On November 4, 2021, the Brazilian Federal Police (PF, in Portuguese) launched Operation Narcos Gold to decapitalize and dismantle a criminal group that operated in the state of Pará for at least three years, promoting money laundering from narcotrafficking and using gold mining as a front. The operation involved more [ … ]
Transnational Threats
Colombian Authorities Announce Largest Cocaine Seizure of 2021
A November 23 joint operation by the Colombian Military Forces and the Office of the Attorney General resulted in the largest drug seizure of 2021 in a single operation: nearly 10 tons of cocaine ready for packaging and more than 10 tons of cocaine in the powder processing phase. “With [ … ]
Ecuador Seizes 7 Tons of Cocaine
Ecuadorian security forces seized 7,148 kilograms of cocaine in 10 operations carried out November 21–December 2, 2021. On December 2, the Ecuadorian Police reported the seizure of 245 kg of cocaine in two containers bound for Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. That same day, officers reported seizing 133 kg of cocaine in [ … ]
SENAN Deals Tough Blow to Narcotrafficking in Mid-November
The Panamanian National Air and Naval Service (SENAN, in Spanish) continues to deal a tough blow to narcotrafficking. From November 13 to December 4, 2021, the naval institution seized more than 10 tons of cocaine in various operations. “November was a month in which there was an increase in seizures,” [ … ]
Panama Seizes 10.5 Tons of Cocaine
From November 11 to October 20, 2021, the Panamanian National Air and Naval Service (SENAN, in Spanish) seized 10,534 kilograms of cocaine in nine interdictions. On November 11, the Office of the Attorney General reported the seizure of 338 kg of cocaine in Limón province. Authorities found the drug in [ … ]
Ecuador Seizes 16 Tons of Drugs during State of Emergency
Ecuador is experiencing an escalation of unprecedented violence. In 2021, the country broke homicide records: 1,885 by October, representing a rate of 10.6 per 100,000 inhabitants. That is double the figure in 2016, when the rate was 5.8 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, according to a report from the Ecuadorian National [ … ]
Argentina Seizes Nearly 16 Tons of Chemical Precursors
On October 29, 2021, agents of the Argentine National Gendarmerie seized nearly 16 tons of anhydrous ammonia, a chemical precursor used to manufacture cocaine. Members of the Rosario-Victoria Security Section, deployed at kilometer 5.2 on National Road 174, intercepted a truck that was traveling from Buenos Aires to the province [ … ]
Colombia Focuses on Wiping Out the Clan del Golfo
Following the capture of the Clan del Golfo’s leader Dairo Antonio Úsuga, alias Otoniel, on October 23, 2021, the Colombian security forces are now focused on completely dismantling the criminal group, the Colombian National Police (PNC, in Spanish) said on November 3. The Clan del Golfo has connections in order [ … ]
Colombia Destroys Mega-lab with More Than 1.5 Tons of Cocaine
On November 17, 2021, the Colombian Military Forces’ General Command (CGFM, in Spanish) reported the destruction of a mega-lab that consisted of nine buildings, in Francisco Pizarro, Nariño department. Service members also destroyed 1,555 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, 1,375 kg of solid chemical precursors, 12,500 liters of liquid chemical precursors, [ … ]
Colombia Seizes More Than 7.8 Tons of Drugs
In five operations, Colombian authorities seized 7,898 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and marijuana. In the first interdiction, on November 9, 2021, the Colombian National Police (PNC, in Spanish) seized 500 kg of cocaine in Valle del Cauca department. They found the drug hidden in a tanker truck en route to [ … ]
United States and Colombia Define New Counternarcotics Strategy
Colombia and the United States have announced a new strategy to combat drugs, which the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released on October 25, 2021. The New, Holistic U.S.-Colombia Counternarcotics Strategy brings together the efforts of different actors — the State, security forces and development agencies [ … ]
Colombian Navy Seizes More Than 150 Tons of Drugs on the Pacific Coast
Four operations carried out simultaneously off the Pacific coast of Colombia in early November led to the seizure of 7,410 kilograms of cocaine. With this, the Colombian Navy has seized more than 150 tons of drugs in this region in 2021. “Together they [these four operations] have an impact of [ … ]