
Mexico rescues 3,400 trafficked baby turtles
During a roadblock in the southern state of Chiapas, agents found the critters "in overcrowded conditions" in boxes in a vehicle whose driver was arrested on wildlife trafficking charges, the environmental protection prosecutor's office said in a statement.
The baby animals were freshwater Meso-American sliders, native to Mexico, Central America and Colombia.
They are protected in Mexico against overexploitation.
"The specimens were transported without documentation proving their legal origin, which constitutes a violation of environmental regulations," the prosecutor's office said.
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The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Mexico's Sheinbaum says no agreement exists with DEA on 'Project Portero'
FILE PHOTO: Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during a press conference in Mexico City, Mexico, July 14, 2025. REUTERS/Raquel Cunha/File Photo MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday said her government did not have an agreement with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration over an operation known as "Project Portero" after the DEA announced this project. The DEA on Monday said in a statement it was launching a "bold bilateral initiative" with Mexico aimed at dismantling drug smuggling corridors. "The DEA issued this statement, we do not know on what basis. We have not reached any agreement through any of the security agencies with the DEA," Sheinbaum told a morning press conference. "We do not know why they put out this statement." Sheinbaum said Mexico's foreign ministry had been working for several months with the U.S. State Department on a security coordination agreement, which was now "practically ready" and provided a framework for coordination initiatives. This agreement prioritizes sovereignty and "territorial respect, which is to say each of us operates in our own territory," she added. A group of civil protection police officers have also been participating in a workshop in Texas, Sheinbaum said. The DEA had introduced Project Portero as a "flag ship operation aimed at dismantling cartel 'gatekeepers,'" and a "major new initiative to strengthen collaboration between the United States and Mexico in the fight against cartels." The DEA said it launched a multi-week training program at one of its intelligence centers on the southwest border, bringing together Mexican investigators and U.S. defense officials and prosecutors who would identify joint targets and coordinate strategies. Some Latin American countries have a complicated relationship with the DEA and its interventions on Mexican soil have sometimes been criticized by the government as a violation of sovereignty. Earlier this year, Washington designated some Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, prompting Sheinbaum to say she would not accept foreign interventions or intrusions that violate Mexico's independence. (Reporting by Sarah Morland; Editing by Cassandra Garrison)


New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Govt files appeal against negligence ruling in Ivana Smit's case
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has filed a notice of appeal against the High Court's ruling that found the government and police negligent in their investigation into the death of Dutch model Ivana Esther Robert Smit. Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar confirmed the appeal when contacted today. "Yes, confirmed. We did file it yesterday," he said in a brief reply to the New Straits Times. Earlier today, in a statement released by the Smit family's lawyer, Datuk Sankara Nair, it was confirmed that the government, through the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC), filed a notice of appeal against the judgment delivered by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 29, in the civil action brought by Smit's mother, Christina Carolina Gerarda Johanna Verstappen, on behalf of herself and her late daughter. Sankara said the appeal was filed yesterday by the A-GC, on behalf of the inspector-general of police, investigating officer Faizal Abdullah, the home minister and the Malaysian government. "Our firm continues to act for Christina Verstappen in defending the High Court's decision, and we remain committed to ensuring that justice is pursued transparently and vigorously." On July 29, Christina Verstappen was awarded RM1.1 million in damages after the High Court ruled there was negligence by the police in handling the investigation into her daughter's death in 2017. Judge Roz Mawar Rozain ruled there were breaches in the duty of care by the authorities, including failures in crime scene management, evidence preservation and forensic procedures. Christina, who filed the suit as a plaintiff on Nov 20, 2020, had named the inspector-general of police, Faizal, the home minister and the government as defendants. Smit, who was at the home of American couple Alexander William Johnson and Laura Almazkyzy, was allegedly partying with the couple before she fell to her death. She fell from the 20th floor, and her naked body was found on a sixth-floor balcony at 10am. Smit, who had dual Dutch and Belgian citizenship, was the second runner-up in the Malaysia Supermodel Search 2014, when she was 15.


The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
US denies role in release of Israeli official accused in Nevada sex crime
WASHINGTON: The U.S. State Department said on Monday the American government played no role in the release of an Israeli official charged with soliciting sex electronically from a minor. Tom Artiom Alexandrovich was one of eight people charged last week following an undercover operation 'targeting child sex predators,' the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said in a statement issued last week. Alexandrovich faces a felony charge of luring or attempting to lure a child or mentally ill person to commit a sex act 'with use of computer technology,' according to Nevada State court records reviewed by Reuters. Israeli media said on Thursday Alexandrovich, who they described as a senior department head in Israel's National Cyber Directorate, was released by U.S. authorities and is back in Israel. Reuters could not establish why Alexandrovich was in the Las Vegas area, but at the time the city was hosting Black Hat, one of the cybersecurity industry's most prominent conferences. A representative for Black Hat said the conference did not share data on attendees. The report that an Israeli official accused of a felony sex crime was allowed to return home drew a storm of speculation online. Alexandrovich 'did not claim diplomatic immunity and was released by a state judge pending a court date. Any claims that the U.S. government intervened are false,' the State Department said Monday on the social media site X. BOND PAID The court records reviewed by Reuters show a $10,000 bond was posted in Alexandrovich's case at the Henderson Detention Center, southeast of Las Vegas, on August 7. Reuters could not immediately confirm Alexandrovich's whereabouts and could not immediately locate contact information for him. The records indicate he is due back in court on August 27. The Israeli Embassy in Washington and the Israeli Prime Minister's Office did not immediately return messages. Israeli media quoted the Prime Minister's Office as denying that Alexandrovich was arrested, saying only that a 'state employee' was 'questioned by American authorities during his stay' and he had 'returned to Israel as scheduled.' Reuters could not immediately ascertain the circumstances around Alexandrovich's arrest. The Las Vegas police statement credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Nevada Attorney General's office, the Henderson Police Department, the North Las Vegas Police, and the Department of Homeland Security with helping to pull off the undercover operation. The FBI referred Reuters to a statement from the Nevada U.S. Attorney's office, which in turn said the case was being prosecuted by the District Attorney's office in Clark County, Nevada, which includes Las Vegas and Henderson. The District Attorney's office did not immediately reply to an email requesting a comment. The Nevada Attorney General's office referred questions to the Henderson Police Department, which did not return messages seeking comment. The North Las Vegas Police referred questions to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, who did not return messages. The Department of Homeland Security did not reply to emails seeking comment. - Reuters