UP Ibalon Bicol: Drug Enforcement Agency

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14 US troops killed in Afghanistan

10/27/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

As the Obama administration mulls on what policy to pursue for American troops in Afghanistan, 10 Americans including three Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were killed in a bloody helicopter crash on Monday, October 26, 2009.

The US military aircraft was on its way from a firefight with suspected Taliban drug peddlers in Western Afghanistan. In addition to the 10 casualties, 4 other American troops died when two helicopters collided in a separate incident in Southern Afghanistan.

“The crash came less than a week after a U.N. report found that the drug trade is enabling the Taliban to make more money now than when they ruled Afghanistan before the U.S. invasion in 2001. The DEA sent more agents to Afghanistan this year to take part in military operations against insurgents who use drug smuggling to raise funds for their war against NATO and its Afghan allies.”----http://apnews.myway.com (10/16/09, Reid, R.H; Vogt, H.)

The deaths of US servicemen brought a discouraging blow to the morale of troops serving in the battlefield. The Obama administration had been debating whether to send additional US forces to Afghanistan, but doubts had been high following a national election that was deemed to have been riddled with fraud.
Casualties from the DEA were the first since they started serving in 2005 in a troubled country known for its massive opium trade.

U.S. military officials believed the crashes were not the result of enemy engagement, but Taliban forces insisted they shot down a U.S. helicopter in the western province of Badghis. (Photo Credit: wil) =0=

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Labels: Afghanistan, aircraft, casualties, Drug Enforcement Agency, drug war, drugs, helicopter crash, opium, Taliban, Totie Mesia

US-Mexican drug bust yields 750 suspects, $59 million worth of drugs & weapons

2/26/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

Affirming the gravity of the drug wars in Mexico, federal agents from the United States have rounded up 750 suspected members of narcotics cartels from south of the border. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) picked up more than 50 drug gang members in separate overnight raids in California, Minnesota, Washington DC, and various US cities.

The arrests were mainly Sinaloa cartel members who were linked to the bloody drug wars over controls of narcotics smuggling routes in Mexico and USA. In a international law enforcement operation which spanned for about 2 years in Mexico, USA and Canada, had earlier snared 700 notorious law-breakers in the crime wave. $59 million worth of drugs and weapons, $12,000 kg. of cocaine, 1200 kg. of methampethamines, more than 1,300 ecstasy pills and 160 weapons were recovered.

"The department (US State) warns of the increased border violence and advises revelers to several destinations, including Matamoros and Nuevo Progresso, popular destinations for spring breakers on South Padre Island, Texas, to ‘exercise commonsense precautions such as visiting only the well-traveled business and tourism areas of border towns during daylight and early-evening hours.'“ ---AOL News/ AP (02/25/09, Barrett, D)

Attorney General Eric Holder says the illegal narcotics trade, kidnappings, and murders have crossed over into the US territory. The problem can be minimized if the ban to sell assault weapons which are used in turf wars of drug kingpins is reinstituted.

About 6,000 people died in drug-related violence last year. American law enforcers laud Mexican president Felipe Calderon’s on-going campaign against narcotics cartels which exert influence over corrupt government officials.

Because of the dangers brought about by illegal drugs, money laundering, and narctics traffic, the US State Department has issued warnings of violence, kidnappings, and murders to prospective American travelers. This advisory is extended to an estimated 100,000 US students who’re planning to come to Mexico in the coming spring break. Private individuals have to take responsibility to counter the drug problems in their community. (Photo Credit: Aziritt) =0=

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Labels: Drug Enforcement Agency, drug war, drugs, killings, Mexico, murder, narcotics, narcotraffic, Totie Mesia, travel, traveler

UP Ibalon Bicol

14 US troops killed in Afghanistan

US-Mexican drug bust yields 750 suspects, $59 million worth of drugs & weapons

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