New Joint Task Force Established to Lead SOUTHCOM Counter-Narcotics Operations

MIAMI, Fla. – U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced the establishment of a new Joint Task Force (JTF) under II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) today to synchronize and augment counter-narcotics efforts across the Western Hemisphere. The JTF will integrate the Read More …

Nigeria: Troops intercept large shipment of IED materials in North East

Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF) North East, Operation Hadin Kai, have intercepted a large consignment of logistics supplies intended for terrorists in Yobe State. Spokesman Lt. Col. Sani Uba described the interception as a major breakthrough in ongoing Read More …

Republic of Georgia: State Security Service blames Ukraine for bringing explosives into Georgia

State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) says explosives were brought into the country on the orders of Ukrainian intelligence services. Deputy Head of the SSSG, Lasha Magradze, made the statement at a briefing held today, September 12. On September 11, Read More …

UNODC: Organized crime dynamics in the context of war in Ukraine

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in February 2022, the political economy of Ukraine has been profoundly transformed. The aggression affected both licit and illicit trade routes, disrupted criminal organizations, and spawned new forms of informal Read More …

Michigan: Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiracy and Smuggling a Dangerous Biological Pathogen into the U.S.

DETROIT – Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, citizens of the People’s Republic of China, were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements, and visa fraud, announced United States Attorney Jerome Read More …

Nigeria Customs Seize Explosives Hidden In Quran Cartons At Benin Border

Meanwhile, the discovery has raised serious concerns about the lengths to which smugglers are going to evade detection with suspicion of the possibility of a broader smuggling or criminal network. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reported that operatives from Read More …

India: Security forces foil cross border smuggling bid in Manipur

Security force in Manipur, while foiling yet another bid to smuggle arms and explosives along Indo-Myanmar border, recovered a cache of arms and explosives which included among others, six IEDs. Arms and explosives were found in two gunny bags left Read More …

Lake Chad: Under the radar, women traffic IED parts to Boko Haram

In February last year, two women were arrested in Kolofata, Cameroon, near the Nigerian border, for carrying tiny amounts of ammonium nitrate fertiliser. Kolofata’s gendarmerie brigade commander Ntsie Virgile, who told ENACT about this incident, said the women were arrested Read More …

Europol: AK rifles and grenades seized as firearms trafficking route into France dismantled

Seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the gang, which is believed to have sourced high-powered weapons from illegal markets in the Western Balkans and trafficked them into France for onward distribution. The joint operation – supported by Europol and Read More …

Belarusian customs intercept 580 kg of explosives hidden in vehicle panels

Belarusian customs prevented the smuggling of 580 kg of explosives into the territory of the Eurasian Economic Union. This was the largest shipment of explosives in the country’s history, according to the Customs Committee. According to customs officials, a 41-year-old Read More …

Cameroon: Raw chemicals for improvised explosive devices seized in Idenau

An operation carried out by the Commercial Customs Brigade of Idenau during a physical inspection of cargo being offloaded from an artisanal boat onto a truck within the port area led to the successful seizure of a huge quantity of Read More …

Netherlands: Police seize 35 tons of fireworks destined for illegal Dutch market

Officers of the fireworks team of the Zuid-Holland Zuid district of the Rotterdam Unit arrested two men for trafficking in illegal fireworks after an investigation on Thursday 7 November. It concerns two men aged 57 and 37 from Vuren and Read More …

South Africa: Commercial explosives confiscated at the Beitbridge Border Post

Two men are expected to appear before the Musina Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of smuggling and possession of explosives following their arrest in the early hours of Thursday. Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the men, aged 32 Read More …

Russia: Security forces seize explosives hidden in icons in Pskov Region

Explosives hidden in icons and seized by security officers in the Pskov Region in Russia’s northwest could have blown up a five-story apartment block, Department Head of the Interior Ministry’s Regional Forensic Center Dmitry Belotserkovsky said on Tuesday. Russia’s Federal Read More …

Israel Police find grenades, anti-tank missile during arrest of arms smuggler

Israel Police arrested a man suspected of trafficking illegal weapons, finding a MATADOR anti-tank missile and its shoulder-mounted launcher, among other arms. The suspect, a 24-year-old resident of East Jerusalem, was caught on Friday night in the Galilee district of Read More …

India dismisses reports of artillery shells being supplied to Ukraine

India on Thursday dismissed reports that artillery shells made in the country had been supplied to Ukraine by a European nation, with external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal saying there had been no such exports. Several reports, mainly on social Read More …

Cambodia: CMAC to train dogs to smell for drugs

Heng Ratana, the Executive Director of the Cambodian Mines Action Center (CMAC), says CMAC will be collaborating with the National Police to train dogs to sniff out drugs. The aim of this training is to combat and prevent drug trafficking Read More …

Out of Control: The Trafficking of Improvised Explosive Device Components and Commercial Explosives in West Africa

The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in West Africa expanded dramatically over the last decade. IED-building networks have established material and training links across conflict areas in West and Central Africa, and their designs have remained constant and inexpensive Read More …

UNODC: Afghanistan opium cultivation in 2023 declined 95 per cent following drug ban

Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan plunged by an estimated 95 per cent following a drug ban imposed by the de facto authorities in April 2022, according to a new research brief from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Read More …

UNDOC: Understanding Illegal Methamphetamine Manufacture in Afghanistan

This analysis examines the modalities of illegal methamphetamine manufacture in Afghanistan, highlighting risks to the region. Coverage of suspected methamphetamine manufacture in Afghanistan, particularly in the news media in recent years, has generally focused on the use of the ephedra Read More …