Latest news with #drugsmuggling
Irish Times
a day ago
- Irish Times
Inflatable boat tried to make rendezvous with ship at sea in bid to import drugs, court hears
A rigid inflatable boat tried and failed to 'rendezvous' with a ship off the south coast in an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of drugs into the country, the Special Criminal Court heard. A number of vehicles were later intercepted by gardaí at Tragumna Pier in Cork following a tip off from a member of the public, judges were told. Ten men were arrested by gardaí in March last year during operations in the villages of Tragumna and Leap near Skibbereen, Co Cork, where a jeep, camper van, articulated truck and rigid inflatable boat were seized as part of the suspected drug smuggling operation. After gardaí intercepted the vehicles they discovered a large quantity of nautical equipment including satellite phones, GPS devices, radios and control panels and wetsuits. READ MORE The non-jury court heard that the ship the rigid inflatable boat (RIB) was attempting to 'rendezvous' with had passed an area in Denmark in mid-March. Eight-hundred-and-forty kilogrammes of cocaine valued at €58 million to €59 million was later found washed up in the area. Five men have previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to import drugs. They are: Mario Angel Del Rio Sanz (45), of no fixed abode but from Spain; Anuar Rahui Chairi (42), of Malaga, Spain; Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso (56), of no fixed address, Spain; Aleksandar Milic (27) with an address in Belgrade, Serbia; and Kiumaars Ghabiri (52) with an address in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. At the court on Monday two co-accused – Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega (36) of Cadiz and Angel Serran Padilla (40) of Malaga, both Spain, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring to import drugs. Inspector Joseph Young told the court how on Tuesday, February 27th, 2024, gardaí were conducting a checkpoint at Gully in Bandon, Co Cork, and stopped two men – an Irish national and a foreign national – in a car. Gardaí noted the men were 'nervous' and 'evasive' and decided to carry out a search, which led to the two men being brought to Bandon Garda station. During the search, a notepad was found in the vehicle with co-ordinates for Dromadoon Pier and Rosscarbery Pier as well as details for six Airbnb and rental properties. On March 12th, 2024, gardaí received confidential information about suspicious activity at Tragumna pier. A member of the public observed what he believed to be suspicious activity when he saw an articulated truck reversing down and a camper van and other vehicles including a black Land Rover and a white transit van about 50 metres away. A monitoring operation was put in place. Two days later, shortly after midnight, the campervan was observed leaving an Airbnb rental near Leap and entering the Tragumna area. At around 5am the Land Rover and articulated truck also appeared at the slipway at Tragumna and 10 minutes later a black rigid inflatable boat (RIB) was observed. The people from the RIB and those on the pier who had alighted from the three vehicles interacted and a number of holdall bags were transferred from the RIB to the pier. At 7.20am, five of the defendants – Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, Aleksander Milic, Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, Angel Serran Padilla and Anuar Rahui Chairi – and one other man were detained, and the white camper van was seized. A further intervention took place at the pier where the articulated truck and trailer and the black Land Rover were still in place and a number of arrests were made at that location also. Insp Young said the investigation team's belief was that a 'rendezvous' or what is known as a 'sea drop off' would occur. The sentencing hearing continues on Tuesday. Earlier on Monday, counsel for three other co-accused – Ali Ghasemi Mazidi (50), with an address in the Netherlands; Sean Curran (37), with an address at Carrickyheenan, Aughnacloy, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh; and Raul Tabares Garcia (48), of Cadiz, Spain – said their clients were seeking trial dates. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor said the court would list the matter for mention on July 28th.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Dark threat that's hidden in the woods has been festering at America's front door... now the country's at breaking point
For decades, the 5,525-mile US-Canada border has been lauded as the most peaceful frontier on the planet. But recent months have shattered that calm with a terrifying wave of immigration crises, drug smuggling, and diplomatic friction between the long-standing allies.
Medscape
2 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Airport Drug Mules: What Happens When Packets Burst
Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain, recorded approximately 120 drug smuggling cases in 2024. Airports remain key transit points for so-called drug 'mules' — individuals who attempt to smuggle narcotics by concealing them in luggage, attaching them to their bodies, or ingesting them in pellet or 'acorn' form. In 2023, authorities at the airport reported a record volume of seized narcotics, including one ton of hashish and 2.5 tons of cocaine. Rosa Pérez Losa, MSc, emergency coordinator at Sistema d'Emergències Mèdiques Catalonia, Catalonia, Spain, said, 'The Emergency Medical System in Catalonia is typically contacted only when a person suspected of drug transport shows significant symptoms. 'We're usually called only if the individual displays significant medical issues,' she noted. 'The Civil Guard often identifies potential drug mules, such as passengers traveling alone on so-called hot flights. Recently, traffickers have also started using vulnerable individuals, including people with mental disabilities or those who use orthotics or wheelchairs, in an attempt to bypass security checks more easily.' A common indicator of suspicious behavior is visible nervousness. Authorities may stop individuals based on the origin of their flight, signs of agitation, or seasonal trafficking patterns, such as the periods following the cocaine harvest. Suspected individuals are separated from other travelers and questioned about their travel arrangements, financial details, and contacts in Spain. If their responses raise concern, they are taken to a restricted area. In some cases, individuals voluntarily admit to carrying drugs inside their body or, in extreme anxiety, may even defecate, Pérez Losa said. Another red flag, added by Pérez Losa, is unusual drowsiness, as mules are administered benzodiazepines to keep them calm in transit. Airport medical staff are not involved unless the individual displays significant symptoms. Instead, suspected mules are taken into custody by the Civil Guard, as drug transportation is considered a serious public health offense. If required, x-rays are performed at the airport by senior diagnostic imaging and nuclear medicine technicians or physicians with appropriate radiology training and accredited by the Nuclear Safety Council. 'If the person shows any significant symptoms, Emergency Medical Services are called, and the individual is taken to hospital by ambulance. In most cases, the Civil Guard transfers the suspect to a tertiary care center, such as Bellvitge University Hospital in Catalonia or Ramón y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid, Spain. These centers are chosen to ensure surgical intervention is immediately available if a packet ruptures inside the body.' At the hospital, an abdominal x-ray with oral barium contrast is performed, and the use of laxatives depends on the clinical circumstances. If an individual appears stable, they are admitted under police supervision and monitored until the drug packets are expelled, with close observation during bathroom use. Laxatives may be administered to accelerate passage if the person is anxious or retention is prolonged. If drugs are concealed in the rectum or vagina, manual removal is conducted carefully to avoid compromising the integrity of the packet. Surgery is rarely required and is typically reserved for cases of suspected packet ruptures. Drug packets are commonly fabricated using condoms, plastic wrap, or the fingertips of rubber gloves and are often coated with petroleum jelly to aid ingestion. 'Mules are often trained by swallowing similarly shaped objects,' Pérez Losa explained. 'They may also receive antiemetics before travel to suppress vomiting and slow the gastrointestinal transit. However, complications can also occur. Some passengers vomit or lose bowel control in-flight, prompting ambulance intervention on arrival.' Most packets contained cocaine, although heroin and other substances may also be used. Each typically holds between 5 g and 10 g of the drug. The exact toxic dose is unknown, but fatalities have been reported with as little as 20 mg absorbed in cases of rupture. While rupture of packets in the stomach is rare and usually linked to poorly made packets, pellets more frequently cause problems by lodging in the intestines, leading to ulceration, bleeding, or even perforation of the esophagus, and severe sepsis. Cocaine affects both the central nervous and cardiovascular systems, potentially leading to stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias, or sudden death. There is no antidote to cocaine toxicity, although heroin overdose can be treated with naloxone administered intranasally or intravenously. Pérez Losa recalled a case involving a child. 'A mother reported that her son had swallowed drug packets. Although he appeared well, we activated the full emergency protocol, conducted an x-ray at the airport, arranged immediate medical evaluation, and admitted him to the pediatric intensive care unit as a precaution,' she said.
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
My autistic brother is stranded in Tokyo jail hell after drugs gang ‘sneaked meth into his luggage' on dream holiday
THE sister of an autistic teenager who is being detained in Japan on drug smuggling charges believes her brother was manipulated by gangs before he left the UK. Sean Stephenson, 18, from Charlton, London, was arrested at Tokyo airport last month with a suitcase containing more than 10kg of methamphetamine. 3 3 3 Ami Lee and her family believes Sean has been pressured and exploited by heartless underworld figures. He has multiple physical and mental health challenges and was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged five. Though legally an adult, Sean has a much younger mental age and is eager to make new friends - something his family say was taken advantage of. They claim he was groomed on UK soil before he was pressured into travelling, first to Portugal and then on to Toronto for five days. Sean then travelled to Tokyo and he was arrested on June 21 after he was found with a locked suitcase containing the methamphetamine. Ami last saw her younger brother on June 14 at her daughter's birthday party. Since then, she has been fighting to find out what's happening to her brother nearly 6,000 miles away and has started a crowdfunding appeal for £14,000 to pay for his legal fees. "My mind is a total blur- I haven't slept now for coming up two weeks," she said. "My life is really hectic, I'm looking after three children and I've now got to worry about my brother - I'm on the phone to Tokyo throughout the night. "He's on no communication so I can't get any contact anymore - I'm beyond worried now." New CCTV of Brit 'mule' Bella May Culley 'smuggling £200k of cannabis' released as cops slam her claims she was coerced Having never travelled abroad before, let alone by himself, Sean's disappearance stunned the entire family. "He kept saying he's going to go to Canada but we didn't really think much of it," Lee said. "I think until you've got a child that's autistic, you don't actually understand where I'm coming from with that." Sean then suddenly vanished overseas on Father's Day morning. Lee said: "He had never travelled alone before, and it was clear from our contact with him that he was frightened and confused. "We pleaded with him to come home." Soon after, his family received news that he had been detained in Japan and is now facing "consequences he can barely comprehend". Everything his family know about his movements is through the information provided by a solicitor in Japan, but his family cannot speak to him directly. Lee says that Sean was picked up outside a Nisa shop one morning by a man who had befriended him and escorted him to Heathrow Airport. Sean's phone and bank cards were taken and he was given a Nokia so he couldn't contact his family and arrangements were made for Sean to meet another man in Toronto. According to the solicitor, Sean received threats to "break his legs and hurt his family" if he didn't go to Canada. From Toronto he was handed the suitcase of drugs to take to Tokyo where he was told it was money to be dropped to a "friend", she claims. Lee then received a message from the solicitor on July 15 who said that according to the case record, the amount of methamphetamine he was carrying wasn't one or two kilos - but more than 10kg. She added that Sean has now been moved to a juvenile centre and could be potentially looking at over 10 years in prison. Lee said: "He's extremely vulnerable - his mental age is 12 to 13 years old. "He comes to my house, he plays with my children like children play. "He's very funny, he's very unique, he's so helpful and kind - he's my Mum's carer. "His nan passed away in February and was on palliative care - he did not leave her bedside and used to go and get her medication everyday from the chemist. "It's not an excuse because he's autistic and we understand he's going to be punished - but he actually doesn't understand what's going on. "How do I know if my brother's even going to come home?" Lee also said Sean has a history of self-harm, suicide attempts, and other medical conditions. 'Police have been disgusting' Sean's family don't know who got him involved in alleged drug smuggling and his sister was hesitant to speculate over fear of repercussions given the amount of drugs involved. But they say they reported allegations of grooming and exploitation at Plumstead Police Station on Tuesday, July 1. Lee claims that officers told her it was a matter for the NCA who then redirected her back to the police. She said: "The police have been disgusting. "I get that my brother has been detained abroad but a crime was taking place very close to his home. "He was picked up from the Nisa between 8am and 9am that morning and the guy took him in his car to Heathrow airport. "I'm just asking for CCTV of my brother at Heathrow Airport and the local shops to see who picked him up." When asked whether she had been able to obtain the CCTV, Lee responded: "No - the police say it isn't a crime, so no." She added: "They're passing the buck telling me to contact NCA. "The NCA laughed at me and said 'well, what do you want us to do?' "So both have been kind of saying it's not our problem." When The Sun contacted the NCA for comment, they said the matter is for the Foreign Office and that a criminal investigation taking place abroad is a matter for law enforcement in that country. They added that anyone wishing to report someone being the victim of the a crime in the UK would need to contact the police and that the NCA is not a public crime reporting body. The NCA can facilitate UK police to international requests but it would have to be initiated by the law enforcement bodies concerned. An FCDO spokesperson said: 'We are supporting a British man who is detained in Japan and are in contact with the local authorities.' When the Metropolitan Police were contacted for comment they claim to have no record of contact with Sean's family. This is despite Ami claiming she had visited the police station twice and was provided with a Crime Reference Number. The Sun previously reported how Australian national, Donna Nelson, was found guilty of smuggling 2kg of methamphetamine into Tokyo in 2023. She claimed she was the victim of an online romance scam but prosecutors sought a ten-year sentence and $30,000 fine after she was caught with the drug concealed in the bottom of her suitcase. Autism campaigner, Emma Dalmayne, who has launched a petition to help raise awareness of Sean's plight, said: "Sean is autistic, learning disabled and has a heart condition, he is extremely vulnerable. "The unpredictability and worry over what will happen to him will be causing him extreme anxiety which will cause harm to him. "Autistic people are targeted for grooming and mate crimes, what had happened here is a global case of county lines."
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Oman: Two arrested after massive drug haul seized from fishing vessel
In a significant anti-narcotics operation, authorities in Oman intercepted a fishing vessel attempting to illegally enter its territorial waters and arrested two individuals of Iranian nationality on charges of drug smuggling. The Omani Coast Guard, in co-ordination with the South Al Batinah Governorate Police, intercepted the boat. Authorities confirmed that the suspects were in possession of large quantities of crystal meth, hashish, marijuana, and more than 68,000 psychotropic pills. The suspects are currently in custody, and legal procedures are underway. On May 27, two individuals were arrested for possession of more than 20kg of drugs in the Sultanate. The General Directorate for Combating Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances at Royal Oman Police said that the two — an Egyptian and a Sudanese — were apprehended for possessing more than 20kg of crystal methamphetamine and hashish. Oman has been stepping up its crackdown on narcotics in recent years, focusing on intercepting drug smuggling networks and dismantling distribution channels.
