In Febraury 2014, Interpol and Europol reported on global raids conducted against producers and sellers of counterfeit foods. In total, over 1,200 tonnes of counterfeit and substandard food and nearly 430,000 liters of counterfeit beverages were seized across 33 countries. 96 people were arrested by various criminal justice programs during the investigation. Highlights of the… Continue reading Global Raids Against Counterfeit Food
Tag: Colombia Security Threats
Money Laundering and Foreign Investment in Colombia
In 2012, an estimated $18 billion was lost to the Colombian government due to various types of money laundering activities, according to the Financial Information and Analysis Unit. The amount of money lost in Colombia due to laundering was higher than the total amount of money that was invested into Colombia by foreign entities. According… Continue reading Money Laundering and Foreign Investment in Colombia
Synthetic Drugs in Colombia
Criminal justice programs across Colombia report that synthetic drugs are more popular with users that traditional forms of illegal drugs. In the capital of Bogota, synthetic drugs are used more often than marijuana, cocaine and heroin, according to the National Police of Colombia. A study conducted in 2013 found that there were 130 points of… Continue reading Synthetic Drugs in Colombia
Trafficking of Minors in Colombia
Gangs operating in the Colombian city of Medellin manage an underage human trafficking syndicate where the virginity of a child is auctioned off to the highest bidder. According to investigations conducted by a non-governmental organization, gang members recruit girls as young as ten to be a part of their organization. Although some girls are passed… Continue reading Trafficking of Minors in Colombia
Amount of Fuel Smuggled into Colombia
According to security services in Colombia, between 10 to 15 percent of the fuel used by drivers in Colombia was smuggled into the country. Roughly one million gallons of gasoline is smuggled into the country each day, with 70 to 80 percent of the fuel coming from Venezuela. The remaining gas is smuggled into Colombia… Continue reading Amount of Fuel Smuggled into Colombia
Counterfeit Drugs in Colombia
The director of the Tax and Customs enforcement agency in Colombia stated that the profit margin for criminals selling counterfeit drugs is between 500 to 1,000 percent. For example, a fake Viagra pill that costs $1 to manufacture can be sold for $5 to $10. Intelligence analysts state that cost of the counterfeit drugs being… Continue reading Counterfeit Drugs in Colombia
Trafficking Daughters for Sex in Colombia
A mother in Colombia was arrested for selling the virginity of her 12 daughters to men who paid $200. The 45 year old mother reportedly contacted men each time one of her daughters turned 12. She would have the men pay $200, and then force the girl to continue working as a prostitute in order… Continue reading Trafficking Daughters for Sex in Colombia
Price Charged by Contract Killer to Murder DEA Agent
The United States Department of Justice arrested 3 men who were organized as a contract killing group that was planning to kill a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent and an informant. Two of the men were former soldiers in the United States Army and the third man served in the German Army. All three men… Continue reading Price Charged by Contract Killer to Murder DEA Agent
Amount Gangs Extort Money in Colombia
Intelligence from security agencies across Colombia estimate that nearly 150 different organized crime gangs earn over $100,000 a month from various micro-exortion demands. In total, the amount of extortion money that gangs earn per year is over $1 Billion. The gangs target various working professionals at a small rate. Media reports from Colombia state that… Continue reading Amount Gangs Extort Money in Colombia
Number of Wildlife Trafficked in Colombia in 2012
64,507 wildlife animals was seized by criminal justice agencies in Colombia as they were being trafficked across the country. 59 percent of the trafficked animals seized were reptiles, 16 percent were birds, 5 percent were mammals, and the remaining 20 percent were other types of species. In an example of the illegal wildlife trade in… Continue reading Number of Wildlife Trafficked in Colombia in 2012