Smugglers Worldwide

Smuggling Mastermind Caught After 30 Years As Fugitive

2011-01-16T12:01:00+00:00

Smuggling Mastermind Caught After 30 Years As Fugitive: "After spending three decades on America's Most Wanted list, Ian Jackson MacDonald had three words for US Marshals when they caught him this week: 'You got me.'

Macdonald, also known as 'Big Mac' was arrested in 1980 and accused of masterminding a drug smuggling ring, the Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

But before he could stand trial, the alleged criminal mastermind faked a heart attack and escaped. Macdonald eventually moved to Pennsylvania, where he lived quietly under the assumed name of Jack Hunter, according to the newspaper.

That is, until, a cold case unit in Miami was assigned to his case late last year."

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Woman arrested in cocaine swoop - News - Warwick Courier

2011-01-09T20:58:00+00:00

Woman arrested in cocaine swoop - News - Warwick Courier: "Suspected cocaine has been found hidden in a vase by UK Border Agency officers and police in Belfast.

The earthenware container with the suspected class A drug was posted in South America and discovered at an address in the north of the city.

The drug weighed 1.3kg with an estimated street value of up to £250,000 and was hidden in a false base in the vase which had been filled with expanding foam.

A woman, 28, was arrested at the address and inquiries are continuing.

Maggie Eyden, UKBA assistant director in Northern Ireland, said: 'Our officers are on constant alert to keep drugs and other banned substances out of the UK."

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£250k taken off jailed drug baron Samir Dahou - Chronicle News - News - ChronicleLive

2011-01-09T20:55:00+00:00

£250k taken off jailed drug baron Samir Dahou - Chronicle News - News - ChronicleLive: "DRUGS baron jailed after one of Tyneside police’s biggest ever narcotics operations has had quarter of a million pounds of his dirty cash confiscated.

Samir Dahou supplied huge amounts of heroin to a global trafficking gang, operating from Tyneside, who made millions of pounds selling drugs.

But the dealers were eventually snared when Northumbria Police launched Operation Verona, in 2007, to bring them to their knees.

Dahou, who was jailed for 14 years for his role in the multi-million pound conspiracy, has now been stripped of the money he made."

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Cannabis found hidden in painting of Emmanuel Adebayor | World news | guardian.co.uk

2011-01-06T17:05:00+00:00

Cannabis found hidden in painting of Emmanuel Adebayor | World news | guardian.co.uk: "Drug smugglers tried to bring cannabis worth almost £3,000 into the UK hidden in a painting of the footballer Emmanuel Adebayor, the UK Border Agency said today.

The wooden-framed picture was seized as it passed through a postal depot in Coventry from the footballer's native Togo.

The painting of the former Arsenal star now at Manchester City was addressed to a home in Tottenham, the team's north London rival.

Details of the ploy and several others were revealed by the agency to highlight the methods used by drug traffickers.

Officials intercepted drugs hidden in bottles of Baileys liqueur, woven baskets, packets of peanuts and yams that had been opened and glued back together."

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China and Spain: A brighter future through win-win cooperation

2011-01-03T11:23:00+00:00

China and Spain: A brighter future through win-win cooperation: "'China and Spain: A brighter future through win-win cooperation', published by the Spain's newspaper 'ElPaís', was written by Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang.

I am about to head a Chinese delegation to Europe in this thick New Year atmosphere. I will start my trip from Spain, a country I admire for its long history and modern development, a country I feel close at heart though it is far away from China. I will use this opportunity to bring to the Spanish people the friendship of the Chinese people and China’s sincere desire to increase cooperation with Spain.

China has 1.3 billion people. It is the biggest developing country on earth. After over 30 years of reform and opening-up, China has achieved remarkable success in economic and social development. China’s GDP has grown by an annual average of 9.9%, and the Chinese economy is one of the largest in the world."

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Judge in Dewani murder dodgy: report - Times LIVE

2011-01-03T11:19:00+00:00

Judge in Dewani murder dodgy: report - Times LIVE: "Akta Raja, the cousin of the British honeymoon murder accused, told the Telegraph in the UK that Judge John Hlophe was a controversial figure and questioned whether it would be a fair trial.

Hlophe has been at the centre of a series of controversies since being appointed president of the Western Cape High Court in 2000.

Last month, he sentenced Zola Tongo, the taxi driver hired by Dewani, to a reduced jail term of 18 years after accepting a plea bargain.

Tongo, in a signed confession, accused Dewani of arranging the hit on his wife, Anni.

Dewani, 31, from Bristol, is due to appear in a British court for a preliminary extradition hearing on January 20."

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Iran hangs seven convicted drug smugglers | World | Reuters

2011-01-03T11:16:00+00:00

Iran hangs seven convicted drug smugglers | World | Reuters: "Iran hanged seven men on Monday for smuggling drugs, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The convicted men were executed inside a prison in the western province of Kermanshah. 'They had procured and distributed narcotics ranging from 5 kg (11 lb) of heroin to 100 kg (220 lb) of synthetic crack,' said prosecutor Mojtaba Maleki.

According to a law passed by parliament in December, procurement and distribution of more than 30 g (1.06 oz) of drugs is punishable by death. State media on Saturday reported the execution of eight other drug smugglers in the holy Shi'ite city of Qom."

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6 plead guilty to charges federal cocaine-trafficking case - WREG

2010-12-30T15:07:00+00:00

6 plead guilty to charges federal cocaine-trafficking case - WREG: "Six people have pleaded guilty in a federal cocaine-trafficking case.

The Sun Herald reports the case involved transport of about 44 pounds of cocaine from Illinois to Jackson County, where some of the cocaine was later seized.

Prosecutors said the suspects drove in two vehicles to Chicago in April 2009 to make the pickup. They said the group expected to pick up five kilos of cocaine but once there, learned it was 20 kilos and bought a larger suitcase to take it back to Mississippi."

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Trio of Royal Caribbean Crewmembers Charged With Smuggling Heroin and Cocaine - Royal Caribbean International

2010-12-30T15:03:00+00:00

Trio of Royal Caribbean Crewmembers Charged With Smuggling Heroin and Cocaine - Royal Caribbean International: "crewmembers from Royal Caribbean's Charm City-based Enchantment of the Seas were charged on Tuesday in connection with another sort of white powder.

The Baltimore Sun is reporting that three employees of the cruise line -- 35-year-old Gavin Excell and John Swart Garth and Kishurn Neptune, both 27 -- tried to smuggle 700 grams of heroin and 300 grams of cocaine from the Dominican Republic into Baltimore. Citing U.S. Homeland Security documents, the Sun reports that the drugs were found hidden in Excell's waistband and shoes on December 18, the day Enchantment arrived in Baltimore.

According to the documents, the three men had planned to deliver the drugs at the Port Covington Walmart, near the cruise terminal, to Loxly Johnson and Shenika Nicole Graves, who reportedly drove to Baltimore from Virginia.

In a statement, Royal Caribbean noted that customs officials were notified by the ship's security officer about potential illegal activity. The release adds that the 'line cooperated fully with authorities during this investigation and will continue providing any assistance necessary to prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent of the law.'"

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Looking for cocaine? Check the Easter egg candies | The Journal Gazette | Fort Wayne, IN

2010-12-30T15:01:00+00:00

Looking for cocaine? Check the Easter egg candies | The Journal Gazette | Fort Wayne, IN: "Federal authorities say a Miami man was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport, trying to smuggle cocaine concealed inside phony Easter eggs.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said that 23-year-old Esteban Galtes was arrested last week night after officers searched his luggage and found more than 14 pounds of cocaine, much of it camouflaged as egg-shaped candies. He had been returning from a weeklong trip to Colombia.

The rest of the stash allegedly was hidden in a paper shopping bag. Galtes allegedly claimed the eggs were for his two children.

Galtes was being held for investigation of importation of a controlled substance."

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Cocaine hidden in rice bags - Crime & Courts - IOL | Breaking News | South Africa News | World News | Sport | Business | Entertainment | IOL.co.za

2010-12-30T14:50:00+00:00

Cocaine hidden in rice bags - Crime & Courts - IOL | Breaking News | South Africa News | World News | Sport | Business | Entertainment | IOL.co.za: "Details of how a consignment of 312kg of cocaine, hidden among bags of rice in a container, was intercepted in Durban harbour emerged during a bail application by six suspects yesterday.

The suspects, allegedly part of an international drug-smuggling syndicate arrested earlier this month, appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court.

They are British citizen Nitin Patel, Mozambicans Jose Rodrigues, Ben Nuvunga and Cassmo Haramate, Peter Fernando, a dual citizen of South Africa and Sri Lanka, and South African Jabar Sheik.

Their arrest came after the seizure of drugs with a street value of R316-million. It followed an eight-month joint investigation by members of the Pietermaritzburg Hawks, Pretoria crime intelligence and authorities from Canada, Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates."

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Coast Guard seizes $48M in cocaine on speedboat - Florida AP - MiamiHerald.com

2010-12-30T14:24:00+00:00

Coast Guard seizes $48M in cocaine on speedboat - Florida AP - MiamiHerald.com: "Key West-based Coast Guard cutter has seized an estimated $48 million in cocaine after stopping a speedboat off the coast of Panama.

The 62 bales of cocaine seized by the cutter Thetis were unloaded Wednesday at the Coast Guard's Miami Beach station. The bales weighed about 3,400 pounds.

Coast Guard officials say the speedboat was intercepted Dec. 17 about 160 miles from Colon, Panama. Aircraft from two other federal agencies took part in the stop.

Three suspected cocaine smugglers aboard the boat were taken into custody and will be prosecuted in Miami."

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Oklahoma Man Arrested At Airport Says Heroin Was Pain Reliever - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

2010-12-30T14:20:00+00:00

Oklahoma Man Arrested At Airport Says Heroin Was Pain Reliever - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |: "53-year-old man from Delaware County said $50,000 worth of heroin found during a customs inspection at Detroit Metropolitan Airport was intended as a pain reliever for his ailing grandmother.

Federal authorities say Steven Patong Thao was arrested after arriving about noon Sunday on a flight that originated in Laos and stopped in Narita, Japan.

Thao was caught transporting two pill bottles containing 490 heroin capsules. Thao said he had a prescription for the illegal drugs, then said his nephew bought them in Laos and were intended for his diabetes and high blood pressure. Authorities say both stories were false.

Thao was released on $10,000 bond and is headed back to Oklahoma."

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Man caught with 50K worth of heroin claims it was for his grandma

2010-12-30T14:17:00+00:00

Man caught with 50K worth of heroin claims it was for his grandma: "Stevan Patong Thao, 53, of Oklahoma had two pill bottles with 490 capsules of heroin in his luggage as he flew into Detroit Metro Airport around noon Sunday. He flew in from Narita, Japan with his trip originating from Laos and was heading for Oklahoma.
At his hearing Tuesday he first told authorities he had a prescription for the capsules. heraldsun.com.au quotes Thao saying he was 'required to consume 12 capsules daily' for treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes."

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American who flew from Dominican city busted with heroin - DominicanToday.com

2010-12-30T14:14:00+00:00

American who flew from Dominican city busted with heroin - DominicanToday.com: "Ronny Rincon-Pineyro, 27, arrived Saturday at the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport on board American Eagle flight, presenting himself for inspection by CBP.

Mr. Rincon-Pineyro was referred to secondary inspection, where he was further interviewed by CBP officers.

During the course of the interview by CBP Officers, Mr. Rincon-Pineyro admitted that he had swallowed narcotics pellets but did not know how many or what they contained.

The defendant was transported to a medical facility where an X-ray was taken by a certified technician who verified the presence of foreign objects the digestive tract."

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Leaking heroin capsule leads to man's arrest - Broward - MiamiHerald.com

2010-12-30T14:05:00+00:00

Leaking heroin capsule leads to man's arrest - Broward - MiamiHerald.com: "Hernando Estupinan-Hernandez's alleged plan to smuggle the drug into the United States backfired after stomach pains led him to suspect a capsule had ruptured inside him, officials said. He called for an ambulance, and was taken to Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.

Hernandez, 45, survived and was charged with trafficking of heroin."

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Dubai Police bust international drug gang - Emirates24|7

2010-12-29T12:17:00+00:00

Dubai Police bust international drug gang - Emirates24|7: "Dubai Police bust an international drug smuggling gang of five people and confiscated about 60 kilograms of drugs worth Dh600,000.

The general department of Anti-Narcotics, Dubai Police, arrested two members of the gang, both GCC nationals, and alerted Interpol to arrest the others, believed to be Asians.

Major-General Abdul Jalil Mahdhi Al Asmawi, Director-General, Department of Anti-Narcotics, said during a press conference held on Monday that the operation is dubbed 'the eagerness of poet'.

Al Asmawi said one of the gang members is a poet and added that the arrest of two is a major blow to drug dealers and traffickers not only in the UAE but also in the region. It was the excellent teamwork by Dubai Police and Anti-Narcotics Department that led to the successful capture of the two peddlers.

He said the department received an information about a GCC national with a criminal past who was into drugs and was peddling drugs in the emirate."

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Dubai Police bust international drug gang - Emirates24|7

2010-12-29T12:17:00+00:00

Mountjoy prison guard arrested for drug smuggling

2010-12-26T11:07:00+00:00

Mountjoy prison guard arrested for drug smuggling: "39-year-old was taken into custody on his way to work this morning – stopped at the search entrance of the prison.

He was found to be in possession of a large quantity of drugs, some of which was found strapped to his leg.

This included 1lb of cannabis, as well as quantities of skunk, cocaine, heroin and prescription drugs.

In a statement, the Irish Prison service said that 'it is determined to clamp down on all avenues of drug trafficking into the prison."

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Corby celebrates Christmas with joy | The Jakarta Post

2010-12-26T11:05:00+00:00

Corby celebrates Christmas with joy | The Jakarta Post: "Schapelle Leigh Corby, the Australian citizen drug smuggling convict in Bali, celebrated Christmas cheerfully with visitors in Kerobokan Penitentiary Saturday.
According to kompas.com, visitors started flooding the penitentiary on that day. Corby, who was wearing a black top and skirt and a black hat, laughed while chatting with those who visited her.
“We give visitors a chance on Christmas to gather with their families who are convicts or detainees,” warden Siswanto said.
He said that on Christmas Eve mass, held in the penitentiary’s main hall, Corby, along with another drug smuggler convict Renae Lawrance, mingled with 149 other convicts celebrating the holiday, until late night.
Corby is serving 20 years in prison for attempted smuggle of over 4 kilograms of marijuana."

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