In mid-August, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) seized nearly 1 ton of marijuana in the north of the island of Trinidad. According to an August 13 TTPS press release, the drug, which was found inside a container coming from the port of Port of Spain, is believed to [ … ]
Transnational Threats
Special Military Group Increases Measures Against Narcotrafficking at the Brazil-Bolivia Border
Between January and July 2020, the Special Border Group (GEFRON, in Portuguese), a specialized troop of the Brazilian Military Police from Mato Grosso state, tasked with securing a more than 900-kilometer border between Brazil and Bolivia, seized 6.8 tons of drugs, nearly twice the 3.6 tons seized during the same [ … ]
Maduro Calls Venezuelans with COVID-19 ‘Bioterrorists’
The illegitimate Maduro regime wants Venezuelans to denounce their neighbors who are sick with COVID-19, calling them “bioterrorists.” Nicolás Maduro’s National Bolivarian Armed Force encouraged citizens to look for sick Venezuelans, saying a returning migrant “is a bioterrorist who puts everyone’s health at risk.” They also provided an email address [ … ]
Bolivia in the Fight Against Drugs
The Bolivian Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (FELCN, in Spanish) reported seizing more than 2.3 tons of cocaine in different operations carried out in the last two weeks of July. On July 29, the FELCN reported the seizure of 260 kilograms of cocaine and a light aircraft, the destruction [ … ]
Honduras’ FNAMP Captures More Than 1,000 Gang Members in 2 Years
In the two years since its creation, the Honduran National Anti-Gang Force (FNAMP, in Spanish) has achieved significant results, including the arrest of more than 1,680 gang members and the seizure of more than 330 weapons and some 4 tons of drugs, the institution said in a video posted on [ … ]
US Announces Additional Humanitarian Assistance to Venezuela
During a visit to Boa Vista, Brazil, as part of his three-day tour of South America, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced nearly $348 million in additional U.S. humanitarian assistance in response to the crisis in Venezuela. “The United States is demonstrating our continued commitment to the Venezuelan people [ … ]
Federal Highway Police Seizes Over 300 Tons of Marijuana on Brazil’s Roads in 2020
Between January and August 2020, the Brazilian Federal Highway Police (PRF, in Portuguese) seized 331 tons of marijuana nationwide, representing more than the total seized in 2019. [caption id="attachment_39846" align="alignleft" width="300"] Agents of the Brazilian Federal Highway Police count the 5,805 kg of marijuana, seized from a truck’s load of [ … ]
USS William P. Lawrence Freedom of Navigation Operation Challenges Venezuela’s Excessive Maritime Claim
On September 30, the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence challenged Venezuela’s excessive maritime claims in international waters during a successful freedom of navigation operation in the Caribbean Sea. The U.S. Navy previously contested Venezuela’s excessive claims on July 15, when the USS Pinckney lawfully and [ … ]
Peruvian National Police Destroys Drug Labs
The Peruvian National Police has dealt additional blows to narcotrafficking in recent weeks. [caption id="attachment_39778" align="alignleft" width="300"] Peruvian National Police agents destroyed a cocaine lab in Sivia district, where they found 396 kg of the drug and two firearms, in addition to 2,000 kg of acetone, drums, presses, and other [ … ]
Argentine Gendarmerie Seizes More than 5 Tons of Marijuana
Between August 10 and 13, the Argentine National Gendarmerie (GNA, in Spanish) seized more than 5.5 tons of marijuana in operations carried out in Misiones province, on the border with Paraguay. [caption id="attachment_39819" align="alignleft" width="347"] GNA agents found 973 kg of marijuana inside a truck in Misiones province during patrol [ … ]
Colombian Navy Captures 6 Clan del Golfo Members
In late July, the Colombian Navy captured six members of the organized armed group (GAO, in Spanish) Clan del Golfo, also known as Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, in Bajó Baudó municipality, Chocó department. The Navy said in a statement that the criminals were traveling in two boats along the [ … ]
Colombian, Guatemalan Armed Forces Neutralize Narco-plane Coming from Venezuela
In late July, The Colombian Air Force (FAC, in Spanish), during a combined operation with the Guatemalan Air Force and Army, neutralized a light aircraft coming from Venezuela carrying more than 2 tons of cocaine. According to an August 6 press release from the FAC, the aircraft was intercepted in [ … ]