On June 6 in port Everglades, Florida, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton offloaded about 26,000 pounds of seized cocaine and 1,500 pounds of seized marijuana. The cocaine is worth approximately $348 million, whereas the marijuana $1.6 million.
The EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) published a report on the increasing drug use in Europe, Norway and Turkey, highlighting that Europe’s cocaine market continues to grow, as cocaine enters Europe through numerous routes and means, but the growth in large-volume trafficking, through major ports, using containers, stands out.
Colombian authorities are very alert to drug related issues and frequently search vessels both onboard and underwater in response to intelligence reports. As such, the local P&I Consultants Pandi Colombia have provided some precautionary anti-narcotics guidelines for operators who trade in Colombia.
HMAS Ballarat, the Australian Navy frigate, seized more than 12.9 tonnes of hashish, 1.4 tonnes of heroin and a small amount of methyl amphetamines, with a combined worth of A$1.073 billion ($740 million). The hauls were seized in 10 separate seizure procedures; The last one took place on May 10, 2019.
Mr Kurt Cornelis, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, announced in a press conference that the EU decided to support the implementation of strategies in maritime, fisheries and illegal drug trafficking that are taking place in the Gulf of Guinea.
The crew of the US Coast Guard Cutter Bear offloaded about 14,000 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $12.5 million wholesale and 3,660 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $50 million wholesale, on April 18 at Port Everglades seized in international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Several US agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security take place in the effort to mitigate transnational organized crime.
Despite the fact that marijuana has become at least partially legal in 35 US states, the US Coast Guard says that dangerous drug use disrupts or destroys the careers of hundreds of professional mariners. This threatens safety throughout the maritime transportation system at the same time. Mariners must avoid using marijuana or any products derived from marijuana that may contain THC, such as CBD oil, USCG highlighted.
UK police has arrested a total of twelve people in Madeira on 24 March, as part of an investigation into drug smuggling on a cruise ship. The twelve individuals were detained after the cruise ship MSC Opera arrived into Funchal from the Caribbean.
Agents from US Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations facilitated the seizure of over three tons of drugs in late March 2019. Namely, a Navy ship discovered 6,100 pounds of marijuana destined for the US, on board a panga-style vessel off the coast of Central America. The US Coast Guard and Navy teams seized the narcotics and sank the vessel as a danger to navigation.
A multi-agency examination of imported shipping containers, led by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), netted 1,185 pounds of cocaine at the Port of Philadelphia, Tuesday.
