, as the UN warned Southeast Asia was being flooded with illegal drugs from the “Golden Triangle” region.

Police said 700kg of the drug, known as ice, was seized on Wednesday last week in southern Chumpon Province and was destined for Malaysia. Two Thais and two Malaysians were arrested in connection with the bust. The methamphetamine market has expanded at an alarming rate in Southeast Asia.

In 2015, experts in several nations in the region reported an increase in the use of both crystalline methamphetamine and methamphetamine tablets. Among amphetamines, methamphetamine represents the greatest global health threat, a UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report said last year. “These big seizures are indications that there is a relentless supply pumping out of the Golden Triangle and north Shan to flood Southeast Asian markets, and also transit Southeast Asia to high value markets like Australia, New Zealand and potentially further,” UNODC Southeast Asia Representative Jeremy Douglas said.

Police yesterday displayed the haul at a government compound north of Bangkok. Also on display were 890 million baht of other illicit drugs, including cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy, seized in various busts in the week ending Sunday. Most of the drugs were produced outside of Thailand and were trafficked through the nation en route to Australia, North America and Europe. “The prices we announced are the values in Thailand,” said Police Lieutenant General Sommai Kongvisaisuk, commander of the Thai Narcotics Suppression Bureau. “Once the drugs pass through Thailand the prices will increase.”

Thailand announces large drugs bust - Taipei Times

 

[Dan Stubbs]

Big El Paso drug bust...

1,638 Pounds of Pot, 37.5 Pounds of Cocaine Seized in 21 Busts Last Week, Just at El Paso
November 21, 2017 | - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the El Paso port of entry seized 88.6 pounds of marijuana last Thursday -- in just one car.

That drug bust was one of 21 seizures made during the seven-day period ending at midnight on Nov. 16. In that single week in the El Paso area, officers seized a total of 1,638 pounds of marijuana in 16 drug busts -- and 37.5 pounds of cocaine in another five drug busts. The 88.6-pound marijuana seizure happened last Thursday night when a 2000 Nissan Sentra, driven by a 33-year-old Mexican citizen, entered the Ysleta international crossing from Mexico. A drug-sniffing dog alerted CBP officers to the presence of marijuana, and officers said they found 80 marijuana-filled bundles in the trunk and engine compartment.

Drug bundles in engine compartment.​

The Mexican driver was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents to face charges stemming from the failed smuggling attempt. “The drug smuggling threat remains consistent, and dedicated CBP officers are focused on stopping this illicit flow while facilitating legitimate trade and travel,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso port director. CBP says on a typical day, it seizes 7,910 pounds of drugs at all U.S. ports of entry, based on Fiscal Year 2016 data.

In addition to drug smuggling, CBP officers also identified numerous violations in other areas, including agriculture enforcement. CBP agriculture specialists recorded 17 violations last week in the El Paso area, resulting in penalties of $3,475 being assessed. Prohibited agricultural items seized during the seven-day period included pork, pork chorizo, pork skins, bologna, raw chicken, guavas, potatoes, apples, kiwis, oranges, avocados, hawthorns, and pomegranates. Thirteen wanted criminals were arrested at El Paso area ports last week, in addition to other enforcement actions.

1,638 Pounds of Pot, 37.5 Pounds of Cocaine Seized in 21 Busts Last Week, Just at El Paso

No heroin?

 

[sparky]

Sorts that deal in 7-8 zeros might be hard to nail

~S~

 

[rightwinger]

We should have ended that war decades ago

 

[sparky]

So stop fighting it, it's an exercise in futility

I had a 30 yr career trying to pull OD's fat outta the fire, while the bro's in blue imparted legal confiscations....

My view is take the $$$$ out of it, let the crackheads do what they wish , and the WOD will die with them

~S~

 

[waltky]

Quarter billion dollars worth of drugs seized by Coast Guard cutters off San Diego...

Coast Guard Offloads 17,000 Pounds of Seized Cocaine in San Diego
17 Jul 2018 - More than 17,000 pounds of cocaine seized by the crews of two U.S. Coast Guard vessels were offloaded Monday in San Diego.

The drugs, worth nearly $260 million wholesale, were seized from four suspected smuggling vessels in late June and early July in international waters off the Pacific coast of South and Central America, Coast Guard officials said. The cocaine was offloaded at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

Crew members from the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast prepare a pallet of seized cocaine to be offloaded at Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, San Diego, July 16, 2018. Approximately 7,800 kilograms of cocaine seized in international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean by the crews of the cutters Steadfast and Alert were offloaded.​

The crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast seized more than 12,000 pounds of cocaine in recent weeks, including more than 11,000 pounds from a single panga on July 11, officials said. "The suspected smugglers on that boat dumped their cocaine load and managed to evade capture following a high-speed chase, but the trail of cocaine bales recovered is one of the largest loads to be intercepted from a single small vessel in years," officials said in a statement. It was the first seizure of more than 12,000 pounds of cocaine from a panga since 2005, officials said, and the first seizure of at least that size from a small vessel since March 2016.

Additionally, the crew aboard the Cutter Alert seized more than 5,000 pounds of cocaine from two suspected smuggling vessels in recent weeks, officials said. "I continue to be impressed by the dedication and tenacity of the crews aboard our cutters and the difficult, dangerous missions they perform," said Cmdr. Alain Balmaceda, commanding officer of the Steadfast. Both the Steadfast and Alert are 210-foot ships based out of Oregon. The drugs offloaded Monday arrived aboard the Steadfast.

Coast Guard Offloads 17,000 Pounds of Seized Cocaine in San Diego

 

[waltky]

No. Carolina Cops Make Major Drug Bust...

North Carolina Police Make Major Drug Bust
July 23, 2018 - Fayetteville police arrested three people and seized more than 100 pounds of marijuana, large quantities of cocaine and heroin, guns and $70,000 earlier this week in conjunction with a months-long investigation into gang and drug activity.

Fayetteville police arrested three people and seized more than 100 pounds of marijuana, large quantities of cocaine and heroin, guns and $70,000 earlier this week in conjunction with a months-long investigation into gang and drug activity. Those arrested included an employee of the U.S. Postal Service, the owner and operator of a day-care facility and a worker at a grocery store distribution center in Harnett County.

The roundup began Monday when investigators executed a search warrant at an apartment in the Addison Ridge complex off Santa Fe Drive at the All American Freeway, a police release said. No one lived at the residence; it was used for the storage of drugs and other items, said Sgt. Shawn Strepay, a police spokesman. Inside, lawmen found more than nine ounces of marijuana, more than 15 ounces of cocaine, an ounce of marijuana wax and two handguns — a Smith & Wesson .380 and a Scorpion 9mm. That led to the arrest of Alvin Davis III, 27, of the 5800 block of Hazelton Court, which is off Bingham Drive.

Fayetteville police arrested three people and seized more than 100 pounds of marijuana, large quantities of cocaine and heroin, guns and $70,000 earlier this week in conjunction with a months-long investigation into gang and drug activity.​

Davis, an employee of the Food Lion Distribution Center in Dunn, is charged with two counts each of trafficking in marijuana, trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to trafficking, and one count each of maintaining a drug house, maintaining a drug vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon. Davis' bail was not available. On Tuesday, lawmen executed a search warrant at the home of Reshod J. Everett, 32, and his wife, 34-year-old Victoria L. Everette, the release said. Reshod Everett works for the Postal Service and the couple are co-owners of Tori's Playhouse, "a fully functioning childcare center" located in their home on the 1000 block of Ronald Reagan Drive, off Andrews Road. Victoria Everett was the operator of the daycare, the release said.

Police waited until there were no children at the residence before conducting the search, the release said. The search turned up more than 100 pounds of marijuana, 15 ounces of cocaine, a half-ounce of heroin, marijuana "gummies" and cookies, and six guns. Both Everetts are charged with trafficking in marijuana and heroin, maintaining a drug house, conspiring to traffic in heroin and possessing marijuana with intent to sell and deliver. Reshod Everett also is charged with trafficking in cocaine. In addition to the drugs, weapons and cash, police seized a 2013 Audi Q7 sport utility vehicle. Police did not say who owned the vehicle. The investigation involved the department's Gang Unit, Central District Community Empowerment Team and Violent Criminal Apprehension Team.

North Carolina Police Make Major Drug Bust

 

[waltky]

Colombian drug cartel put a $70K bounty on drug dog...

Colombian drug cartel put a $70K bounty on this dog
July 27, 2018, A Colombian drug gang has out a $70,000 bounty on a police dog. Sombra or "Shadow" has sniffed out almost 10 tons of drugs in more than 300 operations. The K9's work has lead to 245 arrests.

Intelligence sources say drug sniffing dog's record success has lead the Colombian cartel to put a 200m-peso ($70,000) price on its head, BBC News reports. The Urabeños gang responsible for the hit request is considered Colombia's most powerful criminal organization. Police have moved Sombra to ensure her safety.

The six-year-old German shepherd is now stationed at the Bogotá Airport, which is much safer than the gang's heartland, where she used to work with counter-narcotics forces. Police say she is accompanied by her usual handler as well as extra officers to improve her safety during her deployments.

Colombian drug cartel put a $70K bounty on this dog

 

[waltky]

Coast Guard Cutter Offloads Cocaine, Marijuana in Port Everglades...

Coast Guard Cutter Offloads Cocaine, Marijuana in Port Everglades
3 Aug 2018 -- More than 5 tons of cocaine seized in international waters off the Eastern Pacific Ocean from early June to mid-July was offloaded by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton Wednesday in Port Everglades.

The drugs were seized during the interdiction of five suspected smuggling vessels and the recovery of two floating bale fields found off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America by the Coast Guard cutters Hamilton (WMSL-753), Alert (WMEC-630), and Venturous (WMEC-625). Hamilton was responsible for four cases, seizing an estimated 2,962 kilograms of cocaine. The cutter Alert was responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 2,253 kilograms of cocaine.

The cutter Venturous was responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 616 kilograms of cocaine and 50 pounds of marijuana. "The men and women aboard Hamilton, and those on all of the cutters who intercepted these illicit drugs, epitomize excellence and dedication," said Cmdr. Eric Helgen, cutter Hamilton executive officer. "These cutter crews spend over half of the year deployed in the fight against transnational criminal organizations who spread misery throughout Central and South America. Without the service and sacrifice of our Coast Guard men and women, the criminals engaged in the transshipment of drugs like those on Hamilton's flight deck, would operate unchecked, ultimately threatening the safety and security of our borders."

​

Bales of cocaine lie on a pallet onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton in Port Everglades, Aug. 1, 2018. The drugs were seized during the interdiction of five suspected smuggling vessels and the recovery of two floating bale fields found off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America by Coast Guard Cutters Hamilton (WMSL-753), Alert (WMEC-630), and Venturous (WMEC-625).​

Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security cooperated in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement along with allied and international partner agencies play a role in counter-drug operations. The fight against transnational organized crime networks in the Eastern Pacific requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring, and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by U.S. Attorneys in districts across the nation.

The Coast Guard increased U.S. and allied presence in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Basin, which are known drug transit zones off of Central and South America, as part of its Western Hemisphere Strategy. During at-sea interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is initially detected and monitored by allied, military or law enforcement personnel coordinated by Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West, Florida. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific is conducted under the authority of the 11th Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda, California. The interdictions, including the actual boarding, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Helgen added, "The tremendous cooperation and partnerships with countries throughout Central and South America continue to make a lasting impact in this fight" The cutter Hamilton is 418-foot national security cutter homeported in Charleston, South Carolina. The cutter Alert is 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Astoria, Oregon. The cutter Venturous is also a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in St. Petersburg, Florida.


Coast Guard Cutter Offloads Cocaine, Marijuana in Port Everglades

 

[waltky]

Southern California Drug Raids Net Thousands of Pounds of Narcotics...

Southern California Drug Raids Net Thousands of Pounds of Narcotics
AUGUST 9, 2018 — Capping a three-year investigation, more than 250 law enforcement officials fanned out across Los Angeles, Santa Ana and several Inland Empire cities, arresting 22 people.

Authorities arrested nearly two dozen people Wednesday in a series of drug raids across Southern California, disrupting a vast smuggling ring linked to Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa cartel that funneled hundreds of pounds of narcotics across the border using small aircraft and other means to cities throughout the United States. Capping a three-year investigation, more than 250 law enforcement officials fanned out across Los Angeles, Santa Ana and several Inland Empire cities, arresting 22 people, said Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office. In all, 57 defendants were named in three indictments stemming from the case. Many of those named remain fugitives in Mexico, officials said.


The case provided a rare glimpse into how one of Mexico’s most powerful drug organizations sends enormous quantities of narcotics over the border, using an Amazon-like network of warehouses and “stash houses” to distribute the contraband across the U.S., federal law enforcement officials said. “Operation Narconetas” targeted three separate drug organizations attached to the Sinaloa cartel and resulted in the seizure of roughly 850 pounds of methamphetamine, 93 pounds of heroin, 50 pounds of marijuana, nearly a ton of cocaine and approximately $1.42 million in drug money. Delacourt said the drug traffickers used a variety of vehicles with concealed compartments to hide the narcotics, as well as several small aircraft in an attempt to avoid detection at the U.S. border.

Image shows drug packages confiscated during Operation Narconetas in southern California.​

During a downtown news briefing Wednesday in Little Tokyo, Delacourt said the arrests and indictments had an immediate effect on cartel operations in the region, removing drugs from the streets and preventing violence. The raids included the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Police Department and other agencies. Federal prosecutors said the operation also helped identify significant players in Mexican drug operations who continue to drive criminal enterprises in Southern California. “More than simply seizing large quantities of drugs and money, this investigation was able to identify the top-level, Mexican-based traffickers who directed the transactions, and who thought they were using secure communication devices to commit their crimes,” Tracy Wilkison, first assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, said in a statement. “Our ability to obtain those communications continues to be an important part of our ability to solve these crimes.”



In a border battle of wits, the Sinaloa cartel has historically sent drugs through the Calexico crossing to a labyrinth of traffickers in Southern California. Heavily armed tactical officers conducted Wednesday’s pre-dawn raids at houses in the Inland Empire communities of Perris, Hemet and Rialto. Federal prosecutors are seeking to force the forfeiture of several properties they charge were used to stash drugs. The indictments list a variety of drug trafficking and conspiracy charges that could result in federal prison sentences of a decade to life without parole. With easy routes to the border, Los Angeles and increasingly the Inland Empire are key distribution points for drug trafficking, officials said. “Today’s joint operation sends a clear message that law enforcement is committed to stemming the flow of narcotics into our country and protecting Americans from the violence that accompanies drug trafficking,” DEA Special Agent Bill Bodner said.

MORE

 

[waltky]

Coast Guard Delivers More Than 7 Tons of Seized Cocaine...

Coast Guard Delivers More Than 7 Tons of Seized Cocaine
AUGUST 10, 2018 - More than 7 tons of cocaine worth an estimated $211 million has arrived at Port Everglades.

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mohawk made the delivery, early Thursday, after several missions in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Four Coast Guard cutters seized seven suspected drug smuggling vessels and recovered two floating bale fields off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America in recent weeks, the Coast Guard said. They also seized a new boat designed to be stealthy, said Commanding Officer Bob Kinsey at a Port Everglades news conference. “A relatively new development is the use of low-profile go-fast vessels,” he said.

The Coast Guard seized a low-profile go-fast boat that has powerful engines but floats mostly below the waterline and is painted sea-green to make it difficult to spot on the ocean.​

It looks like a high-speed cigarette boat with two powerful engines but floats mostly below the waterline and is painted sea green to make it difficult to spot on the ocean. “It’s very difficult to see,” Kinsey said. “We have a lot of professional pilots that are flying maritime patrols out there with the U.S. Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and others that are very helpful in spotting these vessels.” He said drug smugglers are very adaptable and inventive. “Never say never when you’re talking about traffickers,” he said. “They’re going to use technology (and) every advantage that they can get to subvert our maritime enforcement.”

But, this latest drug seizure has an impact. “This is a significant hit to those traffickers,” Kinsey said. The Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security joined with the Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the drug interdiction operations. “It’s truly a team effort,” he said.

Coast Guard Delivers More Than 7 Tons of Seized Cocaine

See also:

Southern California Drug Raids Net Thousands of Pounds of Narcotics
AUGUST 9, 2018 - Capping a three-year investigation, more than 250 law enforcement officials fanned out across Los Angeles, Santa Ana and several Inland Empire cities, arresting 22 people.

Authorities arrested nearly two dozen people Wednesday in a series of drug raids across Southern California, disrupting a vast smuggling ring linked to Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa cartel that funneled hundreds of pounds of narcotics across the border using small aircraft and other means to cities throughout the United States. Capping a three-year investigation, more than 250 law enforcement officials fanned out across Los Angeles, Santa Ana and several Inland Empire cities, arresting 22 people, said Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office. In all, 57 defendants were named in three indictments stemming from the case. Many of those named remain fugitives in Mexico, officials said.

The case provided a rare glimpse into how one of Mexico’s most powerful drug organizations sends enormous quantities of narcotics over the border, using an Amazon-like network of warehouses and “stash houses” to distribute the contraband across the U.S., federal law enforcement officials said. “Operation Narconetas” targeted three separate drug organizations attached to the Sinaloa cartel and resulted in the seizure of roughly 850 pounds of methamphetamine, 93 pounds of heroin, 50 pounds of marijuana, nearly a ton of cocaine and approximately $1.42 million in drug money. Delacourt said the drug traffickers used a variety of vehicles with concealed compartments to hide the narcotics, as well as several small aircraft in an attempt to avoid detection at the U.S. border.

Drug packages confiscated during Operation Narconetas in southern California.​

During a downtown news briefing Wednesday in Little Tokyo, Delacourt said the arrests and indictments had an immediate effect on cartel operations in the region, removing drugs from the streets and preventing violence. The raids included the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Police Department and other agencies. Federal prosecutors said the operation also helped identify significant players in Mexican drug operations who continue to drive criminal enterprises in Southern California. “More than simply seizing large quantities of drugs and money, this investigation was able to identify the top-level, Mexican-based traffickers who directed the transactions, and who thought they were using secure communication devices to commit their crimes,” Tracy Wilkison, first assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, said in a statement. “Our ability to obtain those communications continues to be an important part of our ability to solve these crimes.”

In a border battle of wits, the Sinaloa cartel has historically sent drugs through the Calexico crossing to a labyrinth of traffickers in Southern California. Heavily armed tactical officers conducted Wednesday’s pre-dawn raids at houses in the Inland Empire communities of Perris, Hemet and Rialto. Federal prosecutors are seeking to force the forfeiture of several properties they charge were used to stash drugs. The indictments list a variety of drug trafficking and conspiracy charges that could result in federal prison sentences of a decade to life without parole. With easy routes to the border, Los Angeles and increasingly the Inland Empire are key distribution points for drug trafficking, officials said.

MORE

 

[waltky]

U.S. and Mexico to set up joint team to fight drug cartels...

U.S. and Mexico to set up joint team to fight drug cartels
15 Aug.`18 - U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities will set up a joint team based in Chicago targeting the leaders and finances of drug cartels that ship opioids into the United States, aiming to stanch a spike in overdose deaths, officials said on Wednesday.

DEA Chief of Operations Anthony Williams said at a joint news conference with Mexican government officials in Chicago that targeting cartel finances was key because “the sole purpose of these entities is one thing and one thing only - money.” Mexico remains the principal highway for cocaine to the United States and has become the top source of heroin, which is fuelling a surge in opioid addiction in the United States. It is also a major supplier of methamphetamines. “It’s not just a Chicago problem, it’s a national problem. Actually, it’s an international problem,” Brian McKnight, special agent in charge of the DEA’s Chicago Field Division, said at the news conference.

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a left-leaning nationalist, has vowed to shake up Mexico’s war on drug cartels after he takes power in December. He wants to rewrite the rules, aides have said, suggesting negotiated peace and amnesties rather than a hardline strategy that critics say has only perpetuated violence. However, a change of direction without the United States could increase friction between the neighbours, who have been often at loggerheads since Donald Trump became U.S. president.

Trump has irked Mexico with demands that it pay for a border wall and his comments that it does nothing to slow illegal immigration. He has also pushed to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to favour the United States. But despite difference with the Trump administration on migration and trade issues, officials and security experts in the United States have applauded long-running bilateral efforts to crack down on drug gangs. For the past 12 years, Mexico has fought the violent cartels by deploying thousands of police, soldiers and intelligence officers.

Taliban withdraws protection from Red Cross in Afghanistan

 

[waltky]

Victor Hugo Cuellar-Silva arrived Thursday night at Los Angeles International Airport...

Top member of global drug ring is extradited from Colombia and charged in L.A.
Sep 14, 2018 - They found the cocaine in submarines, in speedboats stopped in the Pacific Ocean, in a private jet that crashed into the Caribbean Sea and, perhaps most strangely, in frozen cubes of orange juice transported in trucks.

Officials in Mexico, Colombia and Los Angeles seized a total of 7,700 pounds of cocaine and other drugs worth half a billion dollars as part of a four-year investigation into a global drug ring, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. On Friday, one of the leaders behind the drug operation was arraigned in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom after being extradited from Colombia. Victor Hugo Cuellar-Silva arrived Thursday night at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a federal indictment, Cuellar-Silva is the head of the Colombia base for the organization and is responsible for obtaining tons of cocaine and other drugs from South American labs and coordinating their transportation for sale in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Six California residents were arrested in their homes Thursday on suspicion of operating stash houses and transporting the drugs in cars to be sold, federal prosecutor Alexander Schwab said. Those arrested were Hugo Atienzo, 55, of Azusa; Juan Antonio Brizuela, 29, of Lompoc; Richard Dennis, 54, of Studio City; Gerardo Mojarro, 42, of South Gate; Jesus Manuel Monrreal, 33, of Van Nuys; and Jonathan Zamora, 28, of Cerritos. Amparo Yokasta Melo Peguero, 44, was arrested as she was preparing to take an international flight from Boston.



Six additional defendants are pending extradition after they were taken into custody in Colombia and Thailand. “What we’ve been able to accomplish is indict an international drug trafficking organization and … uproot the leadership responsible for aggregating and transporting multi-ton loads of cocaine,” federal prosecutor Benjamin Barron said. “It’s among the largest drug cases we’ve ever prosecuted out of our Los Angeles district.” One major piece of the puzzle is missing: the Mexican kingpin running the whole ring, Angel Humberto Chavez-Gastelum, who is listed in the indictment. He is also known by aliases such as “Don Angel,” “Rolex” and “Netflix.” “We are still very much on the hunt for him,” federal prosecutor Ryan Weinstein said.



Chavez-Gastelum has made millions by taking the drug operation into his own hands, Barron said, and has ordered the murders of several people who stole from him or cooperated with law enforcement officials. The indictment includes two murders for which Chavez-Gastelum is suspected of being responsible. One victim’s torture and dismemberment was captured on a video obtained by officials. Chavez-Gastelum is one of the world’s 30 most-wanted drug traffickers and commands multiple top representatives of the drug organization, including Cuellar-Silva, according to a Justice Department statement. If apprehended and convicted of participating in a continuing criminal enterprise, Chavez-Gastelum would face a mandatory life sentence because he is accused of being its leader. Cuellar-Silva and three others — including Chavez-Gastelum’s 27-year-old son, who is accused of running the criminal enterprise — would face mandatory minimum sentences of 20 years in prison if they are found guilty.



In 2016, two other drug kingpins were extradited from Colombia and are awaiting sentencing. “This drug ring has spread death and misery across the Americas and to other parts of the world, which makes this case among the most significant drug trafficking cases ever brought in this district,” U.S. Atty. Nick Hanna said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to the government of Colombia for helping us bring one of the key defendants to justice.” Joseph Macias, a Department of Homeland Security investigator, said in a statement that the extradition is a warning to fugitives who think they can evade U.S. law enforcement by hiding out in another country.

Source

See also:

Colombian drug kingpin busted in massive smuggling operation

September 14, 2018— A Colombian drug kingpin who participated in a violent ring that used planes, speedboats and submarines to smuggle hundreds of millions of dollars in cocaine faced federal trafficking charges Friday in a Los Angeles courtroom, prosecutors said.

Victor Hugo Cuellar-Silva is among nearly four dozen defendants charged in a vast conspiracy to ship tons of cocaine from South America through Mexico to the U.S. The indictment unsealed Thursday was unique in targeting people throughout the drug distribution chain from the source of where the coke was produced in Colombia to investors in Mexico, transportation coordinators, houses where the drugs were stashed and to large scale distributors in the U.S., federal prosecutors said. Cuellar-Silva, who was extradited Thursday from Colombia, was a high-ranking member of the drug ring headed by Mexican fugitive Angel Humberto Chavez-Gastelum, who is one of the most-wanted drug traffickers in the world, prosecutors said.

Victor Hugo Cuellar-Silva​

Chavez-Gastelum and his son, Alonso Jaime Gastelum-Salazar, are also charged in the indictment with two counts of murder in Mexico. One of the victims was tortured and dismembered, and the grisly act was shot on video obtained by investigators, prosecutors said. “This drug ring has spread death and misery across the Americas and to other parts of the world, which makes this case among the most significant drug trafficking cases ever brought in this district,” U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna said. Authorities seized more than 7,700 pounds of cocaine with a street value over $500 million during the three-year investigation. The seizures included cocaine recovered after a plane was shot down by the Venezuelan military and crashed in the Caribbean, Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Barron said.

Other drugs seized included nearly a ton of cocaine floating in bales off the coast of Tumaco, Colombia, and more than 1,500 pounds of cocaine and over 60 pounds of methamphetamine seized in a Tijuana, Mexico, house. The indictment charged 47 people in the drug operation. Seven defendants were arrested in the U.S. on Thursday, four were in custody in Thailand and about a half-dozen were facing extradition from Colombia. The others remained at large. Cuellar-Silva pleaded not guilty and was held in custody, Barron said. A defense lawyer representing him said he had no comment. If convicted of the charges, Cuellar-Silva and Chavez-Gastelum face up to life in prison, prosecutors said.

https://nypost.com/2018/09/14/colombian-drug-kingpin-busted-in-massive-smuggling-operation/

 

[Dan Stubbs]

Big El Paso drug bust...

1,638 Pounds of Pot, 37.5 Pounds of Cocaine Seized in 21 Busts Last Week, Just at El Paso
November 21, 2017 | - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the El Paso port of entry seized 88.6 pounds of marijuana last Thursday -- in just one car.

That drug bust was one of 21 seizures made during the seven-day period ending at midnight on Nov. 16. In that single week in the El Paso area, officers seized a total of 1,638 pounds of marijuana in 16 drug busts -- and 37.5 pounds of cocaine in another five drug busts. The 88.6-pound marijuana seizure happened last Thursday night when a 2000 Nissan Sentra, driven by a 33-year-old Mexican citizen, entered the Ysleta international crossing from Mexico. A drug-sniffing dog alerted CBP officers to the presence of marijuana, and officers said they found 80 marijuana-filled bundles in the trunk and engine compartment.

Drug bundles in engine compartment.​

The Mexican driver was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents to face charges stemming from the failed smuggling attempt. “The drug smuggling threat remains consistent, and dedicated CBP officers are focused on stopping this illicit flow while facilitating legitimate trade and travel,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso port director. CBP says on a typical day, it seizes 7,910 pounds of drugs at all U.S. ports of entry, based on Fiscal Year 2016 data.

In addition to drug smuggling, CBP officers also identified numerous violations in other areas, including agriculture enforcement. CBP agriculture specialists recorded 17 violations last week in the El Paso area, resulting in penalties of $3,475 being assessed. Prohibited agricultural items seized during the seven-day period included pork, pork chorizo, pork skins, bologna, raw chicken, guavas, potatoes, apples, kiwis, oranges, avocados, hawthorns, and pomegranates. Thirteen wanted criminals were arrested at El Paso area ports last week, in addition to other enforcement actions.

1,638 Pounds of Pot, 37.5 Pounds of Cocaine Seized in 21 Busts Last Week, Just at El Paso

I have a friend who live near the border who was cut off of drugs by his Doctor for pain. He now drives over the border and gets a shot every day. I gives him some relive from the pain.

 

[Votto]

Trump goin' after the cartels...

US, Mexico Open New Maritime Front in Drug War
29 Mar 2018 — The U.S. and Mexico are sparring over immigration and trade, but the two countries are joining forces on the high seas.

The U.S. and Mexican governments are sparring over immigration and trade, but the two countries are joining forces on the high seas like never before to go after drug smugglers. The United States, Mexico and Colombia will target drug smugglers off South America's Pacific coast in an operation that is scheduled to begin Sunday and last for the foreseeable future, Coast Guard officials told The Associated Press. U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Paul F. Zukunft teased the idea during a recent defense conference in San Diego, saying the United States "can't do it alone." "It's no secret we are besieged with the flow of drugs from Latin America to the United States," he said. U.S. and Mexican forces have routinely worked together at sea, but the latest effort "marks a significant step in terms of information sharing, collaboration and cooperation between the United States, Mexico and other partner nations," according to the Coast Guard. The Americans and Mexicans will exchange intelligence more freely than in the past, which could mean sharing information on well-traveled routes for drug smugglers or preferred paths for specific smuggling organizations, Coast Guard spokeswoman Alana Miller said.

They will also board the other country's vessels to view operations and gain expertise, Miller said. In 2015, three members of the Mexican navy boarded a Coast Guard vessel during a port call in Huatulco, Mexico, but this operation calls for more frequent exchanges, and they will be at sea. The operation will last "for the foreseeable future as long as it's working for everyone," Miller said. "It's sort of open-ended." Traffickers over the years have increasingly turned to the sea to move their illegal goods, traversing an area off South America that is so big, the continental United States could be dropped inside. Smugglers routinely move cocaine out of countries like Colombia to Central America and Mexico via fishing boats, skiffs, commercial cargo ships — even homemade submarines. The operation comes after five years of record seizures by the Coast Guard. But U.S. officials say because of limited resources, the U.S. military's smallest service still catches only about 25 percent of illegal shipments in the Pacific. Even so, the Coast Guard annually seizes three times the amount of cocaine confiscated at the U.S.-Mexico border. Yet ocean smuggling has not grabbed lawmakers' attention like the flow of drugs across the nearly 2,000-mile-long (3,200-kilometer-long) land border, where the Trump administration wants to spend billions to build a continuous wall.

In this March 2, 2017 photo, an unidentified U.S. Coast Guardsman communicates with the pilot of a helicopter during take-off and landing exercises on the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Stratton in the eastern Pacific Ocean.​

As much as 20 percent of the cocaine moving through South America ends up in the United States, and most of it lands first in Mexico from seafaring smugglers. The hope is boats will be stopped before their shipments are loaded onto Mexican trucks that fan out on various routes bound for the U.S. border, authorities said. Large boats can cart 20 tons (18 metric tons) of cocaine or more. Mexico has historically been among the Latin American countries that are most reluctant to join operations with the U.S., which can be traced back to the Mexican-American War that was fought 170 years ago. The United States cannot open military bases in Mexico, and U.S. officials, for instance, cannot venture into Mexican waters without prior permission, even if they are chasing drug vessels. The Coast Guard now stops its pursuit and alerts Mexican authorities if suspicious boats cross into their territorial waters. It's unclear whether this new cooperation will affect those restrictions. Treaties with nations such as Colombia have allowed U.S. authorities more latitude, such as permitting Coast Guard officers to board Colombian-flagged ships. U.S. officials have touted Colombia's joint anti-drug efforts as a model for the region.

The U.S. and Mexican military relationship has strengthened since the two nations signed the 2008 Merida Initiative to work together in the drug war. There have been more cross-border trainings, especially with the Mexican Navy, which is considered less corrupt than the Mexican Army and has raised its profile with the captures and killings of drug bosses. The combined operation was planned in a series of meetings over the past year. The maritime services signed letters of intent to work together to fight organized crime while respecting each country's sovereignty and territorial waters. David Shirk, associate professor of political science at the University of San Diego, said the operation falls in line with Trump's vow to go after the "bad hombres," while President Enrique Pena Nieto has recognized organized crime is so severe that Mexico needs help. "With more walled-off sections of the border, we've seen drug trafficking organizations literally go underground or offshore," he said. Last year, the Coast Guard seized more than 455,000 pounds (206,000 kilograms) of cocaine worth more than $6 billion and brought more than 600 suspected traffickers back to the United States for prosecution. The Coast Guard has been criticized for holding suspects on ships where they cannot easily access lawyers. Shirk said joint operations could lead "to serious violations of suspects' rights at sea and possible human rights violations in the process."

Coast Guard officials say they respect suspects' rights. Where suspects will be sent with the three countries participating in the operation will be decided on a case-by-case basis. U.S. military officials have been reluctant to openly discuss details of the cooperation with their Mexican counterparts, sensitive to the Mexican public's historical view and recent barbs between the two presidents. Jorge Chabat, a political scientist at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching in Mexico City, said he doubts the combined operation will get much negative reaction from a Mexican public tired of drug violence. "The more insecurity we have, the less nationalism we have in Mexico," he said. Ultimately, he doubts the joint operation will make much difference. "This is something they have to do to maintain drug trafficking at the same level, and not allow it to grow," he said. "That's the most you can do. You can't just surrender."

US, Mexico Open New Maritime Front in Drug War

If he was serious he could just send over some drones to Mexico and South America and take care of business.

The issue is not that you cannot win a war on drugs, the issue is that a nation does not have the political will to win.

Just look at a nation like Singapore. Their drug use drops exponentially every year. To achieve this, they simply kill dealers on the spot, and users get treatment, but if those who use come back a fourth time for treatment after failing 3 times, they are put in jail for life.

Now I'm not suggesting the US turn it's back on due process and do the same, but I am saying that to win the war you need to get tougher on these folks, which includes the death penalty.

But alas, letting some 200 people die a day from overdoses is far more humane it seems.