A CNS stimulant derived from coca leaves; a long-running illicit commodity.
The magistrate has reserved ruling on the preliminary hearing into Paul King’s role in a US$19.2 million cocaine seizure. Prosecutors claim he oversaw cargo handling and documentation; defense says he had storage duties only and posed no connection to the drugs.
Federal prosecutors have charged four suspects in a major drug-smuggling operation tied to the Jalisco New Generation cartel. A 55-foot-deep tunnel with electric and ventilation was found beneath a San Diego store linked to the scheme, with more than a ton of cocaine seized and the tunnel extending into Tijuana. Investigations have led to multiple arrests and ongoing probes in both the U.S. and Mexico.
The Independent and AP News report Jill Biden’s remarks on her husband’s sobriety and addiction history, with reactions from online critics and new disclosures in her memoir.
Victor Willis, founder and lead singer of Village People, has died after a short, aggressive illness. He co-wrote hits including YMCA, Macho Man and In the Navy, helping define late-1970s disco. Willis left the group in 1980, later rejoined in 2017, and his passing ends a turbulent, influential career.
A cross-border crackdown on county lines has led to multiple seizures, arrests and safeguarding actions as authorities target recruitment of vulnerable youths and drug distribution networks in Merseyside and across the UK.