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Caribbean-Latin America |
Drug bust nets DEA three islands, 52 tons of cocaine, and more |
2006-05-18 |
An international team of drug investigators seized 52 tons of cocaine and three islands off Panama in breaking up an alleged drug-trafficking ring. Drug law enforcement officers from the United States, Brazil, Colombia and Panama participated in the 3-year investigation that concluded Tuesday with the arrests of more than 100 people and the seizure of some $70 million in assets in addition to the cocaine and islands. The operation broke up the Pablo RAYO-Montano drug trafficking organization, which is alleged to have smuggled more than 15 tons of cocaine a month from Colombia to the United States and Europe. DEA Administrator Karen Tandy said, "The RAYO-Montano organization had its own private, rogue navy to run a drug business that was nearly as sophisticated as a small nation." U.S. federal indictments in the case were returned in Florida and Washington, charging members of the RAYO-Montano operation with money laundering and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, those charged could be sentenced to life in prison. |
Posted by:trailing wife |
#13 Wanna bet you'll never see pics of this stuff being destroyed? It will just disappear....and resurface. |
Posted by: borgboy 2006-05-18 16:54 |
#12 They might be able to make a movie about this one. |
Posted by: Mike N. 2006-05-18 14:00 |
#11 ...breaking up an alleged drug-trafficking ring. I like the "allege" |
Posted by: SwissTex 2006-05-18 11:20 |
#10 OK, nevermind, I did it myself (god I hate math). Street value roughly $807,000,000. |
Posted by: mcsegeek1 2006-05-18 11:12 |
#9 What great news! I bet the FARC is in the middle of contingency management wondering how they will finance their war. Hope this hurts. |
Posted by: 49 Pan 2006-05-18 11:06 |
#8 You don't want those islands. The whole area is pirate city. |
Posted by: mojo 2006-05-18 11:01 |
#7 wouldn't want to do that Nimble, corn starch is fattening. |
Posted by: RD 2006-05-18 10:45 |
#6 Don't forget to cut it with cornstarch at retail. |
Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-05-18 10:38 |
#5 52 Tons. Apparently the street price right now is about $170 per gram. Somebody do the math. |
Posted by: mcsegeek1 2006-05-18 10:31 |
#4 52 tons of coke?! Either the street price skyrockets, it doesn't make it to the evidence locker, we are even more behind in the war on drugs than I suspected or all three. |
Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-05-18 10:05 |
#3 :) |
Posted by: wxjames 2006-05-18 09:52 |
#2 52 tons of coke and 3 islands. Sounds like paradise. In other news, police in Iowa seized 320 tons of soybeans and corn and 500,000 acres of farmland. |
Posted by: Perfesser 2006-05-18 09:32 |
#1 So whose DEA will be selling these upgraded islands? |
Posted by: 3dc 2006-05-18 09:32 |