The Brazilian Military Highway Police (PMR, in Portuguese) carried out the largest drug seizure in the country’s history, intercepting 36.5 tons of marijuana in the city of Deodápolis, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), a state in midwestern Brazil that borders Paraguay and Bolivia. The operation, coordinated by the Secretariat of [ … ]
Transnational Threats
Panama Thwarts the Distribution of 2.7 Tons of Drugs
The Panamanian National Air and Naval Service (SENAN, in Spanish) and its Regional Center for Aeronaval Operations seized 2,759 kilograms of drugs in several operations carried out July 1-16, 2021. Agents seized 243 kg of cocaine that criminals had hidden in a speedboat, SENAN reported in a statement on July [ … ]
US Will Continue to Operate in South China Sea to Ensure Prosperity for All
There’s a variety of concerns that keep U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) on its toes — many centered around the activities of China, which quite often don’t match up with the words that come out of Beijing, its commander said. “We certainly view with concern many of the actions that we’ve [ … ]
Uruguay: Fighting the Increasing Transit of Cocaine to Europe
In early July, an investigation under the leadership of the Uruguayan General Directorate for the Control of Illicit Drug Trafficking of the National Police, led to the capture of three people allegedly connected to the June 17 seizure of 1 ton of cocaine in a container in the Port of Barcelona, [ … ]
Colombian-led Multinational Operations Deal Blow to Transnational Crime in the Caribbean
Cooperation among security forces in the region yielded results in early July, leading to the seizure of more than 3 tons of cocaine in multinational operations, the Colombian Navy reported in a statement. Costa Rican, Dominican, Panamanian, and U.S. authorities launched three operations based on intelligence provided by the Colombian [ … ]
Costa Rica: Second Largest Cocaine Seizure in Its History
In mid-July, Costa Rican authorities dealt a severe blow to narcotrafficking by seizing more than 4 tons of cocaine at the port of Moín, in the Caribbean province of Limón. This is the second largest cocaine seizure in the country’s history. “It was a joint effort between the Drug Control [ … ]
Colombian Navy Weakens FARC Dissidents
In early July, the Colombian Navy dealt a blow to the Carolina Ramírez front, a dissident group of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC, in Spanish), the naval institution reported in a statement. During a joint operation with the Army, the Air Force, the National Police, and the Office [ … ]
Argentina Captures Narcotraffickers, Seizes 9 Tons of Marijuana
The Argentine Naval Prefecture (PNA, in Spanish) dismantled drug trafficking networks operating in the province of Corrientes and seized 9,088 kilograms of marijuana, in different operations carried out June 30-July 20, 2021. The Argentine National Gendarmerie (GNA, in Spanish) also seized 1,744 kg of coca leaves in three operations July [ … ]
Paraguay: Anti-Drug Agents Seize 2 Tons of Marijuana
Special Forces agents of the Paraguayan National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD, in Spanish) destroyed a drug camp where they found nearly 2 tons of marijuana in Bella Vista, Caaguazú department, on July 9. “In addition to the ready [to sell] drug, we removed nearly 6 tons of marijuana from circulation by [ … ]
Ecuador Seizes Nearly 10 Tons of Cocaine
Ecuadorian authorities seized a total of 9,982 kilograms of cocaine in four different operations in Guayas province. On July 13, 2021, the Ecuadorian National Police (PNE, in Spanish) intercepted a modified truck with compartments, which hid 500 kilograms of cocaine, on Samborondón road that connects with Guayaquil. During the operation, [ … ]
Colombia Creates Command to Counter FARC Dissidents
Colombian Minister of Defense Diego Molano announced the creation of the Norte de Santander Specific Command, on July 24, 2021, at the Brigade 30 headquarters in Cúcuta. Consisting of 14,000 service members from the Army, the command’s objective is to dismantle Front 33, a dissident group of the Revolutionary Armed [ … ]
Ecuadorian Navy Monitors Fishing Fleet Approaching Galápagos
Hundreds of Chinese-flagged ships have been approaching the Galápagos Island’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), raising alarms among the Ecuadorian government and international marine conservation organizations. In late June and early July, more than 100 Chinese-flagged vessels crossed from the Atlantic to the Pacific to join an extensive fleet that was [ … ]