Topic: Drug Crimes
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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Briefing
Colombia - FARC peace talks: 4 things you need to know
Colombia has ample experience holding peace talks – though over the past 50 years, it’s seen little peace. But in early September, President Juan Manuel Santos announced peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Here are four things you need to know about the landmark peace process.
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5 countries where the death penalty is legal but rare
India’s Supreme Court sentenced the last surviving gunman of the 2008 attacks on Mumbai, to death. Here is a list of 5 countries where the death penalty is a legal possibility, though rare.
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How much do you know about Mexico? Take our quiz.
From Pre-Columbian civilization to the drug trafficking organizations of today, how much do you know about the United States' neighbor to the south?
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Briefing
Decriminalize marijuana? Four ways America's views of pot are changing
As polls show national opinion toward marijuana use steadily changing toward greater acceptance, laws are changing and ballot initiatives are coming before voters.
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Osama bin Laden papers: top 5 revelations
A new trove of letters seized during the Osama bin Laden raid paint an intimate picture of the inner workings and struggles of Al Qaeda, from its dabbling in the stock market to practices that would make any Mafia don proud.
All Content
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What a comparison of Chavez's and Calderon's wars on crime can teach
The leaders of Venezuela and Mexico have been fighting crime in similar ways. But differences in political agendas, cooperation with the US, and high-level corruption raise interesting questions.
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Arrest of money launderer 'Dolly' in Colombia is minimal blow to Sinaloa drug cartel
The arrest of the Colombian woman, accused of laundering money for the Mexican drug cartel, will do little to hamper a group that operates in as many as 50 countries, including the US.
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Opinion: Guatemala elections and drug cartels – also a risk for America
Drug cartels have a grip on Guatemala, harming that country and posing a risk to the US. September elections – and the government that emerges – need transparency and reform to free officials from the influence of cartels.
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Mexico blocks extradition to US of accused drug trafficker 'Queen of Pacific'
With her flashy outfits, posh tastes, and extensive criminal ties, Sandra Avila Beltran has become a media darling in Mexico and the US.
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The other side of Mexico's drug war successes
The government hailed a long list of recent arrests of drug lords and other criminals, but such events always seem to be paired with a setback or other negative development in the drug war.
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Drug-running submarine seized in the Caribbean – a Coast Guard first
$180 million worth of cocaine in a semisubmersible vessel was seized off Honduras two weeks ago, the Coast Guard said. It was the first such craft, until now used along the Pacific coast, to be spotted in the Caribbean.
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Colombia's criminal networks consolidate around two forces
Two major criminal networks have been extending their reach throughout Colombia. In Mexico. pressure from security forces has had the opposite effect, causing the criminal underworld to fragment.
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Mexican cartel leader claims gang buys all its guns in US
But while the captured crime boss's announcement is sure to fuel the debate over gun control in the US, there is reason to view it with skepticism.
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US and Mexico resolve trucking dispute, but how will it affect US roads?
Security experts differ on whether tractor-trailer truck safety breaches within Mexico will mean the problem will spill over into the United States.
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Mexico isn't in cahoots with Sinaloa drug cartel, says government
The latest in the Mexican government’s series of 'myth-busting' videos challenges the idea that authorities aren't doing enough to hunt down Joaquin Guzman, leader of the Sinaloa Cartel.
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Mexico nabs Zetas gang's No. 3 leader, but will it stop the cartel?
The arrest of Jesus Enrique Rejon Aguilar follows a series of recent drug-war gains by Mexico's government.
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Are Mexican drug cartels escalating attacks against US border officials?
Recent reports suggest that assaults on US officials on the Mexico border may have tripled since 2004, but a look at these 'attacks' shows that the danger they pose may be exaggerated.
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ELN rebel group makes a comeback in Colombia
Colombia's ELN rebel group, often forgotten, is on the rise thanks to a belated involvement in the drug trade and alliances with both the FARC and new narco-paramilitary groups.
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'Dramatic change' to marijuana laws? What bill before Congress would do.
A new bipartisan bill would remove marijuana from the company of heroin and cocaine in federal regulations, leaving it to the states to legalize pot – or not. Inter-state trafficking would remain a federal crime.
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US boosts funds to fight Central American drug crime
But even with more money, Central American countries still face an uphill battle in fighting inefficiency and corruption that hinder their anticrime efforts.
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Mexico's most powerful drug cartels
Mexico declared a major victory Tuesday when it arrested the leader of the La Familia drug gang and 50 of its members, calling the group finished after the arrests. But the deadly drug war in Mexico is far from over. Many experts expect the remaining La Familia members to join allied groups and for its territory to be absorbed by other traffickers. Here’s a look at Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels:
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Central American drug war, crime top agenda at regional summit
US Secretary of State Clinton and presidents from around Central America are convening in Guatemala City to determine ways to boost security and contain the sway of regional mafias.
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La Familia drug cartel defeated, says Mexico
La Familia leader, Jose de Jesus Mendez Vargas, has been arrested and Mexican authorities contend that the group's reign in the state of Michoacán has come to an end.
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How much damage did ATF's ill-fated gun-running sting do to war on drugs?
Fast and Furious, the Mexico gun-running sting gone bad, may cost the ATF's acting chief his job. A larger concern is that it may undermine efforts to stop the flow of US guns south.
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West Africa Rising: Heroin, cocaine traffickers find more buyers at home
European consumption of South America’s cocaine doubled in the decade. Much of that trade comes through Africa, leaving a trail of domestic users.
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Ending 40 years of drug war: the impact on Latin America
Today is the 40th anniversary of Nixon declaring a 'war on drugs.' Many Latin Americans are calling for an alternative strategy, but the short-term consequences could be dire for this region.
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Peru's next president urges vigilantes to fight drug trafficking
To improve the security of Peruvians in far-flung parts of the country, President-elect Ollanta Humala has pledged to 'protect and empower' citizen self-defense groups. Is that a good idea?
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Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 06/09
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Why Mexico's drug gangs target rehab centers
Mexico's drug gangs frequently target private, unlicensed rehabilitation centers, which have less security than government-licensed rehabilitation centers.
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Central America's elites must fund their own state security, expert says
Testimony at a recent US Senate hearing on US-Central American security cooperation showcased one of the region’s key problems: countries do not collect enough taxes to win the fight against organized crime.
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