For police chief Clayton Leão Chaves it was supposed to be another day at the office. At around 9.40am this morning, he was making his daily journey to the police HQ in Camacari, a small city in Bahia state, and giving an interview to local radio on his mobile phone about the police's struggle against local drug traffickers.

Then something went badly wrong.

"I heard some bangs," one of the shows two presenters announced, perplexed, as the police chief's voice disappeared.

guardian.co.uk

The OCCRP has compiled a list of people of interest in its coverage area. Some of these people are criminals, some are politicians and some are businessmen. Some are all three. All of these figures are well know and figure regularly in stories about organized crime and corruption. OCCRP, in the interest of better public understanding and accuracy in stories, is providing background information on these people. By the inclusion on this list, we do not wish to imply any of these figures are corrupt or involved in organized crime unless specifically noted.

reportingproject.net

In Jamaika sind tagelange Unruhen zwischen Polizei und Drogengangstern eskaliert. Für die Hauptstadt Kingston wurde der Ausnahmezustand ausgerufen.

Die Bandenmitglieder griffen vier Polizeistationen an und setzten eine Dienststelle in Brand. Die Angreifer versuchen die Auslieferung des mutmaßlichen Drogen- und Waffenhändlers Christopher "Dudus" Coke in die USA zu verhindern.

orf.at

He vowed that criminals would not triumph, after supporters of an alleged druglord took to the streets to stop him from being arrested.

One police station has been set on fire and two others shot at by suspected supporters of Christopher "Dudus" Coke.

The authorities have declared a state of emergency in parts of Kingston.

The trouble began late last week when the authorities announced they would arrest and extradite Mr Coke to the US.

bbc.co.uk
sdnn.com
wireupdate.com

If you go too far across the lake and past the international boundary bouy, you are in Mexican territory and subject to attacks by pirates toting assault weapons.

"It is unsafe in Mexico. Don't go to Mexico," warned Game Warden Capt. Fernando Cervantes. "We can not cross over onto that side. If a boat goes across, that's it. We stop there at the line."

One man fishing on the lake Thursday, Lucas Garza, said he'd be staying away from the boundary. "We're not planning on going to that side," he said. "We just know there's no good news on that side." He and his friends have heard the warnings about Zeta cartel pirates ambushing boats on the Mexican side, operating with virtual impunity as they steal cash and electronics at machine gun-point.

kens5.com
Los Zetas

You can take the cartels out of Columbia. But you can't take cannabis away from Colombians.

That was the message in the streets of Medellin Colombia on Saturday May 8, when potheads marched in favor of legalizing marijuana.

The Medellín Cartel, an organized network of "drug suppliers and smugglers" originated in Medellín, Colombia. They operated in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Central America, the US, Canada and Europe in the 70s and 80s. Founded and run by Pablo Escobar together with the Ochoa Vázquez brothers Jorge Luis, Juan David, and Fabio, the Cartel brought in more than $60 million/day.

examiner.com

A leaked government report indicates that nearly 23,000 people have died in Mexico's violent drug wars in the last three years alone. But it doesn't have to be this way.

Any economist armed with basic microeconomic theory could explain how U.S. drug policies create the perverse incentives that have fueled the violence- and how to fix these policies to end the carnage.

caivn.org

Bei einer Razzia im Keller eines Drogenbosses im Westen Mexikos hat die Polizei eine ungewöhnliche Entdeckung gemacht: Bei der Durchsuchung im Bundesstaat Jalisco fanden sie insgesamt 31 mit Diamanten besetzte Handfeuerwaffen, wie die Staatsanwaltschaft in Mexiko-Stadt mitteilte.

orf.at
oe24.at
rp-online.de
wirtschaftsblatt.at
sfgate.com