Peruvian authorities dealt a new blow to narcotrafficking, seizing 4,940 kilograms of cocaine in different operations carried out February 10-25, 2021. The Peruvian National Police (PNP) reported on Twitter finding 216 kg of cocaine in Alto Amazonas province on February 25. Five individuals involved with the drug opened fire to [ … ]
Transnational Threats
Colombian Military Forces Destroy Mega Cocaine Lab in Tumaco
The Colombian Military Forces found a mega lab consisting of seven structures used for cocaine production, in a rural area of Tumaco municipality, Nariño department, the Colombian Navy’s Pacific Naval Force reported in mid-February. This serious blow against narcotrafficking affects the finances of Los Contadores, a dissident group of the [ … ]
Brazil: Police Dismantle Criminal Groups at Border with French Guiana
The Brazilian Federal Police (PF, in Portuguese) dismantled two criminal organizations that were trafficking humans, arms, and cocaine at the French Guiana border. The activities were carried out as part of Operation Quinine (Operação Quinino), in the municipalities of Oiapoque and Macapá, in the state of Amapá. “[The operation] aims [ … ]
Panama Seizes More than 20 Tons of Drugs in Two Months
Panamanian security forces continue to deal serious blows to narcotrafficking, seizing more than 20 tons of drugs, including cocaine and marijuana, in operations carried out between January and early March 2021. In the five most recent operations, most carried out in Panamanian ports, authorities were able to stop the shipment [ … ]
Colombia Captures Top Leader of a Criminal Group
In a joint operation, the Colombian Air Force, the Army, the Police, and the Office of the Attorney General captured alias Carlos or Rana Platanera, top leader of the criminal group Ismael Ruiz Front, on March 3, 2021. The criminal was carrying two handguns at the time of his arrest [ … ]
Chinese Project in Brazil is Criticized for its High Cost and Environmental Impact
On November 12, 2020, a Chinese consortium consisting of three state-run companies signed a contract with Bahia state, in northeast Brazil. The venture established a partnership to build a 12.4-kilometer long bridge, the second largest in Latin America. Construction is expected to begin in 2021 and last for five years. [ … ]
Brazil: Agents Seize More than 1 Ton of Cocaine Bound for Belgium
On March 9, 2021, Brazilian Federal Police (PF, in Portuguese) agents arrested seven men carrying more than 1 ton of cocaine at Santos Port, São Paulo. The drug was bound for Antwerp, Belgium. Police officers were dispatched when surveillance cameras detected the suspicious movements of a truck inside one of [ … ]
Paraguay: Agents Destroy Nearly 60 Tons of Marijuana
In February and early March, the Paraguayan National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD) intensified operations against illegal cannabis crops. Agents destroyed 57 tons of marijuana in three operations, preventing the drug from reaching neighboring countries and Europe. On March 5, agents entered a forest area in Colonia Itakyry, Alto Paraná department. There, [ … ]
Brazilian Federal Police Investigates Drug Trafficking from International Airport
The Brazilian Federal Police (PF, in Portuguese) carried out yet another operation aimed at decapitalizing criminal drug trafficking organizations in Brazil with Operation Lavaggio on February 10, 2021. The operation served six search and seizure warrants and seven court orders putting a lien on properties located in two cities in [ … ]
Chilean Navy Increases Surveillance Due to Chinese Fishing Fleet’s Threat
As the massive Chinese fishing fleet continues to advance, with practices of illegal and indiscriminate exploitation of maritime resources sparking concern on the Pacific coast of South America, the Chilean Navy has implemented a heavy surveillance protocol in December 2020. On December 14, the Chilean Navy’s General Directorate of the [ … ]
Colombia Strengthens the Fight Against Narcotics and Dissidents
Colombian security forces conducted operations February 7-19, 2021, impacting narcotrafficking organizations in the Caribbean coast, and especially in the Pacific area, where there is a high concentration of drug production. The 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment, which the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration published on March 2, 2021, indicates that the COVID-19 [ … ]
Colombian Military Forces Continue with Significant Results Against Narcotrafficking
The Colombian Military Forces continue to deal a hard blow to narcotrafficking. Among their major achievements in late January and early February are the capture of four members of the National Liberation Army (ELN, in Spanish) in eastern Colombia, the seizure of 12 tons of narcotics in the Pacific coast [ … ]