In only a week, Paraguayan service members and police officers stopped the transit of more than 1 ton of drugs to neighboring countries. On July 12, the Paraguayan Navy seized more than 300 kilograms of marijuana on the Paraná River. The drug was ready for shipment to Brazilian territory. [caption [ … ]
Recent News
Colombian Military Forces Seize More than 5.7 Tons of Drug
The Colombian Army and Navy seized 5,726 kilograms of marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride in five operations that dealt a major blow to narcotrafficking networks. The Pacific Naval Force (FNP, in Spanish) reported that on July 18 it seized 62 packages containing 1,213 kg of marijuana and 20 kg of cocaine [ … ]
Costa Rica Dismantles Narcotrafficking Network
In early July, the Costa Rican Drug Control Police (PCD, in Spanish), with the cooperation of the United States and Colombian counterdrug authorities, dismantled a narcotrafficking ring that smuggled cocaine and marijuana by sea, air, and land to the United States and Mexico. During the Operation Air, authorities captured 12 [ … ]
Destroyers: A Critical Resource Against Drug Smugglers
On May 2, 2020, the USS Lassen recovered more than 3,500 pounds of marijuana during a routine patrol in the Caribbean Sea. Roughly two weeks later, the USS Pinckney recovered over 2,700 kilograms of cocaine off the Central American coast. On June 2, the USS Preble seized 100 bales of [ … ]
JTF-Bravo Donates COVID-19 Supplies for Municipalities in La Paz, Comayagua in Honduras
Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-Bravo) donated personal protective equipment and medications, through U.S. Southern Command’s Humanitarian Assistance Program to support the municipalities of Villa de San Antonio, La Paz, Ajuterique, and Lejamani in Honduras. The donation includes KN95 masks, gloves, gowns, booties, head covers, disinfecting supplies, and medication to benefit [ … ]
US NGOs Bring to El Salvador Donation of 64,000 Pounds in Food and Hygiene Kits
U.S. support for El Salvador to meet the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and post-tropical storms Amanda and Cristobal recovery continues to arrive. U.S. nongovernmental organizations (NGO) People Helping People and Convoy of Hope sent a donation of 64,000 pounds (29,030 kilograms) in food and hygiene kits to benefit [ … ]
Violence from FARC Dissidents Undermines Colombian Peace Deal
November 2020 marks the third anniversary of the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC, in Spanish). Violence, however, continues as dissidents who oppose the deal carry out criminal acts, and threaten to retaliate against those who have agreed to disarm. In mid-July, [ … ]
NGOs Warn Narcotrafficking Threatens the Bolivian Amazon
Bolivian civil organizations have united to warn that the Bolivian Amazon is under threat from narcotrafficking. “In addition to the devastation of natural resources [...], we now face the criminal activities of narcotrafficking, which seek to subject populations, especially youth, to the vicious circle of violence and ambition,” says the [ … ]
Jamaica’s Security Forces Seize more than 6 Tons of Marijuana
Jamaica’s security forces continue to deal a blow to narcotrafficking, despite the difficulties from COVID-19. In just three operations conducted between May and June, the Jamaican Defence Force (JDF) and the Police seized more than 6 metric tons of marijuana. According to Jamaican newspaper Loop Jamaica, one of the seizures [ … ]
Brazilian Border Surveillance Program Affects Criminal Organizations
In June 2020, Brazil broke records in drug seizures thanks to one of its main border surveillance operations, Operation Horus. Security agents and service members in different areas of the country prevented over 121 metric tons of different types of narcotics from circulating. [caption id="attachment_38822" align="alignright" width="339"] Cigarettes and weapons [ … ]
Colombian Military Forces Deal Triple Blow to ELN
The Colombian Military Forces’ General Command (CGFM, in Spanish) reported the seizure of war material and the destruction of illicit drug labs and illegal mining units, all property of the National Liberation Army (ELN, in Spanish) guerrilla group, in three Colombian departments, between July 13-23. [caption id="attachment_38807" align="alignright" width="300"] Troops [ … ]
US Government Donates New Batch of Ventilators to Honduras
The U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), donated an additional 160 ventilators on July 31 to support Honduras’ response to the COVID-19 crisis. The ventilators, produced in the United States, are highly specialized medical equipment and an essential resource for treating intensive care patients, to help [ … ]