CNS stimulant, tropane alkaloid from coca leaves, with high abuse potential
A Malaysian airline pilot has been arrested at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport after arrival from Kuala Lumpur. Authorities say the officer, identified by initials MS (or MSO in some reports), is connected to a haul of more than 70,000 ecstasy pills and methamphetamine found in his luggage. Drug tests indicate impairment during the flight; Malaysia Airlines is conducting an internal review.
A 41-year ship has drifted into Liberian waters, prompting conflicting accounts from maritime authorities. A rejected docking request predated a wider government shake-up amid a cocaine scandal, raising questions about accountability and jurisdiction as authorities debate who controls port oversight.
Police crackdowns have led to arrests and seizures in West Africa and at OR Tambo International, with cocaine, cannabis and illicit goods seized and investigated. In Ghana, three suspects face charges after 866 parcels of cocaine were found concealed in gari sacks at a Tema Harbour warehouse.
Europol-led operations have arrested dozens in Spain and Ecuador in a drug-smuggling ring linked to Dubai investors. The crackdown targets a network moving South American cocaine and MDMA into Europe, with shipments hidden in commercial containers and bananas. The operation has involved dozens of raids and the seizure of vessels, cash, and weapons.
The United States has announced a broad enforcement drive against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), charging five senior leaders and unveiling bounties. The actions follow the cartel’s alleged drug trafficking operations and a fraud scheme targeting elderly Americans, with a call to crack down on cartel influence in Mexico and beyond.
Brandon Clarke has died at a Los Angeles area home on May 11, with the medical examiner listing an accidental death. The combined effects of multiple prescription medications are noted as a significant contributing factor; a full autopsy report will follow. Clarke spent seven seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies after Gonzaga, averaging 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
A 55-year-old man has been jailed for 13 years and six months for causing the death of 74-year-old John Bell by dangerous driving after stealing a Maserati and speeding through a Dundee suburb. The court heard the defendant ignored multiple driving bans and was under the influence of cocaine at the time. Bell, a former taxi driver, died when the Maserati struck him in a garden near his home.
Liberia’s former vice president has denied involvement in a transnational cocaine-trafficking network. Police accuse her of meetings and payments linked to the operation; she has been detained, hospitalized for a medical emergency, and court appearances have been disrupted as the investigation broadens to include foreign suspects and multiple charges.
The governor has resumed duties after a leave stemming from a US drug-trafficking indictment. Morena leaders deny prior knowledge of the move, urging restraint as investigations continue. The drama highlights tensions between Mexican authorities and the United States over cartel-linked charges.
A gun attack has struck an outdoor techno event in Aarau, Switzerland, in the early hours of Sunday, killing a woman in her 20s and wounding others. Police have launched a large-scale manhunt, cordoned off wide areas and appealed for images and footage as investigators analyse cartridge evidence and video. Security has been increased across cantons.
Roger Federer has been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport after a storied career that included 20 Grand Slam titles. In the run-up, he has performed exhibition matches in New York, signaling a lasting legacy beyond competition and underscoring his impact on fans and the sport.
The ITIA has handed Markéta Vondroušová a four-year ban for denying a doping control at her home in December 2025. The ban is set to end on 21 June 2030. CAS is reviewing the appeal, with a hearing date not yet scheduled. Vondroušová maintains she has never doped and faced months of stress linked to the case.
Federal prosecutors allege that a gang known as Los Baja Deo trafficked fentanyl, cocaine and other drugs from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, generating nearly $50 million and driving violence. The operation involved drug distribution through public housing, use of the USPS, and violence to protect the conspiracy. The DOJ seeks assets totaling about $49.7 million.
The Maduro case has tested whether a sitting foreign head of state can be prosecuted in U.S. courts. Maduro argues sovereign and conduct-based immunity, while prosecutors urge continued proceedings. The trial date remains set for June 2027, with disputes over immunity ongoing.
Overasselt gunfight shocks a Dutch town as police crack down on international crime networks. Dozens are detained, a 51-year-old security guard is killed, two officers are wounded, and authorities warn the operation may be connected to a broader underworld battle surrounding cocaine trafficking.
The United States is stepping up a regional push against major drug-trafficking groups, designating several Latin American gangs as foreign terrorist organisations and expanding military-security cooperation. The move comes during a high-profile visit by the US secretary of state to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and signals intensified pressure on groups with narcotics that reach across borders.
British nationals arrested abroad for drug smuggling have surged, according to government figures. Since 2023, arrests rose from about 80 to over 340 in 2025, with cannabis from Thailand and Southeast Asia driving the spike. Authorities warn of harsh penalties and dangerous conditions for those detained. A separate case in Australia involves two Britons charged with large-scale drug distribution.
The UN Special Rapporteur has concluded that US strikes on 68 vessels in international waters since September last year have killed at least 223 people and may constitute crimes against humanity. The report says self-defence claims are not supported by evidence, and calls for investigations and accountability.
Scotland has the highest drug-deaths rate in Europe, with 1,133 drug-related deaths in 2025. The government has described the rise as unacceptable and intolerable and is pursuing harm-reduction measures, including decriminalisation in some form. Westminster controls drugs policy, limiting Scotland’s options. Leaders across parties are calling for action and accountability as the issue remains a central political flashpoint.
The United States reports a new deportation of a Nicaraguan dissident who was released after protests in 2018. He has been deported to Managua and detained again in the same prison where fellow critics were tortured. Human rights groups say the crackdown has driven hundreds of thousands to flee, while Washington presses for accountability amid ongoing expulsions.
The Maduro regime faces new torture-related charges in a Manhattan indictment, while Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, remain jailed in New York after a January capture. Prosecutors allege a system of torture and coercion against political opponents, intensifying a contentious US case that already accuses them of narcoterrorism.
The United States has filed a new indictment charging Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores with conspiracy to commit torture, adding to existing drug-trafficking and weapon charges. The couple, captured in Caracas and detained in Brooklyn, plead not guilty and await trial set for June in New York as prosecutors portray a system of repression linked to narcoterrorism and organized crime.
A 39-year-old man has carried out shootings in Trappes and La Verrière, Paris region, killing one person and wounding several others, including a 12-year-old girl. Macron has called it a racist terrorist attack and authorities are pursuing psychiatric evaluation for the suspect amid ongoing inquiries.