Cartagena hosted the 32nd International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) this month, with close to 400 representatives from over 120 countries across the world working together to find new ways to break down transnational narco terrorist syndicates.
Cartagena, Colombia hosted the 32nd International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) in June, with close to 400 representatives from more than 120 countries working together to find new ways to fight and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and terrorist groups.
“What we need, more than a war, is a complete package of intelligent, well-designed, well-executed, people-centered measures,” said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. He has assigned outgoing Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón with developing a new strategy to combat drug trafficking in different and more efficient ways.
“Colombia has made great progress precisely because we have faced the threats posed by drug trafficking and related crime head on,” Pinzón said. In May, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he was reassigning Pinzón to the post of ambassador in Washington, D.C., and that current ambassador to the U.S. Luis Carlos Villegas is replacing Pinzón as defense minister.
The event included officials from the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the United Nations (UN). The -three-day conference, which was organized by the Colombian National Police, began June 2 with remarks by Colombian Chief of Police General Rodolfo Palomino.
Illicit trafficking as efficient as FedEx
The conference was an excellent opportunity for Military and police officials from Central and South America to gather and exchange ideas on how nations in the region can work together to combat international drug trafficking and other transnational criminal enterprises that the region shares.
“Illicit trafficking threatens every single one of our countries, using a vast system of pathways to move hundreds of tons of drugs, tens of thousands of people, and countless weapons into and out of the United States, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia,” said General John F. Kelly, commander of USSOUTHCOM. “And they do so with an efficiency, payload, and gross profit that FedEx would envy.”
The U.S. government and its Armed Forces work hand-in-hand with Colombia to fight drug trafficking, terrorism, weapons smuggling, human trafficking and other transnational criminal enterprises. “We rely heavily on our international partners [across the region],” Gen. Kelly said.
From cocaine cowboys to drug corporations
In line with the theme of this year’s IDEC, “Transformation of the Drug Phenomenon: A Global Challenge,” Pinzón laid out the increasing need for international cooperation in the fight against narcotrafficking and other criminal enterprises. Though it isn’t as prevalent today as it was in 2000, authorities must remain vigilant in their battle against the “curse” of international narcotrafficking.
The nature of international drug trafficking has changed, Gen. Kelly said.
“Gone are the days of the ‘cocaine cowboys’ — we’re now dealing with ‘cocaine corporations’ who have franchises all over the world,” the SOUTHCOM commander said.
This means that Military and law enforcement authorities must attack every link in the chain of the illegal drug trade, from the cultivation and production of illegal drugs to money laundering, drug trafficking, and related crimes.
“To this we have had to strengthen the capacities of all our forces — intelligence, air mobility, special operations, and especially our credibility,” Pinzón said.
Colombia receives high speed boats from the U.S.
Close cooperation between Colombia and the U.S. is strengthening the fight against international drug trafficking and other illegal enterprises.
The close ties between the two countries was underscored during the conference, when Colombian government authorities held a ceremony to highlight the donation by U.S. officials of six high-speed interceptor boats from Safe Boats International to strengthen the Colombian National Navy’s interdiction efforts along the Colombian Pacific coastline.
“These boats are additional resources to defeat crime and drug trafficking in Colombia, which is our main goal together with our ally, the United States,” Pinzón said. “The boats that we received today give us an increased capacity to remove tons of cocaine from drug traffickers,” he added.
The vessels will be used to intercept vessels suspected of trafficking narcotics, weapons, and other illicit items.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) is one of the main criminal groups which engages in narcotrafficking. The FARC uses proceeds from drug trafficking to finance its terrorist attacks against the civilian population, the Military, and police forces.
In another cooperative security agreement, the Navies of Colombia, Brazil, and Peru are working together in BRACOLPER Naval 2015, a Military operation to combat transnational criminal activities in the Amazon region shared by the three countries.
Cartagena, Colombia hosted the 32nd International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) in June, with close to 400 representatives from more than 120 countries working together to find new ways to fight and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and terrorist groups.
“What we need, more than a war, is a complete package of intelligent, well-designed, well-executed, people-centered measures,” said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. He has assigned outgoing Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón with developing a new strategy to combat drug trafficking in different and more efficient ways.
“Colombia has made great progress precisely because we have faced the threats posed by drug trafficking and related crime head on,” Pinzón said. In May, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he was reassigning Pinzón to the post of ambassador in Washington, D.C., and that current ambassador to the U.S. Luis Carlos Villegas is replacing Pinzón as defense minister.
The event included officials from the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the United Nations (UN). The -three-day conference, which was organized by the Colombian National Police, began June 2 with remarks by Colombian Chief of Police General Rodolfo Palomino.
Illicit trafficking as efficient as FedEx
The conference was an excellent opportunity for Military and police officials from Central and South America to gather and exchange ideas on how nations in the region can work together to combat international drug trafficking and other transnational criminal enterprises that the region shares.
“Illicit trafficking threatens every single one of our countries, using a vast system of pathways to move hundreds of tons of drugs, tens of thousands of people, and countless weapons into and out of the United States, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia,” said General John F. Kelly, commander of USSOUTHCOM. “And they do so with an efficiency, payload, and gross profit that FedEx would envy.”
The U.S. government and its Armed Forces work hand-in-hand with Colombia to fight drug trafficking, terrorism, weapons smuggling, human trafficking and other transnational criminal enterprises. “We rely heavily on our international partners [across the region],” Gen. Kelly said.
From cocaine cowboys to drug corporations
In line with the theme of this year’s IDEC, “Transformation of the Drug Phenomenon: A Global Challenge,” Pinzón laid out the increasing need for international cooperation in the fight against narcotrafficking and other criminal enterprises. Though it isn’t as prevalent today as it was in 2000, authorities must remain vigilant in their battle against the “curse” of international narcotrafficking.
The nature of international drug trafficking has changed, Gen. Kelly said.
“Gone are the days of the ‘cocaine cowboys’ — we’re now dealing with ‘cocaine corporations’ who have franchises all over the world,” the SOUTHCOM commander said.
This means that Military and law enforcement authorities must attack every link in the chain of the illegal drug trade, from the cultivation and production of illegal drugs to money laundering, drug trafficking, and related crimes.
“To this we have had to strengthen the capacities of all our forces — intelligence, air mobility, special operations, and especially our credibility,” Pinzón said.
Colombia receives high speed boats from the U.S.
Close cooperation between Colombia and the U.S. is strengthening the fight against international drug trafficking and other illegal enterprises.
The close ties between the two countries was underscored during the conference, when Colombian government authorities held a ceremony to highlight the donation by U.S. officials of six high-speed interceptor boats from Safe Boats International to strengthen the Colombian National Navy’s interdiction efforts along the Colombian Pacific coastline.
“These boats are additional resources to defeat crime and drug trafficking in Colombia, which is our main goal together with our ally, the United States,” Pinzón said. “The boats that we received today give us an increased capacity to remove tons of cocaine from drug traffickers,” he added.
The vessels will be used to intercept vessels suspected of trafficking narcotics, weapons, and other illicit items.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) is one of the main criminal groups which engages in narcotrafficking. The FARC uses proceeds from drug trafficking to finance its terrorist attacks against the civilian population, the Military, and police forces.
In another cooperative security agreement, the Navies of Colombia, Brazil, and Peru are working together in BRACOLPER Naval 2015, a Military operation to combat transnational criminal activities in the Amazon region shared by the three countries.
it’s good…. CONGRATULATIONS TO CLAUDIA GURISATI, FOR BRINGING SANTOS TO JUDGMENT, THAT’S HOW JOURNALISM IS DONE.SHE IS A PROGRAM DIRECTOR