A recent string of high-profile interceptions targeting international drug trafficking operations has confirmed Guyana remains a crucial transit point for cocaine headed to the United States and across the Atlantic. Additionally, in excess of 293.4 kg (646 pounds) of cocaine were seized for the year 2022. The Guyana Chronicle reported that two of the suspects in custody were customs officers on duty as the load was scanned before it left for Belgium. Australia is a pretty wild place. The next morning, the Santa Barbara Sheriffs Office announced the 34 arrests and the seizure of 3,164 pounds of methamphetamine the biggest drug bust in the countys history, and one of the largest ever in the nation. gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; James Singh, the head of Guyana's Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), told InSight Crime the nation is caught in the crosshairs of drug trafficking networks operating betweensupply anddemand countries. Enter your email address to subscribe to this website and receive notifications of new posts by email. Guyana sees a high quantity of containers carrying metal fragments leave its ports each year. alarmed over large cocaine shipment from Guyana -says Home Affairs Minister, CANU, DEA and Belgian Police exchange info on Scrap Iron drug probe, Local Scrap metal shipper wanted for 23,000-pound cocaine bust in Belgium, Guyana alerts Interpol on search for shipper in scrap metal cocaine bust, Local probe in Belgium drug bust continues to draw a blank, CANU sifting through over 50,000 scanner images from drug container shipment. Following the record-breaking drug bust on Wednesday, three others were arrested, including one person who is facing extradition to Belgium from the Netherlands. alarmed over large cocaine shipment from Guyana -says Home Affairs Minister, Man who travelled from Guyana busted with 44 cocaine pellets in stomach at Jamaica Airport, Jamaica busts over 100 pounds of cocaine in rice container from Guyana, Recently released cocaine convict held for 22 lbs cocaine bust at CJIA, Unclear whether container linked to cocaine bust in Germany was scanned before leaving Guyana. German investigators reportedly received a confidential tip about the drug smuggling operation and began a thorough search of the container yard. The U.S. Coast Guard seized over 42,000 pounds of cocaine in 2007 from a Panamanian vessel, the Gatun, about 20 miles off the countrys coast. A recent report on drug trafficking and consumption in Europe highlights the acceleration of existing trends and the emergence of. gcse.async = true; This was the largest drug bust in the 230-year history of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Published: Apr. A spokesperson for the Customs Investigations Office said the cocaine seizure was one of the largest in Hamburgs history, and the Hamburger Abendblatt reportedthe load had an estimated street value of around 300 million ($353 million). The bust also yielded three guns, two assault rifles, and $85,000 in cash. In a clear-cut case of How Not to Ever, Ever Smuggle Drugs From Mexico into the U.S., federal agents in California seized 15 tons of marijuana at the the U.S.-Mexico border, completely unhidden in the back of a tractor trailer. GUYANA: Short Story:- When I was in the Diamond business in Guyana - By Royden V Chan. The country produced 9,000 tonnes last year, enough to make more than 880 tonnes of heroin, or 93% of the world's supply. The extradition may signal that prosecutors are concerned about Guyanese smuggling operations. Belgian Prosecutors are also linking the bust to a former Belgian Police Chief who was the head of a recently disbanded drug gang in the European country. The crewmen loaded the drugs on the MSC Gayane after 20 small boats pulled alongside off Peru, authorities said previously. 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The government through the Ministry of Labour remains dedicated to Guyanese workers and has pledged to continue to enforce the laws and regulations through Guyana offers a promising outlook for local insurance companies, especially since the country continues to experience rapid development nationwide. However, the US State Departments most recent International Narcotics Control Strategy report urged Guyana to enhance its anti-corruption initiatives, increase interagency cooperation, and fully pursue prosecutions for narcotics trafficking.". Man found dead in Quamina St. Hotel; Woman jumps from room window after Police summoned, GPSU hammers Government on treatment of public servants and political interference in public service, Ramotar and Duncan call for end of division within trade union movement, Teen boys die in separate drowning incidents in Berbice and Linden, Sheriff General Hospital aims to provide highest quality of affordable care, Caribbean Legal Community must shape up to meet technological age and new frontiers of electronic justice, Former Chief of Staff encourages more youths to enlist in the military, Bar Association not supportive of National Intelligence Bill; Flags threat to Attorney-Client privilege, Jamaica Police finds 165 lbs of cocaine in containers from Guyana and Suriname, Govt. In 1991, police officers seized 59 boxes containing 1080 pounds of Heroin, with a street He said the local agency has been in touch with law enforcement officers in Belgium and the two sides are working together. It has never been made public which drug cartel was behind the operation. We respect your privacy. Eleven people were arrested following a tense, Hollywood-esque, pre-dawn shootout with Mexican authorities, which ended in the seizure of 10,000 packages of pot. He, however, said he is not at liberty to release further information. Drug prosecutors were able to track and follow the shipment. Credited as the biggest drug bust in Mexicos history, Mexican authorities seized 105 tons of marijuana in Tijuana. But according to Singh, investigations have so far revealed that the huge quantity of the drug was imported to Guyana from another country after which it was stockpiled and then loaded into the container and ultimately onto the vessel which reportedly left Guyana in September. The United States has consistently worked with Guyana to combat drug trafficking between the two nations. You have entered an incorrect email address! Officers recovered another 29 pounds of heroin from an apartment, as well as $75,000 in cash they found in a nearby car (again, in plain sight). Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox. However, CANU subsequently stated that the cocaine found in Germany was more than likely loaded in Dominica and not Guyana. On June 19th, 2019, federal authorities seized Authorities have seized 15,000kg of cocaine from a ship in Philadelphia in what was described as one of the largest drug busts in American history - worth an estimated $1bn (891m). The other five crewmen previously sentenced and serving time in prison are Bosko Markovic, 39, of Montenegro, the ships chief officer; Vladimir Penda, 27, of Montenegro, the fourth engineer; Stefan Bojevic, 29, of Serbia, the assistant reeferman; Fonofaavae Tiasaga, 29, of Samoa, an able seaman; and Laauli Pulu, 34, of Samoa, an ordinary seaman. The container, from Germany, housed 1,917 kilograms of MDMA and 849 kilograms of crystal meth. Authorities seized over 21 tons of cocainethe largest amount everfrom a California warehouse that was said to have belonged to reputed drug lord Rafael Munoz Talavera. The Coast Guard boarded the ship and, in what sounds like the most boring drug seizure of all time, happened upon the drugs. Between January 1 and November 13, 2022, a total of 41 persons were charges for trafficking cocaine and cannabis. The catch is the largest overseas drug bust ever, worldwide, federal prosecutors told Belgian media, estimating the street value of the drug load at 900 million. A gang, which modified aircraft to be able to carry cocaine from Colombia to the United States and Mexico, has, This week, InSight Crimes work was cited nine times in a newreportby the Organization of American States (OAS) titled The Impact of Organized Crime on Women,, This week, InSight Crime deputy editor, Juan Diego Posada, was interviewed by theAssociated Pressabout connections between theex-FARC mafiaand Brazilian criminal groups, and, As Ecuadors security crisis worsens, global media outlets have called on InSight Crime to provide expert knowledge on the criminal dynamics fueling the growing criminality.Americas Quarterly cited our work on, InSight Crime senior investigator Douwe den Held was interviewed by Chilean newspaperEl Mercuriothis week. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; Post was not sent - check your email addresses! This is the third international drug bust in recent times linked to Guyana. In early 2014,US and Italian authorities dismantled a billion-dollar drug smuggling operation involving members of New Yorks notorious Gambino Mafia family and southern Italys Ndrangheta. So theres that. Posts about Largest drug bust in the world written by guyaneseonline. Belgian prosecutors, on Wednesday, dealt a new blow to a recently-disbanded drug gang led by a former Belgian police chief, after announcing the largest-ever overseas drug bust in the world.. Though Talavera would eventually worm his way out of any kind of criminal conviction, he still lost all the cocaine and the billions it would've brought in. Unfortunately not a Latino spinoff of Portlandia,Tranquilandiawas the name of one of the largest cocaine processing laboratories in history, owned by historys most infamous drug lordPablo Escobar. hydraulic steel doors, elevators, a wooden staircase, what sounds like the most boring drug seizure of all time, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It was reported that counter-narcotics prosecutors tracked the transatlantic journey of 11.5 tonnes of cocaine from Guyana, on the northeastern coast of South America, and seized it upon its arrival at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium. The police have stated that the huge stash of drugs belonged to Dario Antonia Usuga, the chief of Colombias largest drug-trafficking gang, the Gulf Clan and Colombias most Dilogo, a digital US military magazine, reported that at the end of 2012, Malaysian authorities had intercepted a staggering $7.1 million worth of cocaine in sealed tins of coconut milk shipped from Guyana. 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The record-breaking shipment was expected by law enforcement officials as they suspected it left the port of Guyana after members of the drug gangs arrest in Belgium, with drug gangs unable to intercept it once at sea, De Standaard reports. It is believed to be the second-biggest seizure of cocaine in American history, behind only a 1989 cache seized in Los Angeles. Hamilton, Prospects bright for insurance companies in Guyana Prime Minister. })(); 2013 - 2017 New Source Guyana | Website by. In November of last year law enforcement officials in Belgium announced that they were probing the discovery of 11.5 tonnes of cocaine in a container of scrap metal shipped from Guyana. Scanners can fail to detect small quantities of drugs in large loads of scrap metal, he said. This latest bust of cocaine in containers from Guyana, follows two other drug busts internationally that were also linked to containers that were shipped from Guyana. Guyanas strategic locationand corruption at its ports underpin the nations ongoing role as a crucial transit hub for cocaine headed across the Atlantic and beyond. How did they find it so deep inside of Colombias dangerous jungles? European-bound Peruvian cocaine is usually moved by foreign gangs. The feds got suspicious when they x-rayed the truck, whose driver listed its contents as mattresses and cushions, but saw nothing that looked even remotely like mattresses, and instead found 15 tons of drugs. Well send you our daily roundup of all our favorite stories from across the site, from travel to food to shopping to entertainment. This month the DEA made the biggest meth bust in American history: 2200 pounds of meth, nearly 900 pounds of cocaine, and 13 pounds of heroin. var gcse = document.createElement('script'); Authorities in Mexico broke up a large-scale, clandestine meth and fentanyl lab that could process up to 11,000 pounds of raw product at a time, federal prosecutors said. According to the Jamaica Observer newspaper, the drug was found in two of six containers that arrived on the island from Guyana en route to Haiti and China. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The dead boy has been identified as 14-year-old A young teenage boy is now dead after he drowned while swimming at a creek in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). In observance of todays Labour Day celebration, President Dr Irfaan Ali said that this day reminds of the legacy of workers which can only Guyana is participating in the 2023 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas. gcse.src = 'https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=' + cx; Aevin Dugas first achieved the record title for largest afro in 2010. Log in for full access to stabroeknews.com. As for Rafael? Amount Seized: 14 tons of cocaineValue: $1 billion. So-called drug mules carried cocaine produced in Brazilian jungle camps to Guyana, and then boarded flights to the United States or Europe, in a bid to avoid transiting through Venezuela or Colombia, where authorities had enhanced their efforts to tackle drug smuggling. An eighth crewmen charged, Aleksandar Kavaja, 27, of Montenegro, the ship electrician, previously pleaded guilty but has yet to be sentenced. The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit will continue to put a dent in the drug trade but we cannot have agencies undermining our efforts we are supposed to be working together and not against each otherwhen that happens, it becomes difficult for us, Singh noted. The massive load of cocaine left a port in Guyana late October and Belgian prosecutors were able to track it, following the dismantlement of a drug trafficking gang led by a former Belgian counter-narcotics chief, which revealed the existence of tight-knit links between criminal gangs and counter-narcotics and law-enforcement officials. And on August 22 last year authorities in Hamburg, Germany announced that they were probing the discovery of 1.5 tonnes of cocaine in a container of rice from Guyana. When compared to previous years, this represents the largest quantity of cannabis seized within the last five years. Web0. Durasevic and Ilic worked on board the MSC Gayane, a commercial shipping vessel, as crew members; Durasevic was the second officer and Ilic was the engineer cadet. The drugs had been shipped to the citys port from Guyana and were ultimately destined for the Netherlands. The Guyana Police Force revealed that a total of 761.28 kilogrammes (1678 pounds) of cannabis was seized between January to October 2022. November 9, 2020. If theres one thing Ive learned while writing this article, its that people who deal in drugs are really good at leaving their drugs around in places they can be found. For decades, Guyana has served drug traffickers as a crucial transit point for South American cocaine headed to the United States and Europe. In total police seized around $450,000 worth of meth, $155,000 worth of ecstasy, $230,000 worth of cannabis and $57,475 in cash. Charges stayed in one of Ontario's largest Mob busts after alleged illegal conduct by investigators. The massive 261-ton stockpile would have netted roughly $400 million worth of profits, $14 million of which would have gone directly to the Taliban. According to a Deutsche Welle report, the seizure was made after investigators at the Joint Customs and Police Investigation Group (JIT) received a tip-off about drug smuggling. WebCounter narcotics prosecutors said they had tracked the transatlantic journey of 11.5-tons (23,000 pounds) of cocaine from Guyana, on the northeastern coast of South America, WebBelgian prosecutors, on Wednesday, dealt a new blow to a recently-disbanded drug gang led by a former Belgian police chief, after announcing the largest-ever overseas drug bust Login. He offered no additional details on the local probe. However, the record-breaking shipment was expected by law enforcement officials as it is suspected it left the port of Guyana after the drug gangs arrest in Belgium, with drug gangs unable to intercept it once at sea. That year, her afro had a circumference that measured 4 feet, 4 inches. var cx = '014742376270991751669:2oy3vex5f7k'; Officers walked by a truck they suspected to be part of a huge heroin ring and sawin plain sighta brick of heroin just hanging out of an open box. Singh added that with the disappearance of images of the scanned container, the work of the drug enforcement unit gets even tougher. Amount Seized: 42,845 pounds of cocaineValue:More than $600 million. var cx = '014742376270991751669:2oy3vex5f7k'; var gcse = document.createElement('script'); According to a report in the Belgian Times newspaper, the record-breaking shipment was expected by law enforcement officials as it is suspected that the cocaine left the port in Guyana after the drug gangs arrest in Belgium. Amount Seized: 105 tons of marijuanaValue: $425 million. (DOMINICK REUTER/AFP via Getty Images), Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. His body was found dead in a Jeep Cherokee a few years later. The sixth and seventh crew members of the notorious MSC Gayane container ship that docked in Philadelphia in 2019 with nearly 20 tons of cocaine aboard have been sentenced for their roles in the drug haul. WebA major drug bust on a container ship that has been described as the largest ever overseas drug bust in the world, has been traced to Guyana. In Belgium, three police officers, a port manager and a lawyer were among the more than 20 persons arrested as part of the operation targeting what the authorities describe as the well-structured criminal organisation suspected of orchestrating large and regular drug shipments from South America to Belgium.