Tuesday 6 April 2010
smuggling out of cooking oil to neighbouring countries
curb the smuggling of cooking oil to neighbouring countries, the government will introduce a cooking oil quota that presently is placed at 70,000 metric tonnes a year to ensure that supply really benefits the local populace.Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Hamzah Zainudin said his ministry was worried with the activity of the smuggling out of cooking oil to neighbouring countries that was on the rise and this made such activity a lucrative trade.He said however the amount of outflow was more than the local needs."Given local estimations our country needs only 50,000 metric tonnes a year and 20,000 metric tonnes disappears for no apparent reason"Whereas we (the goverment) need to keep the quota or need to reduce it needs review," he said at a dialogue and dinner event of a Barisan Nasional (BN)leadership function here Sunday.He was replying to a question by the deputy Umno Youth chief of the Gua Musang division, Zamzani Harun, who wanted to know whether the cooking oil quota needed to be increased to meet needs in certain areas.
Otay Mesa Tunnel was a conduit for smuggling heroin and cocaine into the United States and ferrying laundered proceeds back into Mexico
Otay Mesa Tunnel was a conduit for smuggling heroin and cocaine into the United States and ferrying laundered proceeds back into Mexico. The subsequent investigation led to seizure of 8.4 tons of cocaine and the convictions of nine people. Among them was Jose Reynoso, a narcotics trafficker linked to a Guadalajara drug cartel in whose California warehouse one end of the tunnel was located. The FBI's investigation and a parade of confidential witnesses also led to the doorstep of one of the most influential Latino businessmen on the Central Coast, Javier Vasquez-Robles, owner of La Esperanza Markets in Salinas, Watsonville, Santa Cruz and the greater Bay Area.
Witnesses told the FBI that Vasquez-Robles stored and distributed large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine from warehouses at his markets and a ranch on Hughes Road at the foot of Mount Madonna. The Watsonville resident, they said, also laundered millions of dollars in drug profits through his stores so the cash could be smuggled inconspicuously back into Mexico. After nine years of surveillance and wiretapping, the FBI collected what it thought was sufficient evidence to convict Vasquez-Robles on 12 counts of drug trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy. In June 2002, an indictment was handed down, also naming his wife and daughter and seeking
forfeiture of the family's 17 markets. The women faced multiple 20-year sentences. Vasquez-Robles, then 50, faced life in prison.
On Thursday, 17 years after the investigation began and eight years after the indictment, Vasquez-Robles was sentenced to three years in prison, the result of a settlement in which he pleaded guilty to one count of international money laundering and two counts of lying on his U.S. citizenship application.
His wife, Emelia Vasquez, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of laundering drug money and was sentenced to probation and a year of home confinement. Money-laundering charges against his daughter, Corina Vasquez, 32, were completely dismissed, as were drug charges against two other men named in the indictment. The settlement raises questions about what happened to allegations that Vasquez-Robles was operating a major drug operation on the Central Coast. Those questions will remain unanswered by the government. The U.S. Attorney's Office declined comment on the settlement.
Vasquez-Robles' attorney, Paul Meltzer of Santa Cruz, said federal prosecutors "correctly concluded they could not prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt."
"At the end of the day, despite all of the allegations, Mr. Vasquez was never found in possession of any drugs whatsoever," he said. "So, after eight years of litigation, we're pleased to resolve the case on these terms."
Meltzer stressed that neither his client nor any of the other defendants cooperated with authorities. On the contrary, he said, the government's settlement was based on a lack of evidence and problems with its confidential informants, all of whom were convicted of serious crimes after Vasquez-Robles was indicted.
Witnesses told the FBI that Vasquez-Robles stored and distributed large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine from warehouses at his markets and a ranch on Hughes Road at the foot of Mount Madonna. The Watsonville resident, they said, also laundered millions of dollars in drug profits through his stores so the cash could be smuggled inconspicuously back into Mexico. After nine years of surveillance and wiretapping, the FBI collected what it thought was sufficient evidence to convict Vasquez-Robles on 12 counts of drug trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy. In June 2002, an indictment was handed down, also naming his wife and daughter and seeking
forfeiture of the family's 17 markets. The women faced multiple 20-year sentences. Vasquez-Robles, then 50, faced life in prison.
On Thursday, 17 years after the investigation began and eight years after the indictment, Vasquez-Robles was sentenced to three years in prison, the result of a settlement in which he pleaded guilty to one count of international money laundering and two counts of lying on his U.S. citizenship application.
His wife, Emelia Vasquez, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of laundering drug money and was sentenced to probation and a year of home confinement. Money-laundering charges against his daughter, Corina Vasquez, 32, were completely dismissed, as were drug charges against two other men named in the indictment. The settlement raises questions about what happened to allegations that Vasquez-Robles was operating a major drug operation on the Central Coast. Those questions will remain unanswered by the government. The U.S. Attorney's Office declined comment on the settlement.
Vasquez-Robles' attorney, Paul Meltzer of Santa Cruz, said federal prosecutors "correctly concluded they could not prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt."
"At the end of the day, despite all of the allegations, Mr. Vasquez was never found in possession of any drugs whatsoever," he said. "So, after eight years of litigation, we're pleased to resolve the case on these terms."
Meltzer stressed that neither his client nor any of the other defendants cooperated with authorities. On the contrary, he said, the government's settlement was based on a lack of evidence and problems with its confidential informants, all of whom were convicted of serious crimes after Vasquez-Robles was indicted.
weapons are being smuggled in from Iran with their support.
operations intensifying in Afghanistan to eliminate the terrorist threat against both the government and citizens of Afghanistan, a captured facilitator has provided information that weapons are being smuggled in from Iran with their support.Afghan-international forces are preparing a major push into Kandahar Province to dismantle yet another Taliban/terrorist movement designed to disrupt the peace process in Afghanistan. Kandahar City was prior to the operations that ousted the Taliban from control the center of the Taliban government.Reports regarding the quality and quantity of the weapons vary from sophisticated weapons to weapons that would not cause major problems for coalition forces.Within the last few weeks, a large number of weapons caches have been discovered in and around Kandahar Province along with, an increase in the capture of Taliban sub-Commanders, and suspected insurgents.
Most of the activities regarding Afghan-international security forces have been centered in, and around the Helmand Province. The Nahr-e-Saraj district according to press releases has been particularly active. In a press release today, reports that a patrol in the area had received intelligence regarding a possible hideout used by insurgents, forces searched the location and discovered another larger weapons cache consisting of 300 machine-gun rounds, components of an RPG and a recoilless rifle round.In the Khost Province a Haqqani facilitator was captured. The facilitator was suspected to having been involved in the manufacture of IED’s and intelligence operations against coalition forces.
In other operations in Uruzgan Province last night, a weapons cache containing a rocket-propelled grenade, six 81mm mortar rounds and two 82mm mortar rounds. The cache was destroyed.
Most of the activities regarding Afghan-international security forces have been centered in, and around the Helmand Province. The Nahr-e-Saraj district according to press releases has been particularly active. In a press release today, reports that a patrol in the area had received intelligence regarding a possible hideout used by insurgents, forces searched the location and discovered another larger weapons cache consisting of 300 machine-gun rounds, components of an RPG and a recoilless rifle round.In the Khost Province a Haqqani facilitator was captured. The facilitator was suspected to having been involved in the manufacture of IED’s and intelligence operations against coalition forces.
In other operations in Uruzgan Province last night, a weapons cache containing a rocket-propelled grenade, six 81mm mortar rounds and two 82mm mortar rounds. The cache was destroyed.
56-year-old aboriginal elder was caught smuggling 16 kilograms of kava onto a remote island community by the Northern Territory police.
56-year-old aboriginal elder was caught smuggling 16 kilograms of kava onto a remote island community by the Northern Territory police.A Toyota Landcruiser was halted by the police from Ramingining in Arnhem Land at Barge Landing Road on Good Friday.According to the police spokeswomen, in addition to the 16kgs of kava, small amount of cannabis was also found by the police.She said, “The kava had a street value of $16,000 and was headed for Milingimbi Island before it was intercepted by police”.Superintendent Helen Braam shared that people fail to get the message about drugs in the community. She added that the police will continue to interrupt and target drug dealers in the community, irrespective of their reputation in the community.Supt Braam revealed that this is not the first instance that the respected Arnhem Land community members had been involved in drug.The members of the Katherine and Northern Regional Command are leaving no stone unturned to put in place common respect etiquettes that will guide the way police and community work together to tackle crime issues, which include the running of cannabis, grog as well as kava.
Mozambican police have arrested four Thai citizens who were trying to smuggle rubies out of the country
Mozambican police have arrested four Thai citizens who were trying to smuggle rubies out of the country, reports Monday's issue of the independent daily "O Pais".
The four were detained on Saturday at the airport in the northern city of Pemba. According to the police they were in possession of over 30 kilos of rubies valued at more than 120 million US dollars.Rubies vary enormously in price depending on their quality. High quality stones can sell at over 5,000 US dollars a carat. One carat equals 200 milligrams, and so 30 kilos of rubies is an enormous 150,000 carats. If the weight given by the police is accurate, 120 million dollars is not an entirely fantastic estimate of the value.According to the police, the four Thais were catching a Mozambique Airlines (LAM) flight from Pemba to Nairobi, and would then make their way back to Thailand."O Pais" adds that a Mozambican national was recently caught red-handed at the casino in the Nautilus hotel in Pemba trying to sell five kilos of rubies to Thai purchasers. Those rubies, plus the ones seized at the airport, now revert to the Mozambican state.The paper cites anonymous sources who claim that members of the state security service, SISE, have been keeping a close eye on the Thais since they arrived in Pemba about a week ago.The rubies come from the mines at Namanhumbir, in Montepuez district, some 200 kilometres west of Pemba.
Meanwhile, the police in the central province of Zambezia have arrested 29 Somali citizens (27 men and two women) who had entered the country illegally.According to the police, the group came by boat down the east African coast and disembarked near the mouth of the Rovuma river in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. They then made their way through Nampula province into Zambezia, where they were arrested in Ile district on 30 March.They were traveling in two vehicles, driven by Mozambicans - one of whom was a policeman named as Afonso Marrula.The drivers claimed they had no idea the group were illegal immigrants. They were just giving them a lift from Nampula to Zambezia, because they took pity on them when they saw them at the side of the road, trying to flag down lifts. They claimed they had received no money from the Somalis.The police believe that this group of Somalis, like many others before them, were simply using Mozambique as a corridor, and that their final destination was South Africa.
The four were detained on Saturday at the airport in the northern city of Pemba. According to the police they were in possession of over 30 kilos of rubies valued at more than 120 million US dollars.Rubies vary enormously in price depending on their quality. High quality stones can sell at over 5,000 US dollars a carat. One carat equals 200 milligrams, and so 30 kilos of rubies is an enormous 150,000 carats. If the weight given by the police is accurate, 120 million dollars is not an entirely fantastic estimate of the value.According to the police, the four Thais were catching a Mozambique Airlines (LAM) flight from Pemba to Nairobi, and would then make their way back to Thailand."O Pais" adds that a Mozambican national was recently caught red-handed at the casino in the Nautilus hotel in Pemba trying to sell five kilos of rubies to Thai purchasers. Those rubies, plus the ones seized at the airport, now revert to the Mozambican state.The paper cites anonymous sources who claim that members of the state security service, SISE, have been keeping a close eye on the Thais since they arrived in Pemba about a week ago.The rubies come from the mines at Namanhumbir, in Montepuez district, some 200 kilometres west of Pemba.
Meanwhile, the police in the central province of Zambezia have arrested 29 Somali citizens (27 men and two women) who had entered the country illegally.According to the police, the group came by boat down the east African coast and disembarked near the mouth of the Rovuma river in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. They then made their way through Nampula province into Zambezia, where they were arrested in Ile district on 30 March.They were traveling in two vehicles, driven by Mozambicans - one of whom was a policeman named as Afonso Marrula.The drivers claimed they had no idea the group were illegal immigrants. They were just giving them a lift from Nampula to Zambezia, because they took pity on them when they saw them at the side of the road, trying to flag down lifts. They claimed they had received no money from the Somalis.The police believe that this group of Somalis, like many others before them, were simply using Mozambique as a corridor, and that their final destination was South Africa.
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