Five Airport Employees Charged with Drug Offences

 Five Airport Employees Charged with Drug Offences: "Investigators from the RCMP Greater Toronto Area Drug Section - Toronto Airport Drug Enforcement Unit (TADEU) arrested 9 persons throughout the Greater Toronto Area and charged them with various drug related offences. This investigation, dubbed Project OTAG, began in February 2010. While working in conjunction with the United States Homeland Security Investigations and the Jamaican Constabulary Force information was received that led investigators to several employees at the Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport believed to be involved in the importation and exportation of drugs. Authorities are alleging that during the investigation, a variety of drugs flowed in and out of the airport on chartered airlines. The drugs include MDMA (ecstasy), Cannabis Resin (hashish) and Khat. The police are further alleging that this group used their employment as baggage handlers at the Airport to facilitate the movement of these drugs."

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Women for Schapelle: Schapelle Corby & The Cover Up

Women for Schapelle: Schapelle Corby & The Cover Up: "Federal police say 'it is a recognised criminal activity' for drug dealers to use innocent travellers as unsuspecting 'mules'. They have arrested baggage handlers at Sydney Airport for the offence. Drugs are inserted in luggage at one airport and a photograph of the target bag and its tag are emailed to the destination airport, where baggage handlers recover the drugs before the passenger collects the bag. Sydney Morning Herald March 5 2005"

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Mexican judge absolves reputed drug cartel 'queen' - Nation & World - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington

Mexican judge absolves reputed drug cartel 'queen' - Nation & World - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington: "Judge Fernando Cordova del Valle ruled that prosecutors failed to bring enough evidence against Sandra Avila Beltran, described by U.S. and Mexican officials as a major decision-maker for the Sinaloa gang, Mexico's most powerful cartel. The 'Queen of the Pacific' had been charged with organized crime, conspiracy to traffic drugs and money laundering.
Avila Beltran, who was arrested in September 2007 by more than 30 federal agents as she sipped coffee in a Mexico City diner, has faced a U.S. extradition request since November 2007.
The request relates to the 2001 seizure of more than 9 tons of U.S.-bound cocaine aboard a fishing vessel in the port of Manzanillo, along Mexico's west coast.
It was unclear if Avila, who remains in a Mexico City prison, still faces lesser charges or if the ruling Friday would affect the extradition process. The Attorney General's Office said it could not immediately comment.
Her boyfriend, Colombian Juan Diego Espinoza Ramirez, was also absolved in the same ruling. However, Espinoza was extradited to Florida in December 2008 on charges related to the cocaine shipment. Mexican law allows suspects to be extradited to the U.S. even while they are facing trial in the Mexico."

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Pearson employees charged in alleged drug-funnelling scheme | Posted Toronto | National Post

Pearson employees charged in alleged drug-funnelling scheme Posted Toronto National Post: "drug-smuggling ring involving five employees of Pearson International Airport and their connections in Jamaica and Greater Toronto has been dismantled, police announced Thursday.
The RCMP allege a variety of drugs — including ecstasy, hashish and khat, a stimulant plant — flowed in and out of the airport via chartered airlines. The Pearson staffers used their access to restricted areas of the airport to facilitate the importation and exportation, police said.
“The sheer size of Pearson airport means that it functions in a similar way to a small city, and like most small cities, it has its associated criminal element,” said Superintendent Rick Penney, who leads the RCMP’s GTA drug enforcement unit.
A total of 11 people have been charged in the scheme, including five employees of Pearson, two Jamaicans — one a police officer — and four of their Toronto associates, two of whom remained on outstanding warrants. Charges include conspiracy and importation and exportation of controlled substances."

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detained 18 military officials and two U.S. pilots after stopping a cocaine-laden airplane from taking off

18 Dominican military officials detained: "Authorities have detained 18 military officials and two U.S. pilots after stopping a cocaine-laden airplane from taking off, officials said Friday.
The small plane, a Short 360, was carrying 145 1-kilogram (2.2-pound) bricks of cocaine and was bound for Puerto Rico late Thursday, said Rolando Rosado Mateo, president of the National Drug Control Agency.
The officials detained include members of the drug control agency and airport security, along with a captain, three lieutenants and two lieutenant colonels.
He said agents also found $70,000 in cash inside a car that belongs to one official.
Rosado identified the pilots as Kevin Kuranz and Christopher Smith."

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Walid Makled-Garcia talks

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez should be very troubled that a man whom President Obama has branded one of the world's most significant drug kingpins, Walid Makled-Garcia, may soon be telling U.S. federal prosecutors everything he knows about senior Venezuelan officials who have abetted his cocaine smuggling operations. Makled-Garcia's devastating testimony comes on the heels of fresh evidence of Chávez's support for terrorist groups from Spain, Colombia, and the Middle East and his apparent illegal support for Iran's nuclear weapons program. Slowly but surely, Chávez is being unmasked as a mastermind of a criminal regime...

Based on the U.S. indictment, Colombian authorities arrested Makled-Garcia on August 18, and are currently considering a U.S. extradition request for the notorious suspect. In the meantime, in a jailhouse interview with Colombia's RCN TV last week, Makled-Garcia said he has enough evidence of high-level drug corruption—including videos and bank records—"for the U.S. to intervene and invade Venezuela, as with [Manuel Antonio] Noriega in Panama."

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Mexico hunting 12-year-old drug gang hitman | Reuters

Mexico hunting 12-year-old drug gang hitman | Reuters: "boy, known only as 'El Ponchis,' is believed to be working for the South Pacific cartel in Morelos state, outside Mexico City, and is one of a group of young teenagers who have already committed 'terrible acts,' Morelos State Prosecutor Pedro Luis Benitez told local radio.
'These minors are still not fully developed and so it is easy to influence them, to give them a gun, pretending it is plastic, that it is a game.'
Benitez did not name the boy or give more details, but when asked directly about the teenage hitmen he said: 'They're persuaded to carry out terrible acts; they don't realize what they are doing,' he added.
Mexican daily La Razon said the boy is being paid $3,000 for each murder and is under the command of a little-known drug lord who heads the South Pacific cartel fighting the Beltran Leyva and La Familia gangs for control in southwestern Mexico."

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Woman held over heroin seizure

The Press Association: Woman held over heroin seizure: "woman has been arrested after heroin with a street value of thousands of pounds was seized in a house, police said.
Police unearthed £45,000 worth of the drug when they searched a property in Braehead.
A 39-year-old is being held in custody in connection with the drugs recovery and is due to appear in court on Monday."

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Heroin packaging operation busted in NYC - UPI.com

Heroin packaging operation busted in NYC - UPI.com: "Police and federal narcotics agents in New York Friday announced a $6.5 million heroin bust at a Manhattan apartment building.
Four people were arrested and 13 kilograms (28 pounds) of heroin was seized in the operation Thursday that targeted an apartment on West 43rd Street where heroin was allegedly packaged in glassine envelopes for sale on the street.
'Piles of loose heroin and assorted drug packaging paraphernalia sat on tables where the defendants had been working assembly line-style,' the Drug Enforcement Administration said in a written statement. 'Several coffee grinders used to cut the drug with a diluting substance rested on the floor nearby.'"

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Alleged cocaine ring through Juarez includes baseball coach | kens5.com | San Antonio News, Weather, Sports, Traffic, Entertainment, Video and Photos

Alleged cocaine ring through Juarez includes baseball coach | kens5.com | San Antonio News, Weather, Sports, Traffic, Entertainment, Video and Photos: "cocaine ring bust has landed several people in jail, including a college baseball coach.
Investigators say the drugs have been making their way to Colorado every week, but arrests were made Tuesday in several states, including Texas.
Police say drug cartels were trafficking through Ciudad Juarez into Texas to get to Colorado.
But gang members weren't the only suspects. A baseball coach from Regis University in Denver is among those arrested.
Officials say about 20 kilograms of cocaine was being delivered into the Denver area each week.
Investigators are still tracking down other suspects."

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Three arrested in Antioch cocaine bust - San Jose Mercury News

Three arrested in Antioch cocaine bust - San Jose Mercury News: "police went to a hotel on West 10th Street after surveillance showed Ford had just met with two men there, Bias said. They stopped and arrested 39-year-old Martinez resident Timothy Davis and 25-year-old Pittsburg resident Johnny Denton as they were about to drive away.
'Our timing was just right,' Bias said.
Police found several ounces of cocaine, marijuana and Ecstasy in the car Davis and Denton were in, Bias said. He added that all three suspects have prior drug arrests. They were booked into County Jail in Martinez on suspicion of possessing cocaine for sale.
Ford also faces a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm after police found a handgun at one of the homes where he stayed.
'We've run into these guys before,' Bias said. 'It's a good accomplishment"

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NYC Postal Carrier Charged With Selling Cocaine « CBS New York – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY

NYC Postal Carrier Charged With Selling Cocaine « CBS New York – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY: "U.S. Postal Service carrier in New York has been arrested on charges that he sold cocaine while in uniform and driving his postal truck.
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Wednesday that 49-year-old Felix Soto was awaiting arraignment Thursday on charges of criminal sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy.
Information about his attorney was not immediately available. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Brown said that during a long-term narcotics investigation officials learned that Soto had taken possession of a drug package at a Bronx post office.
He said investigators observed Soto sitting in his postal truck on a Bronx street corner in July and handing a package containing half a million dollars worth of cocaine to another man."

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NBI probes politician’s alleged links to sale of P15-M cocaine - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

NBI probes politician’s alleged links to sale of P15-M cocaine - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos: "The National Bureau of Investigation is investigating the possible links between an “influential politician” and two men who were recently arrested in a drug buy-bust operation.
The two men were caught selling P15 million worth of cocaine, suspected to have been part of the 1,500-kilogram drugs shipment that illegal traffickers reportedly dumped in the sea off Samar province last December.
One of the arrested men was seen in an airport video footage leaving the country last July with Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson who was subsequently arrested in Hong Kong for illegal possession of drugs.
Ruel Lasala, the NBI deputy director for intelligence, told a press briefing Thursday that the agency was validating the information on the alleged links of the politician to the suspects: Arthur Olarte, 38, an importer and exporter, of Project 8, Quezon City; and Benjamin Liobing, who goes by the aliases “Benjamin Bocboc Yu,” and “Richardson Bondoc Ang,” 30, of Mandaluyong City."

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Border Patrol Seizes 1,150 Pounds Of Marijuana - Phoenix News Story - KPHO Phoenix

Border Patrol Seizes 1,150 Pounds Of Marijuana - Phoenix News Story - KPHO Phoenix: "U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have confiscated 1,150 pounds of marijuana hidden in vehicle tires at El Paso area ports between Monday and Thursday.
The drugs are worth an estimated $920,568, with one of the largest seizures made Tuesday morning on a car carrying 206 pounds of marijuana. Haro, a CBP drug-sniffing dog helped discover the drugs located in all four tires.
There were a total of 32 bundles if marijuana, and police arrested the driver, Kevin Ivan Andrade Mejia of Mexico, and turned him over to U.S. Immigration and Costumes Enforcement.
In addition to the drug seizures, CBP recorded 41 immigration violations between Nov. 5 and Nov. 7. Violations included illegal immigration, impostors and false documents.
A total of 10 fugitive apprehensions were also made during this period as well as six agricultural seizures."

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Trucker not guilty in $3.2-million cocaine case

Trucker not guilty in $3.2-million cocaine case: "Jaininder Singh Dusanjh was arrested Dec. 12, 2007, when he entered Canada at the Pacific Highway border crossing.
An officer with the Canadian Border Services Agency found the first of 83 one-kilogram bricks of cocaine wrapped in plastic. Officials estimated that the drugs were worth between $1.9 million and $3.2 million if sold at the kilogram level, with the value increasing substantially if sold at the gram level.
Dusanjh, 45 years old at the time of the trial, was charged with importing cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
He testified he picked up the lemons in California and said that he wasn't present while the fruit was being loaded into his vehicle and did not check the load."

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Salina police seize 105 lbs of cocaine from plane - kwch.com

Salina police seize 105 lbs of cocaine from plane - kwch.com: "Salina police sieze more than 100 pounds of cocaine from a private airplane at the Salina Municipal Airport.
According to our news partners with the Salina Jounal, police announecd the bust in late-September. The plane landed at the airport to refuel when the discovery was made.
The commander of the I-125/I-70 Drug Task Force Lt. Jim Norton says the cocaine has an estimated street value of more than $2 million.
Authorities turned over 105 pounds of cocaine, which were turned over to the DEA.
Norton says no arrests were made when the cocaine was first found, but that several people were arrested in Hollywood, California last week. One of the arrestees was a passenger on the plane that stopped in Salina."

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Pregnant woman in cocaine case granted bail | General News 2010-11-09

Pregnant woman in cocaine case granted bail | General News 2010-11-09: "pregnant woman among four persons arrested in connection with the 125 slabs of cocaine recently seized at the Tema Harbour was on Tuesday admitted to bail by the Fast Track High Court.
Kyerewaa Twum-Barimah was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢80,000 with two sureties, one to be justified.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Mustapha Habib Logo, asked that the sureties should be within the Accra-Tema area.
The court ruled that it had been established that Kyerewaa was six to seven months pregnant, hence she should be admitted to bail.
The state did not oppose the bail application but declined bail in respect of the three others saying investigations were continuing.
The three are Benjamin Armstrong, Anthony Wilson and Edward Kojo Arhin."

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Marine cops thwart bid to smuggle pangolins

Marine cops thwart bid to smuggle pangolins: "smuggling syndicate’s attempt to bring in 23 pangolins during a heavy storm here failed when a marine police team intercepted their car.
The syndicate was believed to have used a fast boat to bring the animals from Sumatra and landed near Parit Jamil Laut at about 3am yesterday.
Muar marine police base commanding officer Asst Supt Nordin Osman said a stake-out team headed by Insp Mohd Naser Marzuke spotted a blue Proton Iswara leaving Parit Jamil at about 9am and trailed the car."

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Crocodile smuggled into plane; how much more air security checks needed?

Crocodile smuggled into plane; how much more air security checks needed?: "live crocodile was smuggled in a passenger’s bag onto a plane departing from an airport in Congo.
While on the plane, the reptile escaped and imagine the chaos it caused in the small aircraft. The crew and passengers ran for the cockpit and this caused an imbalance which led to a crash near Bandundu. The incident killed 20 but there was a survivor. The crocodile survived only to be later, hacked to death by machete-wielding locals on the ground.
We had our own incident of reptiles springing out of a bag on a conveyor belt at KLIA while on transit to Indonesia not long ago. Till now, we wonder how the bag full of reptiles managed to board a flight from Penang to KLIA en route Indonesia."

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Sri Lankan caught smuggling over 2,000 diamonds in swallowed condoms

Channel 6 News » Sri Lankan caught smuggling over 2,000 diamonds in swallowed condoms: "Mohammed Shakif, 43, of Galle, Sri Lanka, was smuggling the precious stones in 42 condoms and had just arrived in Chennai, located in the southern region of India, when a team of suburban police acting on a tip off inquired him. According to the police the precious stones were worth between Rs. 1.5 crore ($337,357 dollars) and Rs. 3 crore ($674,715 dollars).
Shakif initially refused to answer, but he was taken to the police station and later to Chromepet Government Hospital at Guindy where an x-ray of his stomach was taken. The results forced Shakif to confess that he had been hired to smuggle the stones.
'Even during questioning, he could not sit comfortably and when questioned, he told the police that he was suffering from piles,' said Suburban Police commissioner, SR Jangid.
Security officials proceeded by giving Shakif bananas. The diamonds were then collected."

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Jailed drugs smuggler to miss birth of child - Hartlepool Mail

Jailed drugs smuggler to miss birth of child - Hartlepool Mail: "Glen Menzies, 32, was caught with 14 tablets of the heroin substitute Subutex and a wrap of heroin that he was trying to smuggle into Holme House Prison, Stockton.

He was jailed just four weeks before his partner is due to give birth to their child.

Teesside Crown Court was told Menzies was trying to smuggle the drugs by taping them to his body to give to a relative, who he claims had been bullied and threatened with being slashed.

Menzies claimed somebody else had packaged the drugs and he thought he was only carrying Subutex.

He insisted he knew nothing about the heroin, a claim that was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service, said prosecutor Richard Parsell."

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Human Smuggling Raid Under Way In West Phoenix - Valley News Story - KPHO Phoenix

Human Smuggling Raid Under Way In West Phoenix - Valley News Story - KPHO Phoenix: "early morning traffic stop by Phoenix Police linvestigators to raid a West Valley mobile home Friday afternoon. Illegal Immigration Apprehension Co-op Team (IIMPACT) investigators swarmed the mobile home suspected to be involved in a human smuggling operation.
The raid led detectives to eight men they believe to be illegal immigrants. As officers continued to search the mobile home, they discovered several semi-automatic handguns and assault rifles with ammunition. They also found ballistic vests designed to stop assault rifle fire and other police type equipment."

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Truck driver found not guilty of smuggling millions worth of cocaine

Truck driver found not guilty of smuggling millions worth of cocaine: "Balwinder Biring wore a smile as he left New Westminster court Friday after being found not guilty of smuggling millions of dollars worth of cocaine into Canada.
Biring, a truck driver, was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and importing cocaine after border officers found 137 kilograms of the drug in his tractor-trailer unit in February 2008.
The drugs, packaged in 138 bricks weighing approximately one kilogram each, were packed into duffel bags and suitcases and were hidden among boxes of celery. An RCMP expert estimated that at the time the drugs would have been worth between $3.3 million and $5.5 million."

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Former prison counselor guilty of smuggling - News - Progress-Index

Former prison counselor guilty of smuggling - News - Progress-Index: "Kevin John Erickson, 50, was found guilty by a federal jury of a single count of conspiracy to provide contraband to inmates, to accept bribes, and to commit assault and one count of soliciting a crime of violence, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Erickson was a correctional counselor at the Federal Correctional Complex in Petersburg. The evidence at trial established that Erickson allowed select inmates to charge other inmates for cell and bed assignments. Erickson also smuggled contraband in to the prison for two of these inmates, including a cell phone. In return, the inmates would carry out assaults on other inmates at Erickson's direction. Erickson also solicited an assault on an inmate Erickson feared was cooperating with the investigation, according to authorities. He also provided a set of barber's shears to another inmate to carry out that assault, though that inmate did not commit the assault."

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Anti-Narcotics Force nabs 8 in drug smuggling attempt – The Express Tribune

Anti-Narcotics Force nabs 8 in drug smuggling attempt – The Express Tribune: "Accoridng to Express 24/7 reporter Iftikhar Firdous, the passengers had heroin capsules stitched to their stomachs. Six of the passengers were arrested from a Jeddah bound flight, while two of their accomplices were arrested from the Hajji Camp. The arrested also confessed to running a drug smuggling operation.
All of the arrested have been shifted to the hospital for the removal of the tablets."

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Haj Pilgrims smuggling drugs are punishable by death in Saudi Arabia: Hamid Saeed | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

Haj Pilgrims smuggling drugs are punishable by death in Saudi Arabia: Hamid Saeed | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online: "Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs said Haj Pilgrims are instructed to be careful of drug smuggling as the offense is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.
Talking to private TV channel here on Saturday Hamid Saeed Kazmi said all Haj Pilgrims are instructed to be aware of drug smuggling as this offense is not only punishable by death in Saudi Arabia but also breaches the honor and prestige of Pakistan. However he added that our training of one week or 10 days bears no affect on those who are habitually involved in criminals activities
He said that drug smugglers arrested from Peshawar, who attempted to smuggle drug capsules were not deceived but they are professional criminals. He said that it is good that they have been arrested in Pakistan as if they would have been arrested in Saudi Arabia they would have been executed as per their law. He said such acts not only breach the country’s prestige, could have caused more hardships for Pakistani pilgrims and Saudi Arabia could have placed a ban on Pakistani pilgrims."

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The Press Association: Court officer admits smuggling drugs into prison

The Press Association: Court officer admits smuggling drugs into prison: "Alan Redmond, 25, passed contraband to prisoners over a four-year period while working at Inner London Crown Court, in Southwark, south London.
The former employee of private security firm Serco pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court, less than a mile from where he was responsible for escorting defendants to and from their hearings.
He was arrested on December 10 last year as he arrived for work, following a long-running investigation by the London Prison Anti-Corruption Team.
On Thursday, Redmond, of Trundleys Terrace, Deptford, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to smuggle prohibited items into prison and of misconduct while acting as a public officer.
Judge Michael Gledhill QC said: 'You have pleaded guilty to serious offences and the likely outcome of this is that the offences are so serious that they can only be dealt with by an immediate custodial sentence.'
The judge adjourned sentencing to a later hearing. Redmond was given bail on the condition that he surrendered his passport and would not attempt to leave the country"

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Human smuggling ship stopped in Thailand | Canada | News | Toronto Sun

Human smuggling ship stopped in Thailand | Canada | News | Toronto Sun: "More than 100 people were arrested Thursday in Thailand in a bust that local media and police in that country say is connected to human smuggling.
'We are aware that Thai authorities detained over 100 people who were apparently illegally in their country and who were apparently intending to come to Canada though a smuggling operation,' Immigration Minister Jason Kenney told QMI Agency.
In the summer, the government boosted its co-operation with Thailand and other countries in South Asia as the MV Sun Sea ship travelled toward Canada. The ship sailed to Canada from Thailand with nearly 500 ethnic Tamils from Sri Lanka seeking refugee status.
'Canada has increased its police and intelligence presence in the region,' Kenney said.
Just over two weeks ago, Thai police arrested 155 Sri Lankan nationals who were also believed to be headed for Canada aboard a human-smuggling ship.
The latest arrests come as Parliament debates Bill C-49, a piece of legislation unveiled last week that aims to crack down on human smuggling."

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Dixon woman faces drug smuggling charge in jail incident | News-Leader.com | Springfield News-Leader

Dixon woman faces drug smuggling charge in jail incident | News-Leader.com | Springfield News-Leader: "Lynn Paige Gann, 22, was arrested by St. Robert City Police and taken to the Pulaski County Jail.
While being booked into the Pulaski County Jail in April, a controlled substances was found on Gann, according to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s office."

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shot and killed late Monday night in his car west of Casa Grande in a case that the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office linked to drug smuggling.

TriValley Central: "man was shot and killed late Monday night in his car west of Casa Grande in a case that the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office linked to drug smuggling.

Robert Raya-Ortiz, 31, was found by deputies in a Dodge Stratus stopped in the middle of the road in the 26000 block of West Sherbundy Drive, near his home in a neighborhood south of the Francisco Grande Hotel & Golf Resort, a Sheriff’s Office report states"

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