Gerda Lienga, 42, was arrested at Belfast International Airport

Gerda Lienga, 42, was arrested at Belfast International Airport last June after getting off a flight from Paris. She was taken to a local hospital where 110 small packages containing more than a kilo of cocaine were recovered. She was jailed on Friday at Ballymena Crown Court and will be deported on completion of her sentence. <br />Officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), who arrested Lienga, said the purity of the cocaine was above normal and "could pose higher risks to the courier and users". <br />Senior HMRC officer John Whiting said: "Criminals dealing in drugs with high purity levels are thinking solely of increased profits, to further fund their illegal activity. "They show utter disregard for the damage drugs do to individuals and communities."

Gerda Lienga, 42, was arrested at Belfast International Airport

Gerda Lienga, 42, was arrested at Belfast International Airport last June after getting off a flight from Paris. She was taken to a local ho...

Read more »

Juan Jose Larez, 40, of The Cloisters, Leyland, was jailed for his part in trying to smuggle six kilos of the class A drug

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYp803o6WEfnSSKTnHgmymV4sFBM3BkGOZeANsQ3q3Af7fFoKBay5kULxKMIgbO6LBXR2mrewva59Hq-2PFi4VQ69cL1mudkdM5sd7DTpeKv52HUWBi91zaD-9AJe3y_SrESmaXMsLHJA/s1600-h/Larez.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302355868752082322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYp803o6WEfnSSKTnHgmymV4sFBM3BkGOZeANsQ3q3Af7fFoKBay5kULxKMIgbO6LBXR2mrewva59Hq-2PFi4VQ69cL1mudkdM5sd7DTpeKv52HUWBi91zaD-9AJe3y_SrESmaXMsLHJA/s400/Larez.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 266px;" /></a><br />Juan Jose Larez, 40, of The Cloisters, Leyland, was jailed for his part in trying to smuggle six kilos of the class A drug into the UK through Manchester Airport. He was identified as ringleader of a five-strong gang behind the attempted plot. The jail terms follow a major investigation by HM Revenue and Customs which brought the gang down. His Honour Judge Henshall explained in his summing up at Manchester Court that he believed Larez - who also has an address in Venuzuela and is believed to spend most of his time there - was the main mover behind the plot.Officers from the UKBA originally detected the drugs on September 18 last year when a party of five people arrived on a flight from Paris to Venezuela.Officers searched baggage and discovered the class A drugs, which have a street value of £500,000, concealed within suitcases. Nick Shaw, of criminal investigations HMRC, said: "Working with our colleagues in the UKBA and prosecutors from RCPO, we will take every action to detect, seize and bring those smuggling drugs into the country before the courts.

Juan Jose Larez, 40, of The Cloisters, Leyland, was jailed for his part in trying to smuggle six kilos of the class A drug

Juan Jose Larez, 40, of The Cloisters, Leyland, was jailed for his part in trying to smuggle six kilos of the class A drug into the UK throu...

Read more »

Afghanistan produced 6000 tons of opium in 2006, 8200 tons in 2007 and 7700 tons in 2008.

Afghanistan produced 6000 tons of opium in 2006, 8200 tons in 2007 and 7700 tons in 2008. On average, the world demand of opium-based narcotics, including heroin, is only half of this production. Where is the rest of opium going? Antonio Maria Costa, head of the UNODC is convinced that is the only explanation. In a recent bulletin he issues an urgent order: 'Find the missing opium.' "As a priority, intelligence services need to examine who holds this surplus, where it may go, and for what purpose" he says. "We know little about these stockpiles of drugs, besides that they are not in the hands of farmers."

Afghanistan produced 6000 tons of opium in 2006, 8200 tons in 2007 and 7700 tons in 2008.

Afghanistan produced 6000 tons of opium in 2006, 8200 tons in 2007 and 7700 tons in 2008. On average, the world demand of opium-based narcot...

Read more »

Dublin boy (17) has been received a seven year sentence after being found in possession of heroin worth €150,000.

Dublin boy (17) has been received a seven year sentence after being found in possession of heroin worth €150,000.The boy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the drugs for sale or supply at his guardian’s home on December 9th, 2007. He had 19 previous convictions for a range of offences including public order and assault.Garda John Griffin told the court the drugs were found in the teenager’s bedroom which he shared with his uncle and he admitted to gardai that they belonged to him.Garda Griffin agreed with defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha that the boy’s life “would have been at risk” had he identified the source of the drugs.Mr Ó Lideadha told the court his client was under his grandaunt’s care after his father had to be hospitalised following an accident and his mother had “her own difficulties to deal with”.<br /><blockquote>He said that the teenager was a drug user at the time and that he appeared he had “been under instruction” in this offence and was to receive a small amount of money for his involvement.</blockquote>Judge Patrick McCartan said that heroin was “a very damaging drug that caused havoc in society and provided a lot of money to people, unlike this boy, but higher up than him”. He accepted that he was involved to pay off a “small debt” and he was under “the control of sinister people”. Judge McCartan said that the teenager was living in “a chaotic situation” and was likely to get in further trouble “with devastating consequences for him”. <br />“He is someone in need of structure, support and discipline” before he added that he was going to suspend the last four years of the sentence “to give him some hope for the future”.

Dublin boy (17) has been received a seven year sentence after being found in possession of heroin worth €150,000.

Dublin boy (17) has been received a seven year sentence after being found in possession of heroin worth €150,000.The boy pleaded guilty at D...

Read more »

Home Office officials have admitted that the street price of class A drugs, cocaine and heroin, has fallen by almost 50% over the past decade.

Home Office officials have admitted that the street price of class A drugs, cocaine and heroin, has fallen by almost 50% over the past decade.Widely recognized as the most dangerous illegal drugs, heroin and cocaine are currently cheaper than they have ever been.

Home Office officials have admitted that the street price of class A drugs, cocaine and heroin, has fallen by almost 50% over the past decade.

Home Office officials have admitted that the street price of class A drugs, cocaine and heroin, has fallen by almost 50% over the past decad...

Read more »

Labour had failed to stem the flow of Class A drugs into the UK

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBeaJgn7fmVxMS1VzZ9hDWsy4-2G1G1P3pzexLCmTjzeuOozEqBhbrlF-CcSHXHC8tS4LPrmYMrb-w2inOCh3zhS8j1JmyCPt0wliZxgUueAfwjD9q-uzPmZFosDZxvxQlYmCQNTlqGw/s1600-h/heroin1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302327314618650866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBeaJgn7fmVxMS1VzZ9hDWsy4-2G1G1P3pzexLCmTjzeuOozEqBhbrlF-CcSHXHC8tS4LPrmYMrb-w2inOCh3zhS8j1JmyCPt0wliZxgUueAfwjD9q-uzPmZFosDZxvxQlYmCQNTlqGw/s400/heroin1.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 174px;" /></a><br />Home Office has admitted that the street price of both cocaine and heroin has fallen by nearly half in the last ten years, making the most dangerous illegal drugs cheaper than they have ever been.Based on reports from police forces, the Home Office said that cocaine is now being sold for as little as £20 a gram in some parts of the country.The most common price for the drug is £40 per gram. Home Office figures for 1998 show the average price was £77.A gram of heroin can now be bought for as little as £25, with the average price somewhere between £40 and £50 per gram. In 1998, the average was £74.The Home Office figures are based on data collected from police forces and the Serious Organised Crime Agency.According to DrugScope, a charity that provides research and advice on drugs policy, gram of cocaine can make between 10 and 20 lines for snorting, depending on its strength.That means a line of cocaine can cost as little as £1, with an average price per line of between £2 and £4.The average price of a pint of lager is around £2.75, although some pub chains have reacted to the credit crunch by cutting the price of a pint as low as 99p. A glass of wine typically costs £3.50.The figures were uncovered by the Tories, who said they proved that Labour had failed to stem the flow of Class A drugs into the UK.<br />James Brokenshire, the Conservative shadow home affairs minister, called the figures "startling."He said: "These startling figures show the reality of drug use in Britain. Price falls of this nature indicate that the supply of hard drugs into this country has jumped. It's a serious indictment of Labour's failure to combat drug crime and stem the flow of drugs onto our streets."Less cocaine is being intercepted on Britain's borders. The Home Office figures last year showed that the total weight of cocaine seized actually fell by 15 per cent a year, and it has halved in five years.In 2003, 6,813 kg of cocaine was seized by police and customs officers in England and Wales. In 2006/07, it was 3,191kg. The last time cocaine seizures were smaller was 1999.The Home Office suggested that drug prices may be falling partly because fewer people are buying drugs.A spokesperson said: "A reduction in price may be associated with increased competition or reduced demand, not just increased availability.<br />"The British Crime Survey data shows that among 16-59 year olds Class A drug use in the past year declined from 3.4% in 2006/07 to 3.0% in 2007/08.<br />"In relation to cocaine the average purity at street level has declined continuously for a number of years, from 51% in 2003 to 34% in 2007."

Labour had failed to stem the flow of Class A drugs into the UK

Home Office has admitted that the street price of both cocaine and heroin has fallen by nearly half in the last ten years, making the most d...

Read more »

Latvian Diana Sosnovska, 25, and Freddy Quintero-Mendoza

Latvian Diana Sosnovska, 25, and Freddy Quintero-Mendoza, a 49-year-old Venezuelan cook, were both sentenced to four years behind bars. The pair, who appeared to be travelling together, were arrested at Stansted Airport on June 16 2008 after arriving on a flight from Milan.Maddy Ratnett from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said: "This case demonstrates the great lengths that smugglers will go to in an attempt to conceal illegal drugs. The sentences handed down today to these couriers should send out a clear message that you will pay the price."Sosnovska, who lives in north London, was stopped and searched by officers from the UK Border Agency. Three drug packages were discovered in her briefs and a further three were concealed in her bra, including one in the padding. In total officers recovered 638 grams of crack cocaine with a street value of £46,000.Mendoza from Brentwood was also stopped by officers but refused to be searched until a warrant was obtained. The case was passed over to officers from HMRC for further investigation. Later when Mendoza was searched, a package was found strapped to his groin area, kept tightly in place with cling film. Both Sosnovska and Mendoza were charged with smuggling offences and remanded in custody.X-rays taken later revealed that Mendoza had a number of packages in his stomach that he had swallowed. He eventually passed 17 small pellets each one approximately 3cm long and under went surgery to remove the last two pellets. In total approximately 498 grams of cocaine was recovered from Mendoza with a street value of £50,000.Ms Ratnett said: "We always pursue those who mastermind and finance this type of illegal trade and would urge anyone with information about drug smuggling to call the Customs' Hotline on 0800 59 5000." Both were charged with being knowingly concerned in the importation of cocaine and both pleaded guilty to the offences.

Latvian Diana Sosnovska, 25, and Freddy Quintero-Mendoza

Latvian Diana Sosnovska, 25, and Freddy Quintero-Mendoza, a 49-year-old Venezuelan cook, were both sentenced to four years behind bars. The ...

Read more »

Heroin was discovered when police raided Alexander Skelly's house in Craigmore Street

Heroin was discovered when police raided Alexander Skelly's house in Craigmore Street on 2 April last year. Officers also discovered £1,350 in cash in the bedroom and a further £180 after searching Skelly, 42. Sentence on Skelly, who has previous convictions for drugs offences, was deferred until next month. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that when police arrived at Skelly's house they asked if there were drugs in the property. He replied "just that smack there," indicating a bedside cabinet. Officers found a bag containing 37g of the drug on top of the cabinet, but then discovered another 17 wraps of brown powder each weighing about 27g within drawers. The prosecutor said a total of 507g of heroin were recovered in the raid, which police experts estimated had a wholesale value of £18,300 but could be worth £50,700 when broken into street deals.

Heroin was discovered when police raided Alexander Skelly's house in Craigmore Street

Heroin was discovered when police raided Alexander Skelly's house in Craigmore Street on 2 April last year. Officers also discovered £1,...

Read more »

Henrique Dornelles Forni, 25, was among those arrested and that he was a principal distributor of synthetic drugs in Rio

"Local authorities need to pay attention to the emergence of synthetic drugs, they are the drug of the future," said Vitor Cesar Carvalho dos Santos, head of the narcotics department in the Rio police department. "This is a health problem."<br /> Brazilian police said Thursday that it arrested 55 people in nationwide operations to crack two crime rings that were smuggling ecstasy, LSD and other synthetic drugs into the country from Europe.The police nabbed the suspects in eight Brazilian states, 47 of them in Rio de Janeiro, said Chief Enrico Zambrotti, the Federal Police coordinator of Operation Knockout, one of the two police operations.<br />Most of those arrested were people in their twenties from middle-class families with no prior criminal histories, Zambrotti said.<br /><blockquote>The trafficking rings earned several hundred thousand dollars a month in a scheme that involved using drug "mules" to smuggle cocaine to Europe and then return to Brazil with synthetic drugs, the police said.</blockquote><br />Investigators said that Henrique Dornelles Forni, 25, was among those arrested and that he was a principal distributor of synthetic drugs in Rio, the newspaper O Globo reported. He was captured while trying to escape from the penthouse where he lived in the Lagoa area of Rio, the paper said.<br /><blockquote>The operations began 10 months ago, investigators have arrested some two dozen drug mules that were suspected of carrying the drugs in from Europe and seized more than 100,000 ecstasy pills, the police said.</blockquote>

Henrique Dornelles Forni, 25, was among those arrested and that he was a principal distributor of synthetic drugs in Rio

"Local authorities need to pay attention to the emergence of synthetic drugs, they are the drug of the future," said Vitor Cesar C...

Read more »