A four-year army crackdown in Mexico's methamphetamine-producing heartland has provoked a dizzying increase in violence, fueling fears that the country is losing its battle against organized crime.

Grisly assassinations and gang extortion are terrifying Mexicans in the western state of Michoacan, where President Felipe Calderon launched his war on drug cartels, sending in about 5,000 soldiers in December 2006 following a narrow election victory.

reuters.com

Brazilian police discovered a giant portrait of Justin Bieber in the home of a Rio de Janeiro drug lord during a raid at the weekend.

The hand-painted mural of the teenage pop star was hung from a wall in the luxurious mansion, which was abandoned by drug kingpin Alexander Mendes da Silva ahead of the raid.

msn.co.nz
nypost.com
hollywoodlife.com
Drogenbaron in Rio de Janeiro [10 photos]
The Big Picture 40 photos total

Schwer bewaffnete Armeesoldaten, Marineinfanteristen und Elitepolizisten haben am Wochenende ein umkämpftes Armenviertel in Rio de Janeiro durchkämmt. Der Großeinsatz richtete sich gegen Kriminelle und Drogenhändler - offenbar mit Erfolg.

Die brasilianische Polizei hat im Kampf gegen Drogenhändler in den Armenvierteln Rio de Janeiros 40 Tonnen Marihuana sichergestellt. Im Norden der Stadt habe die Militärpolizei 20 Tonnen Marihuana beschlagnahmt, weitere 20 Tonnen seien von Einsatzkräften der Polizei sichergestellt worden, sagte ein Sprecher der Sicherheitsbehörden am Sonntag.

spiegel.de

Anti-mafia prosecutors in the southern Calabria region on Monday seized assets worth 4 million euros from suspected mafia-linked drugs trafficker Marcello Amelio. The assets include various properties, vehicles, bank accounts and an agricultural business.

adnkronos.com

Mit einem gewaltigen Aufgebot sind Sicherheitskräfte in ein umkämpftes Armenviertel in Rio de Janeiro vorgerückt. Dort verschanzen sich bis zu 600 Drogenhändler - jetzt durchkämmen schwer bewaffnete Suchtrupps die Häuser.

"Wir haben überall dort, wo es nötig ist, die Kontrolle übernommen", sagte der Chef der Militärpolizei, Mario Duarte. Der Einsatz in der Favela-Ansammlung Complexo do Alemão sei mit Unterstützung aus der Luft erfolgt und ohne Schwierigkeiten verlaufen. Rund 2600 Armeesoldaten, Marineinfanteristen und Elitepolizisten waren am Morgen in das Armenviertel eingeflogen worden. Auch Panzer und Hubschrauber waren beteiligt.

spiegel.de

Brazilian police have seized 36 tonnes of marijuana in its crackdown on drug trafficking gangs in slums, known here as favelas, in northern Rio de Janeiro, a state official told AFP on Sunday.

"The military police alone seized 20 tons (18 tonnes) the rest was done by the civil police force and other security forces that participated in the crackdown," a spokesman for Rio de Janeiro state's Security Secretariat said.

smh.com.au
mysinchew.com

Two men face drug charges following the discovery of two suitcases packed with 90 kilograms of cocaine in a bathroom at Pearson International Airport.

Officers said $11-million worth of cocaine was found in the busy washroom located in Terminal One's Customs Hall in suitcases and bodypacks that were attached to smugglers' bodies.

vancouver.24hrs.ca

Mexico's federal police have captured a presumed leader of a cross-border drug gang suspected in dozens of killings, including the slaying of a U.S. consulate worker, authorities announced Sunday.

Arturo Gallegos Castrellon, 32, was arrested Saturday in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, which is considered the most violent city in Mexico.

statesman.com
msn.com