All articles tagged with #drug trafficking
Spanish police, with international partners, seized 9,994 kg of cocaine hidden in a salt cargo on a merchant ship off the Canary Islands during Operation White Tide, arresting 13 people as the vessel was towed to Santa Cruz de Tenerife; the haul marks Spain’s largest sea seizure of cocaine to date.
Spanish police seized 9,994 kg (about 22,033 lb) of cocaine hidden in salt on a Cameroon-flagged container ship from Brazil, marking the largest sea seizure in Spain's history. Thirteen crew members were arrested and a firearm was recovered. The operation, named 'White Tide,' involved the U.S., Brazil, the U.K., France and Portugal, and the vessel was adrift before being towed to the Canary Islands.
Vivek Ramaswamy's family bodyguard, Justin Salsburey, was arrested on federal drug trafficking charges involving counterfeit pills sent to Ramaswamy's Ohio home. Salsburey, employed by a private security firm, was removed from the security detail after the charges surfaced, and he had previously passed background checks and drug tests.
Rapper Fetty Wap was released early from federal prison to home confinement after serving over half of his six-year sentence for involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy, and he is now focusing on community work and supporting at-risk youth.
Fetty Wap, the New Jersey rapper known for hits like 'Trap Queen,' was released from federal prison after serving over three years of a six-year sentence for drug trafficking conspiracy, and is now under home confinement while focusing on community initiatives.
A haulage worker, Russell Smith, used company vehicles and encrypted messaging to facilitate large-scale cocaine trafficking during the COVID pandemic, leading to a prison sentence of over four years after pleading guilty to involvement in organised crime.
The U.S. conducted a successful covert operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, citing reasons such as drug trafficking, oil interests, migration issues, regional stability, and demonstrating power, though these justifications reveal internal contradictions and complex geopolitical considerations.
Venezuelan ousted leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife are scheduled to appear in a Manhattan federal court following their capture by US forces in Caracas, facing charges including narco-terrorism and conspiracy, amid a broader US-led operation in Venezuela.
Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is set to appear in a US courtroom on drug trafficking charges, marking a significant legal and diplomatic development, with his lawyers contesting his immunity as a former head of state amid ongoing tensions between the US and Venezuela.
The US has charged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with drug trafficking, narco-terrorism, and conspiracy to import cocaine, accusing him of leading a corrupt government involved in extensive drug operations. Maduro and his wife were abducted from Caracas and brought to the US to face trial, with additional charges against several associates, including his son and government officials.
Vance argues that attacking Venezuela's cocaine trade could weaken Latin American cartels and help curb the U.S. fentanyl crisis, though critics believe the focus should be on Mexico and its drug cartels. The debate highlights differing views on the primary sources of drug flow into the U.S. and the best strategies to combat drug trafficking.
The DOJ's recent indictment of Nicolás Maduro and his family emphasizes political motives, challenging his legitimacy as Venezuela's leader to bypass immunity claims, and expands charges to include various drug cartels designated as terrorist organizations, raising concerns about the political and legal implications of the case.
Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores arrived in New York to face serious charges of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, following their capture in Venezuela during a U.S. military operation. They are expected to be arraigned soon and held at a high-security detention center in Brooklyn. The indictment accuses Maduro of conspiracy to import cocaine and other related crimes, with allegations of corruption and involvement with drug traffickers over the past 25 years.
Cilia Flores, Maduro's wife and influential political figure in Venezuela, was captured with him by US troops and faces drug-trafficking charges. She has a long political history, including serving as a parliamentarian and attorney general, and is considered a powerful behind-the-scenes figure in Chavismo. Despite her reduced public profile in recent years, her influence remains significant, and she has been subject to international sanctions.
President Trump conducted a military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amid a broader, often personalized, approach to combating drug smuggling into the U.S., which includes actions against other Latin American leaders and threats against China and Canada over fentanyl shipments.