All news on the topic: South America

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Drug kingpin Sebastian Marset challenges US authority to prosecute him
Lawyer for Sebastián Marset claims the U.S. cannot prosecute him based on a single wire transfer that routed through a server in Virginia.
643
Cocaine worth £200m found hidden among banana boxes at UK port
Border Force officers intercepted an almost 3-tonne shipment of banana boxes hiding £200,000,000 worth of cocaine.
740
Spain and the Netherlands seize record 947kg of MDMA in Europe’s biggest ecstasy bust
Spanish and Dutch authorities have detained 15 suspects and seized nearly a metric ton of MDMA in what officials called the largest bust of the synthetic drug in European history.
640
Putin’s St. Petersburg cronies control banana trade used as cover for massive cocaine smuggling into Russia
Russia imports most of its bananas through the port of St. Petersburg, making the fruit one of the country’s most popular food staples.
764
Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 589 as nearly 50,000 remain missing
Widespread rescue missions for survivors have continued after devastating earthquakes rocked Venezuela.
902
Three suspected hantavirus patients evacuated from cruise ship as outbreak grows
Three people with suspected hantavirus, including a British doctor who is a crew member, have been medically evacuated from a cruise ship.
699
Plane crashes into building in Brazil city as pilots killed in mid-air disaster
This is the shocking moment a plane crashed into a building in a densely populated city in Brazil.
649
Anti-drug smuggling unit seizes enough cocaine to kill more than 1,400,000 people
An American coast guard crew has seized more than 1.7 tonnes of cocaine worth more than £21 million ($28.7 million).
870
How Venezuela under Chavez and Maduro became Iran’s main global ally and a safe haven for Hezbollah
The combined 26 years of rule by Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez turned Venezuela into the Islamic Republic of Iran’s main ally outside the Middle East.
937
Hegseth states that six individuals were killed in two recent US attacks on suspected drug boats.
US forces struck two more suspected drug trafficking boats off the coast of South America, resulting in the deaths of six people, as announced by the Trump administration’s defence secretary, Pete Hegseth.
840
Second narco-sub in a year washes up on Solomon Islands shore
For the second time in a year, an abandoned narco-submarine has washed ashore in the Solomon Islands, baffling authorities and residents alike.
869
‘Ndrangheta and Albanian gangs: mafia trafficked cocaine from South America to the heart of Europe
Authorities in Italy, Spain, and Albania have arrested 28 suspected members of a drug trafficking network linked to the ’Ndrangheta, Europol announced on Tuesday.
772
NASA provides significant update on massive ’city killer’ asteroid ’the size of Big Ben’ impacting Earth, and it’s good news
NASA has reduced the likelihood that a massive "city killer" asteroid could collide with Earth in the upcoming years.
703
NASA Asteroid 2024 YR4 ’city killer’ most likely to hit Earth in agency’s history
NASA considers Asteroid 2024 YR4 to be the most likely massive space object to collide with Earth, posing a greater threat than the previous threat, "God of Chaos" 99942 Apophis.
978
Revealed: Dutch drug lord fugitive has been in Sierra Leone for at least two years
Sources have located Johannes Leijdekkers in the West African country since at least December 2022.
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NASA scientist unveils list of countries at risk of being struck by massive ’city killer’ asteroid the size of Big Ben
A NASA scientist has forecasted the potential impact location on Earth of a massive asteroid that might collide with the planet in seven years.
932
Inside Crackland: the open-air drug market that São Paulo just can’t kick
In the heart of São Paulo, an area as big as London’s Soho stands as a harrowing symbol of Brazil’s war on drugs for more than 30 years.
903
Suspect arrested in cross-border Balkan drug smuggling investigation
Authorities in Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia collaborate in a Europol-backed operation targeting an organized criminal group accused of smuggling cocaine from South America to Europe. One suspect has been arrested, with more arrests expected.
848
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive hand-in-hand to kick off four-day tour of Colombia
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have arrived in Colombia for the start of their four-day tour - and have taken part in their first official engagement in the South American country
947
Anti-Maduro protests spread as Venezuelan opposition claims he stole the election
Opponents and supporters of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro planned to rally on Tuesday as protests and clashes spread after a weekend election was awarded to the long-ruling socialist despite opposition claims of a landslide victory.
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Ten Brits arrested as £96million global cocaine smuggling operation smashed
The operation began back in 2020 and among others has seen about 1.2 tonnes of cocaine being found on board of a yacht, with an estimated street value of £96 million
846
Europol dismantles Balkan cartel trafficking drugs from South America
Eight tonnes of cocaine seized and 40 people arrested after four-year investigation led by Spain’s Guardia Civil