WAR ON DRUGS

JANUARY 2002:

• 9.1.2002. Pakistani police confiscated 600 kg of heroin near Iran border. In a firefight 1 smuggler was killed and 1 wounded.
• 1.2.2002. Lebanon police caught 2500 kg of hashis in a large operation.
• 5.2.2002. China and Burma conducted a joint operation capturing a heroin smuggling ring arresting 21 persons. One important member of the organisation was killed during the operation. 673 kg of heroin was confiscated.
• 17.2.2002. In Netherlands Antilles police caught 100 kg of cocaine.
• 20.2.2002. Panama customs caught 1600 kg of cocaine being smuggled from Colombia.
• 6.3.2002. In Spain police caught a drug-ring arresting 12 persons and confiscating 600 kg of cocaine.
• 10.3.2002. In Mexico the police arrested one of the most wanted drug barons in the country.
• 14.3.2002. Finnish customs made one of it`s biggest hashis-confiscations in Hanko, and took 75 kg of drugs.
• 17.3.2002. Colombian police raided a drug lab in the area just reoccupied by the army. At least 7 tons of cocaine being processed was taken and destroyed.l
• 25.3.2002. Australian police confiscated 400 kg of heroine.
• 28.3.2002. Mexican police captured a right-hand man of an important drug baron.
• 1.4.2002. Turkis police caught 6750 kg of heroine. This is more than Turkey has confiscated in all during 5 years. This was apparently the biggest heroine confiscation ever in the world, and shows that Turkey is an important route for drugs to enter Europe.
• 24.4.2002. Iran caught 4 tons of cocaine on Afghanistan border, which is still the major haven of drug production. A firefight was fought during the operation. Several smugglers were killed and 2 arrested. Last week police killed 1 smuggler on Afghanistan border and caught 750 kg of opium.
• 30.4.2002. Iran caught 500 kg of morphine near Afghanista border and killed 6 smugglers in a firefight.
• 13.5.2002. A drug gang attacked a police station and a policemen protecting a fiesta in northern Mexico. 11 people were killed, including 2 police. 8 persons were wounded.
• 23.5.2002. Police made the largest ever drug confiscation in New York. 1900 kg of cocaine was taken and 5 persons arrested.
• A big drug confiscation in Britain. Total of 247 kg of cocaine and heroine was taken and 5 persons arrested in a police operation.
• 9.6.2002. In northern Mexico army and drug gang fought. 2 soldiers were killed and 1 wounded. Also 2 criminals were killed. Army was conducting an operation to search for drugs.
• 11.6.2002. DEA caught a drug-ring in Puerto Rico arresting 11 persons and confiscating 9 million dollars of money.
• 13.6.2002. Colombian police and DEA (Drug-Enforcement-Agency), after a long operation, broke a heroine smuggling gang arresting 26 persons in both countries. 46 kg of heroine, 21 kg of cocaine and 500 000 dollars were confiscated.
• 13.6.2002. In Memphis, USA, a drug deal went wrong and a general firing followed with 8 bystanders wounded.
• 13.6.2002. In a drug related incident in Houston, USA, 5 gunmen broke into an apartment and when police arrived they took hostages. Police rushed the apartment. In a firefight 1 police and 2 gunmen were killed. 2 persons were wounded and 2 gunmen arrested.
• 14.6.2002. French Navy caught 5 tonns of cocaine off the east coast of Africa.
• 15.6.2002. U.S.Customs caught a money-laundering ring and arrested 2 persons in San Diego. About 1 million dollars was confiscated, as well as 638 paunds of cocaine.
• 18.6.2002. Surinam police arrested an important FARC leader in connection with drug smuggling and handed him over to DEA.
• 19.6.2002. Iran police confiscated over a tonn of opium near Afghanistan border and after a firefight arrested 2 smugglers.
• 27.6.2002. U.S.Customs arrested 2 man for money-laundering and confiscated 15.8 million dollars.
• 12.7.2002. HIFCA caught a drug-gang in Puerto Rico and California. HIFCA is the U.S.government agency operating against money-laundering. 15 persons were arrested.
• 14.7.2002. Russian borderguards in Tadzikistan – Afghanistan border ambushed a caravan carrying drugs. 215 kg of heroine was confiscated. 4 smugglers were killed in a firefight.
• 14.7.2002. In Canada police finished a long operation by arresting 17 persons and confiscating 268 kg of cocaine.
• 18.7.2002. In England police found the largest ever Amfetamine-laboratory in Sussex. It was capable of producing 20 kg of drugs per week. 3 person were arrested.
• 19.7.2002. Police plane in Carolina, USA, crashed while searching for drug-fields. 3 policemen were killed.
• 23.7.2002. In Ireland customs made the biggest drug-confiscation of the country. In Dublin 6 tonns of kannabis was found, worth 15 million euros.
• 24.7.2002. Drug-bust went wrong in Baltimore, USA. Suspect shot a police who was mortally wounded.
• 25.7.2002. Destroyer HMS Newscastle, in a drug-enforcement mission in West-Indies, caught a drug-shipment near St.Vincent, confiscating 550 paunds of cocaine.
• 26.7.2002. Destroyer HMS Newcastle, in a drug-enforcement mission in West-Indies, made a cocaine confiscation again, taking cocaine worth 50 million euros.
• 29.7.2002. In Northern Mexico Arellano-Felix drug cartell and Zamboda cartell are fighting over drug-routes. In this month in Tijuana and Mexical already 11 persons have been killed in relation to this drug war. Most recent killing was the murder of the local Mexican security service chief in Tijuana.
• Curacao police raided a factory where cocaine was packed to be smuggled to Europe. 10 persons were arrested and 8 kg of cocaine confiscated. In last week the most ranking custom official of Curacao was shot and seriously wounded in a drug-related hit.
• 2.8.2002. U.S.Customs caught 7500 paunds of marijuana from a truck in Mexico-California border, worth 3,4 million euros.
• 4.8.2002. U.S.Customs raided a cargo-ship near Miami and confiscated 3618 paunds od cocaine, worth 32 million euros.
• 5.8.2002. Colombia police special units were burning coca-fields and clashed with FARC. A few soldiers were wounded. While evacuating them a chopper malfunctioned and crashed, killing 6 soldiers.
• 6.8.2002. DEA busted a drug-ring in El Paso. 17 persons were arrested and 25 000 paunds of marijuana confiscated.
• 7.8.2002. West Virginia police operated for three weeks seeking and destroying marijuana-fields, destroying marijuana worth 23,5 milllion euros.
• 7.8.2002. State of Georgia police caught 108 kg of cocaine from a car searched by accident in a gas-station.
• A few important drug barons from Mexico. Arellano-Felix cartell is now controlled by Francisco Javier Arellano-Felix, with his brother Eduardo. They are actively trying to end the fighting with others and emphasize co-operation. Juan Esparroga is the important middleman between cartells, and most important advisor of Carillo Fuentes. Vicente Carillo Fuentes leads the Ciudad Juarez cartell, which has been in a state of chaos after his brother Amado died in 1997. Ismael Zambada is the most important rival of Arellano-Felix cartell and is at war with them. Zambada is closely allied with Carillo Fuentes. Osiel Cardenas leads a cartell operating on Mexican Gulf. He also is a allied with Fuentes.
• 8.8.2002. DEA after a 2 years of investigation busted a drug-ring in California arresting 57 persons. 33 pounds of metamfetamine was confiscated, as well as 30 000 tablets of ecstasy, a lot of property and guns, and 800 000 dollars.
• 11.8.2002. In California police has destroyed drug-fields and confiscated marijuana worth 32 million euros.
• 12.8.2002. US Customs caught 80 paunds of drugs in Texas, worth 1,2 million dollars.
• 15.8.2002. Kanadian police confiscated 26 kg of kannabis, worth 230 000 dollars.
• 17.8.2002. DEA reports the purity of cocaine coming from Colombia has dropped 7% since 1998. This is taken as a slight success in the war against drugs.
• 17.8.2002. An armed park ranger was shot and killed near Arizona-Mexico border by drug-smugglers.
• 18.8.2002. In western Mexico gunmen executed 8 men and 1 woman in a ranch. This was drug-war related execution.
• 2.9.2002. In Curarao a fierce drug-war is taking place. In this year assassins hired from Colombia have already murdered 28 people. Yesterday one colombian was arrested after a firefight which left 2 policemen and the suspect wounded. In year 2000 380 paunds of drugs were confiscated in Curacao, in 2001 already 1490 paunds and in this year already as much as in 2001.
• 3.9.2002. In northern Mexico in a drug-related incident assassins shot dead a former police-chief.
• 3.9.2002. Columbian police captured and arrested an important drug-smuggling organiser.
• 15.9.2002. Colombian coastal guard caught 4 tonns of cocaine from a small ship.
• 20.9.2002. Police in Scotland caught heroine worth 1.3 million pounds in Aberdeen. Last week another big confiscation was made worth 1 million pounds.
• Police in Kopenhamn, Denmark, confiscated almost 1000 kg of hashis from a truck, worth 6.7 million euros.
• 26.9.2002. Brooklyn police caught a drug-selling gang arresting 45 persons, who were for instance responsible for 3 murders in half a year.
• 10.10.2002. British HMS Grafton caugh a small ship smuggling 750 kg of cocainen near Venezuela coast.
• 14.10.2002. In a joint DEA and Columbia police operation important drug-baron Padilla-Padilla and 13 of his henchmen were arrested. Police also confiscated 1.2 million euros.