Axelexen Johanne Vinther arrested for posting pharmaceuticals

Axelexen Johanne Vinther, 45, attracted the suspicion of postal workers at the capital’s main post office earlier this week. Police investigated and allegedly found she was attempting to post 10,761 tablets containing codeine, which is a restricted substance in most Western countries, he said. “This is not an unusual case - foreigners try to post drugs all the time and we have had many cases such as this,” Police General Ramin said. “This is now a matter for the court.”Several African men are currently serving jail terms in Cambodia for attempting to send heroin through the post. However, arrests for posting pharmaceuticals are far less common. Codeine remains legal to buy and sell across the counter without prescription in Cambodia, but not to post in bulk overseas. If convicted, Vinther faces up to 20 years in jail.

Beheaded Mohammed Qodous ,Idris Abdul-Ghani convicted of smuggling cocaine into the kingdom.

Mohammed Qodous and Idris Abdul-Ghani, were convicted of smuggling the drugs by swallowing sachets of cocaine. The Interior Ministry says the beheadings took place Sunday in the Red Sea coastal city of Jiddah.The Saudi Interior Ministry says authorities have beheaded two Nigerian men convicted of smuggling cocaine into the kingdom.Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which those convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape or armed robbery are executed in public with a sword.Forty-two people have been beheaded this year, according to an Associated Press count.

Tyler Morris,Brandy Conley,Robert Jones arrested for drug offenses

Tyler Morris, 22, of 60 Carleton Ave., was charged with possession of drugs (Suboxone), a third-degree felony, as well as possession of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. Brandy Conley, 27, of 60 Carleton Ave., was charged with possession of a dangerous drug.Joined by Shelby police, METRICH raided their home and confiscated 76 Suboxone tablets, drug paraphernalia for heroin use, $240 and multiple diverted prescription drugs. Robert Jones, 27, of 163 Broadway St., was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Drug paraphernalia, $191, and a .22-caliber rifle were seized from his residence.

Moshe Kedar,Yehezkel Srebro,Mordechai Hersh allegedly involved in a massive drug smuggling attempt will remain in custody

Three Israeli suspects allegedly involved in a massive drug smuggling attempt will remain in custody, a British court has ruled. The attempted smuggling bid was uncovered earlier this week in the wake of a year and a half monitoring effort by the Tel Aviv Police Department, undertaken in cooperation with Belgian and British police.The cannabis seized by authorities in Southampton could be worth as much as $40-60 million, the Southampton Magistrate's Court was told.
In total, nine suspects are facing charges in connection with the smuggling attempt, including three Israelis: Moshe Kedar, 80, Yehezkel Srebro, 56, and Mordechai Hersh, 66. The court was also told that the amount of drugs discovered on the boast by police officers was "in excess of five tons."The seizure is believed to be one of the largest in British history

Kevin James Hanley wanted in connection with smuggling drugs worth £500,000 inside flat-pack furniture.

Kevin James Hanley, aged 40, after cocaine was smuggled to Heathrow Airport from Mexico inside hollowed panels of computer desks.
On Thursday (April 10), Isleworth Crown Court jailed four men for their part in importing the drugs in June last year. Bimal Puri, of Isleworth, and Glen Clark, of Colindale, were both jailed for 15 years each. Barry Hearn, of Edgware, was sentenced to eight years and Jose Perdomo, Peckham, was jailed for 12 years. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) seized 48 packages, or 12.5kilos, of high purity cocaine in Edgware, north London.Kevin is said to have connections to the building industry throughout the south-east, he likes to keep fit and may frequent gyms and boxing clubs. He has family and social ties in the Republic of Ireland.

Joseph, White and Sandifer New Orleans firefighters accused of selling drugs sometimes outside fire stations where they worked

Former firefighter, Wayne Williams II, 28, of Gretna, is the alleged ringleader of the group.Three former New Orleans firefighters who were accused of selling drugs — sometimes outside fire stations where they worked — have pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Milton Joseph, 25; Aaron White, 24; and Eddie Sandifer, 22, all of New Orleans, admitted to several drug- and gun-related offenses, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten announced Friday.
Also pleading guilty was another New Orleans resident, Damon Burkhalter, 40.Joseph, White and Sandifer all worked in the New Orleans Fire Department before their arrests.Some undercover drug buys made during an investigation that started last May took place outside city firehouses.The drug trafficking took place between May and November, according to court filings. White rented a 7th Ward apartment that was used to store, package and distribute heroin.
His name appears in 19 of the 24 counts in the indictment, including charges of selling hydrocodone and diazepam along with the heroin and crack, and for carrying a .45-caliber pistol while dealing drugs. His case is pending.
Burkhalter pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, according to court records. He also acknowledges that he had a prior felony drug conviction, which may be used to enhance his sentence.
He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum of life imprisonment, up to $4 million in fines and at least five years of supervised release.White pleaded guilty to maintaining drug-involved premises, prohibited by what's commonly called "the crack house statute." He faces up to 20 years in prison, fines and supervised release.Sandifer pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and faces up to 20 years imprisonment, as well as fines and supervised release.Joseph pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and 100 grams or more of heroin. He faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life

Simon Bland bailed with a condition not to travel as a front-seat passenger in a car and imposed an interim driving ban

Simon Bland was stopped in his Ford Focus automatic twice within the space of three hours for bringing terror to the roads of Teesside on July 7. yesterday begged a judge to ban him from the roads for life for his series of potentially-deadly outings last year.
The second time he was stopped - after colliding with a van in Middlesbrough - police found the 35-year-old slumped at the wheel.
Three weeks later, Bland mounted a kerb and narrowly missed a child on a bike before knocking down a refuse collector and hitting a stationary car.
On November 22, police were called to a Middlesbrough medical centre when staff became concerned about drug-addict Bland's behaviour.
Bland tried to flee the scene in his £5,000 hatchback and drove at pedestrians on the pavement before reversing into the patrol car.
After being arrested, he refused to be interviewed and failed to provide a urine sample to help police discover if he had taken drink or drugs.
Bland pleaded guilty to three charges of dangerous driving when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court - and asked to be locked up immediately.
But Judge Les Spittle yesterday adjourned the case to learn more about the recovering heroin addict's troubled background.
Bland, who told the court he is suffering from hepatitis B and lung cancer, asked the judge to remand him in custody ahead of his next appearance.
He said he would receive better care in the hospital wing of Holme House Prison in Stockton and was in tears as he pleaded with Judge Spittle.
The judge gave Bland bail - with a condition not to travel as a front-seat passenger in a car - and imposed an interim driving ban. Judge Spittle explained that it would be easier to get medical and probation reports if Bland was bailed to his home in Hemlington, Middlesbrough. Bland, of Boscom Gardens, left court in tears and vowing to commit a crime so he would be locked up.

Lax security at smaller airports and minimal checks at state road borders have prompted concern that drug runners are now shipping their wares

"If a government doesn't prioritise a country's national security, then one has to wonder what are their priorities?''On Tuesday, a 40-year-old Dutchman was charged over an alleged attempt to smuggle 1kg of crystal methylamphetamine into Perth in five plastic bags labelled as ``air filters''. A further search of his baggage uncovered a small quantity of ecstasy tablets and a powder believed to be cocaine. A 51-year-old man from Perth was charged at a nearby hotel after allegedly attempting to take possession of the drugs. Both men face life jail sentences. David Williamson, a Customs enforcement supervisor at Perth international airport, said the fallout from 9/11 and the Bali bombings with security upgrades had seen a change in drug cartel operations.
Hundreds of remote airstrips have opened a gateway for the smuggling of illicit drugs and other contraband into WA.Lax security at smaller airports and minimal checks at state road borders have prompted concern that drug runners are shipping their wares through less secure means. The discovery of $77 million of methylamphetamine and ecstasy aboard a plane that landed at Jandakot airport last month has raised concerns about the apparent ease in which the drugs are entering the state, away from the scrutiny of major airports.It has also sparked questions about how many other syndicates are using small remote airports to transport their drugs cross-country. While Customs mans international borders, including Australia's ports and all international airports, including Broome and Port Hedland, it does not police airstrips and country airports. Pilots of light aircraft are not required to log flight plans if they are not flying in controlled airspace.
Federal shadow attorney-general and Opposition spokesman for border protection Christopher Pyne said remote airstrips and country airports were a threat that had to be taken seriously. "Small airports will be a target for organised crime and Labor has to meet the threat,'' Mr Pyne said. "The No.1 priority of any government is a country's national security -- and that includes the war on drugs.''
Jandakot airport management this week admitted there was little to stop cartels from using hundreds of remote WA airstrips and smaller airports to transport drug shipments. "Aircraft can fly around the state, not only at Jandakot, but anywhere _ any strip around Perth _ and not submit a flight plan,'' said Darryl Evans, operations manager at Jandakot airport. "That means there's no record of who is travelling where,'' Mr Evans said. ``You can fly anywhere you want, basically, as long as you're not in controlled air space. "You'd probably never know if this sort of activity was going on. It's only through vigilance and somebody noticing this sort of stuff that those sorts of movements are picked up.'' Under the regulations set by WA's Department of Planning and Infrastructure, Jandakot airport, among other small airports, must only provide airside security, including fencing and electronic swipecard gate access. There are no checks on luggage or passengers. This lack of monitoring was highlighted last month when WA police seized a huge methylamphetamine and ecstasy haul worth $77 million after searching a plane which flew from New South Wales to Jandakot airport. Acting on intelligence, detectives searched the twin-engine aircraft and found a bag allegedly containing 22.5kg of methylamphetamine -- the biggest seizure of the drug in WA -- and 8.85kg of ecstasy (approximately 35,000 tablets) in a storage compartment on the Piper Aztec. Two people have been charged and the case is now before the courts. Customs WA regional director Paul O'Connor said while Customs officers detected a range of contraband, including significant drug seizures coming into Australia from offshore, intelligence showed drug runners were also crossing state borders. "Consistently, we see intelligence that the majority of the drugs in the Perth market come over from the eastern states,'' Mr O'Connor said. "The eastern states continue to be an entry point to distribute it over here. "They are either driven over, flown over or posted over. That's a consistent trend. "But co-ordination between agencies to intercept this is certainly much better than it has been.'' Customs officers say there has been a move away from concealment in bags to placement inside people's bodies, such as swallowing drugs. But "drug mules'' on international flights, particularly cabin crew, who are familiar with airport procedures, are still being favoured by syndicates.
"Increases in airport security have had an impact on how people bring drugs into Australia,'' Mr Williamson said."There's been a move away from concealment in luggage to internal concealment, or body packing. "Ingesting drugs has led to the weight of drugs falling and it's now a shift to higher-priced narcotics such as heroin and cocaine. "Drugs can be concealed in anything. We can't discount anything. You could find the base of a hard-sided bag is made from them. "There is no atypical courier of narcotics. So while there are a lot of beliefs about Customs having profiling, that's not always the case.'' Small drug detections have been uncovered in mint lolly canisters where the offenders have filled the container with similar white pills and put a few authentic mints on the top. Nick Main, from Customs waterfront operations in Fremantle, said wharves were not exempt from drug finds, but most tended to come through the bigger eastern states ports. "We have found, looking at commercial ships, that most drugs tend to come through more from the cargo,'' Mr Main said. "There are examples, even just recently, of people literally carrying off big bags of drugs and just walking them down the gangway and driving them out through the gates of the wharf. "It is happening and usually they are concealed somewhere on the vessel and then they wait for an opportunity to get them off. "It's always a double-edged sword. If you're not finding it does that mean you're not finding it or it's not happening? "But we believe the presence we have out there is strong enough and a good enough deterrent that if people are going to try to bring it in, they will try to bring it in other ways than just literally walking it down the gangway. "To them, that would be very, very high risk.''
WA Police Organised Crime Chief Supt Paul Coombes declined to speak to The Sunday Times to discuss whether the Jandakot airport drug seizure had heightened their awareness of smaller, remote airports being used by drug couriers. He also refused to discuss if there had been a strengthening of state police around these smaller airports. Mr Pyne said revelations that showed the Federal Government was about to cut $24 million from the budget of the Australian Federal Police was alarming. "I'm very concerned that at a time when there are reports of Australia being targeted by these organised drug rings ... the new Labor Government is targeting the AFP for cuts,'' Mr Pyne said.

Ronald Leslie Fisher pleaded guilty to possessing more than 22 grams of cocaine base, or crack, and to intent to distribute.

Ronald Leslie Fisher earlier pleaded guilty to possessing more than 22 grams of cocaine base, or crack, and to intent to distribute.
Officials say on four separate occasions Fisher sold crack cocaine to a government informant. Anchorage police also say they found crack cocaine in Fisher's possession when they made a traffic stop.32-year-old Anchorage man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison following his convictions on drug charges.

Timothy Beamish also stole from his own father and threatened to stab a policeman with a needle when he was arrested

Timothy Beamish also stole from his own father and threatened to stab a policeman with a needle when he was arrested.
Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon crown court the 27-year-old was banned from going to his gran's home in Bodinrar House, Calne, by a court order.
She said Kathleen Jones had obtained a non molestation order against her grandson in March last year stopping him from going within 100 yards of her home.
But on Saturday March 1 the 73-year-old was at home in the block of flats and her son in law, Beamish's dad Paul, was also there.
At about 3.30pm he appeared at the patio door asking for money, which they refused to give him.
He then went into the flat rifled through the pockets in the side of his gran's handbag taking out three £20 notes before leaving when she said she would call the police.
A few days later on Thursday March 6 his dad had stayed the night at his mother in law's house when he heard her saying "Tim get out" at about 11am.
Beamish then went to the room where his dad had been and picked up his wallet only to be told it was empty.
He then left and his dad realised his Nokia mobile phone was missing so contacted the police.
They spotted Beamish on nearby Grierson Close where he had just sold the phone for £10 to Westlea Housing Association worker William Morton.
As one of the officers approached and detained him Beamish said "Let go, I have got a needle. I'll stab you".
However he was restrained and indeed found to have a syringe in his pocket as well as the £10 which he said he had got for the phone.
As well as admitting taking it and selling it he also said he had taken the cash a few days earlier.
Beamish, of Cornflower Close, Calne, admitted two counts of burglary, threatening behaviour and breaching an injunction.
The court heard he had been put on a 120 day jail term suspended for a year in July last year for another burglary and other matters.
Michael Wills, defending, said his client had committed the offences because of his problem with alcohol and his "awful addiction to heroin".
Jailing him Judge Douglas Field said "You have an appalling record for a man of 27. It is a dwelling house burglary and there are two matters that make it serious.
"First there is your grandmother, who previously had come here to seek the court's protection against you in the form of a non molestation order, was present and she must have been very frightened when you went there. Secondly you have previous convictions for dwelling house burglary."

This was a large and valuable quantity of cocaine,Gang sentenced Thursday to a total of 50 years in prison at Isleworth Crown Court

Glen Ford Clark (49) and Bimal Puri (50) were found guilty last month and were sentenced each to 15 years in prison for their parts in the smuggling. Jose Ramon Perdomo (49) and Barry Hearn (28) both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 12 and 8 years respectively.
Passing sentence, Judge Hezlett Colgan said: “This was a large and valuable quantity of cocaine, and in my view this was a well-planned enterprise in which each of you played a part.”
Gregor McGill, Head of Serious Organised Crime at RCPO said “I am delighted with the result of this prosecution. This demonstrates what we can achieve when investigators and prosecutors work closely together in the fight against drugs smuggling and the great harm it does to our society.”

Milton Joseph IV,Aaron White,Eddie Sandifer ,Damon Burkhalter were all members of the NOFD until their arrests.

Milton Joseph IV, 25; Aaron White, 24; and Eddie Sandifer III, 22 were all members of the NOFD until their arrests. Additionally, Damon Burkhalter pled guilty to participating to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. He faces up to life in prison, up to $4 million in fines and at least five years of supervision should he be released. White pled guilty to maintaining a crack house on North Derbigny Street and faces a maximum 20 years in prison, $500,000 in fines and no more than three years of supervised release. Sandifer faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and $1 million in fines for conspiracy to distribute heroin. And Joseph could see life in prison and a $4 million fine for his part in a conspiracy to distribute 50 or more grams of crack and 100 gram or more of heroin.

Perry Redd was convicted of renewed drug charges that were filed against him after he broke a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Perry Redd was convicted today of renewed drug charges that were filed against him after he broke a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.Redd was convicted of conspiracy to possess crack cocaine, criminal contempt of court, simple possession and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.The jury deliberated for several hours on Friday before returning its verdict in the early afternoon. The case was tried on Chattanooga, where it had been transferred from Knoxville.Sentencing is set for 2 p.m. July 10. Redd now faces the potential of more prison time than the 10 years and three months he originally agreed to.
Redd was indicted as Perry Dawhayne McCreary-Redd but has always gone by the name Perry Redd.He is a one-time armed robber who became a prominent community activist, and was then arrested in 2004 with a loaded handgun and a vial of crack cocaine.Later, he agreed to plead guilty to some charges in exchange for dismissal of others, and was sentenced to 10 years and three months. Part of his plea agreement was that he could appeal the length of his sentence, but would not appeal the conviction of charges.But Redd fired his lawyer and, representing himself, successfully challenged the convictions. He then claimed that the language in the appeals court decision not only overturned his sentence but voided the entire plea agreement.But federal prosecutors prevailed in their position that he had violated his plea agreement, and were free to reopen his case, seek a longer sentence if convicted, and even use as evidence the statements he made to authorities after he signed off on his plea agreement.

Yhans Haughton is charged with possession, dealing in and attempting to export some 7.5 pounds of ganja

Yhans Haughton, 24, auto body repairman of Hampton in Runaway Bay, was offered $250,000 bail with one or two sureties, and ordered to report to the Runaway Bay police Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
He is charged with possession, dealing in and attempting to export some 7.5 pounds of ganja that was found in two secret compartments in a flight pack he had checked in. It is alleged that on March 31, he checked in a flight pack and a Pullman suitcase to board an Air Jamaica flight to Nassau, Bahamas. The flight pack was taken to the boarding gate and searched in his presence.
Eight packages containing vegetable matter resembling ganja were allegedly found. Under caution, he pleaded with the officer to give him a chance.
Defence attorney Adrian Dayes in a bail application told the court that his client got the flight pack to deliver to someone and that Haughton had no knowledge that it contained contraband.
The accused man is scheduled to return to court on May 15. In the meantime, the court is awaiting several statements and the forensic report to complete the case file.

Raja Arshad,Shazad Majid pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs between December 2006 and July last year.

Raja Arshad, 26, who lived there, and Shazad Majid,29, of Westbourne Grove, North Ormesby, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs between December 2006 and July last year. They were remanded in custody for sentence later.
Three more men and a woman deny conspiracy with them and also with unknown others, and Mr Makepace said that the issue was whether each of them was a party to it.
On trial are Arshad's father, Mohammed Arshad, 50, and his brother, Murthaza Arshad, 24, both of Oxford Road, his sister, Tabenda Kayani, 25, of Kensington Road, Middlesbrough, and Amin Younis, 31, of Brafferton Road, Middlesbrough.
Mr Makespeace said that some of the items in Oxford Road had the fingerprints of Younis. Raja and Murthaza Arshad both had beds in the attic. Murthaza Arshad was arrested in the attic, and he told officers that there was money in the bedroom.
a detective on foot patrol spotted a nervous woman on a street corner carry out a drug deal with a man in a car.Police then tailed the P-reg Mercedes to an address in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, and a decision was taken to apply for a search warrant.
two hours later, officers raided a house in Oxford Road, Middlesbrough, where they walked in on a family scene of a couple and two young children.
But in the attic they found a bedroom containing a black suitcase which they were told held £2,000 business takings, but the true figure was £5,040 heavily stained with heroin. The attic also gave up £1m worth of heroin with a street value of nearly £2m, the biggest amount discovered in Middlesbrough, and also huge quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine.There were cutting agents used to dilute the drugs, and a vast amount of packaging material, plastic bags, brown paper and scales.
Nearby in Ayresome Street - at a disused shop and garage with a flat above - they found a drugs factory with more packaging, cutting agents and a blender coated with heroin.Peter Makepeace, prosecuting, told the jury about the Oxford Road police raid - he said: "They had every reason to believe that they were about to carry out a routine drug search and uncover some low level street dealer."

Cameron Lee was using heroin and selling it to teenagers

Cameron Lee, 19, was using heroin and selling it to teenagers.In January, an undercover officer bought heroin from Lee in the Clackamas High School parking lot. He was arrested and booked into jail on several charges.But the Clackamas County Jail later cut Lee loose because of overcrowding. Officials said there was no room in the jail and they had to let him out. Lee was released and deputies said he went right back to selling heroin to minors.
Students said they never expected to hear about heroin at Clackamas High School until teachers sent out a letter. It warned that a suspected heroin dealer was doing business on campus."Heroin isn't really an entry-level drug, so you don't think of it with high schoolers," Stephanie Stromberg said.On Tuesday, deputies pulled over Lee and arrested him on several charges, including delivering and possessing heroin. Deputies said he was with a girl who he's not allowed to associate.
Lee's father did not want to speak on camera, but he said his son started using heroin when he was a freshman at Clackamas High School.He thinks the drug use is out of control in Clackamas, but students at Clackamas High School disagreed.
"Everybody I know isn't into drugs at all," said Teal Hand, a Clackamas student.
Lee's bail is set at $1 million.

Juan Rosario guilty of trafficking cocaine over 200 grams

Juan Rosario, 43, of 260 Haverhill Street, Lawrence, guilty of trafficking cocaine over 200 grams. The verdict followed a one-day trial on Wednesday.
Essex Assistant District Attorney Michel Hickey said that on April 3, 2007, an Immigration/Customs agent in Puerto Rico had seized a picture which contained a kilo of cocaine in the hollowed out frame.The package had been sent from the Dominican Republic, and had a final destination in Lawrence. That discovery prompted a call to the Essex County Drug Task Force assigned to the office of Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.On April 4, 2007, investigators attempted to deliver the package to the Lawrence address, but a woman there refused to accept it because she did not know the addressee, Alfredo Ortega.Investigators then telephoned the number that appeared on the package and spoke to a person claiming to be Alfredo Ortega. They made arrangements to deliver the package to him later that day.Surveillance of the Lawrence address was set up, and agents posing as FedEx employees arrived to deliver the package. The defendant, who was driving a gold Camry, was seen driving back and forth on Lowell Street. After he spotted the delivery truck parked in front of the address, Rosario stopped his car and ran to the truck.Police arrested Rosario after he signed for and received the package.

Emery “Popeye” Isenhart had 25 of the capsules in his possession and five additional capsules were in the car

Christine Pishner, 28, of Elkins. She allowed the troopers to search the vehicles and a K-9 unit was called.
Emery “Popeye” Isenhart, 38, of Elkins had 25 of the capsules in his possession and five additional capsules were in the car. Stalnaker said some of the capsules were busted open.Pishner was charged with conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance and Isenhart was charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and transporting a controlled substance over state lines.
Police said Isenhart told them he brought the heroin from Maryland.
“We have been hearing a lot about the drug,” Stalnaker said. “It is selling for around $40 a capsule. The stuff we got was pretty high quality heroin.”
Both Pishner and Isenhart remain in the TVRJ. According to Stalnaker bond was set for Isenhart at a $50,000 cash.

ocean-going tug 'Abbira' searched after it berthed in the Hampshire port

Three of the foreign suspects arrested on Wednesday were Israeli, two from the Ukraine and four from Serbia.Four people have been arrested in Leicestershire as part of a major cannabis trafficking inquiry, the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) has announced.


The arrests by Leicestershire police were connected to a Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) operation which also saw nine foreign men held in Southampton.Officers raided the ocean-going tug 'Abbira' after it berthed in the Hampshire port.
All 13 suspects remain in custody, a Soca spokeswoman said.
The 30-metre 'Abbira' is believed to be registered under the Israeli flag.
Soca was also working with HM Revenue and Customs, Hampshire police and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre based in Portugal, which co-ordinates naval operations against narcotics smuggling."The search of a boat believed to have been used for this importation is ongoing but a significant amount of cannabis has been seized," a Soca spokeswoman said.

Bimal Puri found guilty of one charge of smuggling along with his conspirator Glenn Clark

Bimal Puri, 50, of Otterbourne Gardens, was found guilty of one charge of smuggling along with his conspirator Glenn Clark, 49, of Ramsey Close, Colindale, at Isleworth Crown Court.Two other men, Barry Hearn of Rannock Close, Edgware, and Jose Perdomo, 49, of Moody Road, Peckham, had already pleaded guilty to one charge of smuggling.
The court heard how the four paid Mexican drug contacts to hollow out wooden panels in 20 computer desks and fill them with coke.
The furniture was then flown into Heathrow, arriving on June 29 last year.
The group was discovered when the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) began investigating them.Officers from SOCA watched as the smugglers held a series of meetings.“This was a large and valuable quantity of cocaine, and in my view this was a well-planned enterprise in which each of you played a part.”
Judge Hezlett Colgan
When the furniture was unloaded x-rays showed it contained cocaine with a street value of more than £1million.Investigators allowed the delivery to go ahead, but followed the furniture as it was driven to an industrial estate in Feltham.
Hearn then took the goods to his Edgware lock-up removing 48 packs of coke and storing them in his loft four men were arrested on July 1.Passing sentence Judge Hezlett Colgan said: "This was a large and valuable quantity of cocaine, and in my view this was a well-planned enterprise in which each of you played a part."
Puri, Perdomo and Clark were jailed for 15 years while Hearn was given an eight-year sentence.A fifth man, Kevin Hanley, from Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, is still being hunted by police.

Melvin Maycock Jr., charged with possession of dangerous drugs with the intent to supply.

Melvin Maycock Jr., 23, was formally charged with possession of dangerous drugs with the intent to supply. The New Hope Drive, Joan’s Heights West resident was found on Monday, April 7, with one pound of marijuana in his car, according to authorities.
At the time of his arrest, Maycock Jr. was on bail after he was arraigned on two separate matters.On this latest drug possession charge he entered a not guilty plea. His attorney Dion Smith then made a request for bail. Magistrate Carolita Bethel set a bail hearing for April 23. Maycock was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison until then. Prosecuting the matter was Inspector Ercell Dorsette.Less than a month ago, Maycock and police officer Troy Lewis, 38, were charged with aiding in the escape of Melvin Maycock Sr. Maycock Sr. was a prisoner at the Elizabeth Estates Police Station when he escaped on February 28. Both men entered a not guilty plea and opted to have the matter heard in the magistrate’s court. Their trial is expected to commence on June 10 in Court No. 10 on Nassau Street. Back in 2004, Maycock Jr. was among 12 men charged after law enforcement authorities cracked a drug smuggling operation that reportedly spanned several countries, including the Bahamas, Canada, Jamaica, Colombia and The U.S.. However, Maycock’s father eluded capture. According to reports, Maycock Sr., the alleged head of a drug gang that smuggled marijuana and cocaine into the U.S. through the Caribbean, had been arrested on an extradition warrant when he was smuggled out of police custody. Two years after he was arraigned in connection with drug trafficking Maycock Jr. was freed on $100,000 bail and is still fighting extradition to the U.S..

William Matute-Rankin head of a major cocaine-transportation ring organized boat crews, refueling operations and provided logistical support

William Matute-Rankin was extradited to the United States from Panama in September to face the drug charges. He was found guilty in January.
According to court documents, Matute-Rankin was described as the head of a major cocaine-transportation ring operating out of Honduras. Thousands of kilograms of cocaine were smuggled through the organization, attorney's office spokesman Steve Cole said in a news release.
Matute-Rankin organized boat crews, refueling operations and provided logistical support, Cole said. During the investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard was involved in two seizures that totaled more than 6,000 kilograms of cocaine, the news release said.

Vonnie Williams, Aaron Washington used "mules" and mail to import pounds of cocaine from New York and Oregon for at least five years it is alleged

Vonnie Williams, 44, and Aaron Washington, 42, were co-leaders of a continuing criminal enterprise to import and sell cocaine in Juneau. The men are co-defendants and have trials scheduled for June. Williams is held on $75,000 bail, and Washington is held on $100,000 bail.
Three women with long-term criminal records support eight of the 16 charges leveled at Williams. Tonya Williams-Brown, 27, told state troopers that she was the source of "kilo after kilo of cocaine" delivered to the partners and is the source for 11 of 19 charges against Washington. Sgt. Dave Campbell, head of Juneau police investigations, said that vice crimes are conducted by willing parties on both sides and that cases built around vice crimes, such as drugs, often include people with "issues" or criminal behavior. "You're going to need someone from that lifestyle to come forward," Campbell said.
Authorities say that Williams and Washington used "mules" and mail to import pounds of cocaine from New York and Oregon for at least five years. No package with either man's name containing drugs was ever seized by police.
On Nov. 30, 2007, authorities grabbed Laura Johnson, 33, as she deplaned Alaska Airlines Flight 75 at Juneau International Airport based on an informant tip that she was carrying drugs. When cornered by police, Johnson, who had arrived from Seattle, produced 6.49 ounces of cocaine from a six-inch tube hidden in her body, according to court records. Page 5 of the 14-page charging document claims that Williams aided in Johnson's possession of that cocaine. The felony drug charge against Johnson, for transporting "large quantities" of cocaine into the state, was dropped in February. The district attorney's office expects Johnson, who has past convictions for contempt of court and assault, to testify truthfully at a later date, according to records. "I'm sure the defense will raise the issue of character," Campbell said. An Anchorage attorney representing Washington said it's not uncommon for authorities to make deals with lower level criminals to get to "sources higher up." Sometimes the methods yield the higher source and sometimes not, William Carey said. "Several of the individuals have histories that clearly make their statements suspect," Carey said. "As a defense attorney, I have to explore that." Williams' attorney, Tom Schulz, was unreachable Tuesday.
Johnson's claims substantiate two other drug charges in the indictment, one for July 4, 2007, and one for Nov. 18, 2007.
Often, informants' and witnesses' claims are suspect based on their criminal records and the deals they made with prosecutors, Carey said. The idea to investigate Washington's and Williams' alleged drug operation in a larger context, as organized and ongoing, came from state police after Williams was arrested by Juneau police in connection to a theft and forgery ring with six others. The larger drug investigation didn't really get started until late 2007, Campbell said.
"We looked back to see who mentioned them in the past," Campbell said.
Police said they caught Darlene Hurlbut, 28, with an undisclosed amount of narcotics on May 9, 2003. Later that summer, the felony case against her was dismissed. Now, Hurlbut is the source of two counts of cocaine dealing leveled against Williams in the indictment. The state alleges that twice in the last week of March 2003, Williams aided Hurlbut in possessing cocaine.
Campbell said charges against Hurlbut could have been dropped for any number of reasons. He was not in charge of the drug unit back then. "In general, from time to time, the DA's office enters into agreements with individuals with information we feel is important," District Attorney Doug Gardner said. "These agreements are discoverable and available for the jury to take into consideration."
Citing the open case, Gardner declined to comment on the credibility of witnesses and informants that have criminal histories.
Campbell said in his experience a criminal could be an acceptable witness in court where credibility, in part, comes from experience. Criminals have firsthand knowledge on the issue. Another component to credibility is honesty, he said.
"There is such a thing as an honest criminal," Campbell said.

Jose Manuel Xavier arrested at Yogyakarta Airport

Australian man has been arrested in Indonesia for drug importation at the request of Australian police. Jose Manuel Xavier, 57, was arrested at Yogyakarta Airport on Tuesday after arriving on a domestic flight from Bali, Indonesian police said.

Barry Hearn,Jose Perdomo,Bimal Puri,Glenn Clark have been jailed for up to 15 years each

Barry Hearn, 32, of Edgware, Jose Perdomo, 49, of Peckham, Bimal Puri, 50, of Middlesex, and Glenn Clark, 49, of Colindale were convicted of the smuggling charge by a jury at London's Isleworth Crown Court.
The Four London men who hid a cocaine fortune inside a consignment of flat-pack furniture have been jailed for up to 15 years each.Convinced they had found a foolproof way to grow rich, Mexican drug contacts were paid to hollow out wooden panels in 20 pieces of office furniture and fill them with packages of the narcotic. The furniture was flown to Heathrow Airport in June last year, but the deal was foiled by officers of the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Hans Kristian Rausing and his American wife Eva who have been arrested on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine and heroin

Hans Kristian Rausing and his American wife Eva who have been arrested on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine and heroin.Mrs Rausing said today: "I have made a serious mistake which I very much regret. I intend to leave as soon as possible to seek the help that I very much needed." Hans Kristian Rausing, 44, was detained at his Chelsea home after his American-born wife Eva, also 44, was allegedly caught trying to smuggle small "wraps" of drugs into a function at the US embassy in Grosvenor Square. Mrs Rausing was arrested at the embassy in Mayfair just after 4pm on Tuesday after being challenged by security guards. Police were called and she was taken to Charing Cross police station for questioning. Officers then raided the Rausings' £5 million home and allegedly found £2,000 worth of drugs. Her husband, a former hippy and Britain's sixth richest man, was at home and was also arrested. The couple were forced to give DNA samples, as well as have their photographs and fingerprints taken. A police source said: "The beat officers were stunned when they turned up at the embassy and the woman gave her name. Eva Rausing is head of a drugs charity and was allegedly caught trying to smuggle drugs into the U.S. embassy"Crack is something you normally associate with Brixton - not rich types." Today, wearing sunglasses and looking bedraggled, Mrs Rausing said: "I have made a grave error and I consider myself to have taken a wrong turn in the course of my life. "I am very sorry for the upset I have caused. I thank my family and friends for the kindness and undertanding that they have shown me." Mr Rausing's father, also called Hans, is a Swedish industrialist and tax exile. The couple have four children. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Officers arrested a 44-year-old woman in Mayfair on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs. "A search was then conducted at an address in Chelsea and a 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs.
"They were taken to a central London police station and later bailed to return in July, pending further enquiries." The arrest and couple's connection with crack cocaine comes as a surprise given their privileged background. The couple's place, in Cadogan Place Chelsea, was raided by policeMrs Rausing is accused of trying to smuggle 'wasps' of drugs into the U.S embassyThis couple, both 44, live in a world of wealth and privilege as far removed as it is possible to imagine from crack's traditional image of smoking dens and street corners haunted by the sad victims of the drug and its malignant influence. Yet news that Hans Kristian and his wife Eva have been arrested on suspicion of possessing both crack cocaine and heroin will not shock everyone. To the outside world they appear to lead a gilded existence, surrounded by the luxury and attention that can be bought from a share in a £5.4billion fortune. But those who know them speak quietly of people who have fought hard - and not always successfully - against addictions they picked up in their youth Hans Kristian and Eva met while attending a rehab clinic in America. Friends of the couple say they have fought drug problems for years, secretly and with quiet determination. Now their secret is out. Hans Rausing Snr made his wealth from his co-inheritance of Tetra PakBut the couple's arrest won't change their standing in the eyes of those who have benefited from the Rausings' generosity towards others whose lives have been damaged by drugs. Hans K uses money from an inherited trust to fund a number of charities. The cause that is closest to Hans K's heart is Mentor, a charity that runs projects in Britain and abroad to keep young people away from drugs. It operates in schools, universities and communities and claims to have helped more than a million children in 40 countries in the past 10 years.
Eva Rausing is a patron of the charity and she and her husband regularly attend its functions, including a gala dinner at the Natural History Museum which they helped pay for. The couple also run their own charitable trust, and give away millions every year. They live in a five-storey house off Cadogan Square in Chelsea - the house raided by police after Mrs Rausing was found trying to enter a party at the American embassy allegedly with drugs in her handbag - and they are surrounded by the usual trappings of wealth, including servants and expensive cars.
Tetra Pak was founded by his Mr Rausing's grandfather RubenShe is a keen tennis player and takes a generous interest in the Mary Rose Trust, established to save HenryVIII's salvaged battleship. The couple have also given large amounts to the Royal Opera House, which they attend often. But they are not socialites in the usually accepted sense. Dr Rausing is non-domiciled for tax purposes and an analysis of his affairs, published five years ago, revealed clever, but entirely legitimate, tax avoidance. This analysis claimed that while Dr Rausing does pay tax on part of his income, he manages to save millions by being non-domiciled.
Dr Rausing is said to be almost comically careful about money in some ways - he uses an old Morris Minor and has his hair cut by the village barber - but it is estimated he and his family have given away more than £140 million. And Hans K and Eva have given untold amounts to their drug charities. Whether their work with addicts will continue following their current difficulties with the police remains to be seen.

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport 5 suspects caught with cocaine

The suspects namely Woke Casmire (36) ingested 73 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.350kg, Udo Chukwuka Valentine (3) ingested 74 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.4kg, Idemudia Abraham Elikioya (38) ingested 65 wraps of cocaine weighing 1kg, Okpala Brenda Chukwunonso (36) ingested 75 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.2kg and Ogunyemi Segun Aisien (32) ingested 67 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.250kg. Five of them all male were caught for ingesting hard drugs on a single flight.5 suspects caught with cocaine at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja, during the outward screening of passengers on KLM Flight on April 3, 2008.The arrest was made within seven days that a full body scanning mechine was commissioned at the command of the NDLEA. The 5 suspected drug traffickers have been detected by the machine for attempting to smuggle narcotics through the airport.In a related development, the Abuja airport command of the agency also arrested 25 suspected drug traffickers with a total of 23.715 kilogrammes of cocaine. The suspects, 23 males and 2 females were arrested between January and March 2008. three of the suspects packed the drugs on their bodies while others ingested.

Adam Seamark HMP Woodhill officer was sentenced to five years behind bars at Reading Crown Court

Adam Seamark was sentenced to five years behind bars at Reading Crown Court
In December police received a tip-off and caught Seamark with two packets of steroids strapped to his genitals.He later admitted smuggling drugs, including heroin and cocaine, into the prison on five separate occasions.
Luke Serjeant, Governor at HMP Woodhill, said: "I'm saddened that an ex member of my staff is now facing a long period of imprisonment."I'm pleased however that the seriousness of his offence has been reflected in the sentence given by the court.
"Adam Seamark betrayed the trust and responsibility placed in him as a Prison Officer and in doing so he let his colleagues and the Prison Service down - and worse, he placed all of us at risk."He was bringing drugs into the Prison, but once a staff member is corrupted they can be put under pressure to bring any item into the prison including firearms or explosives." Seamark, of Daventry, Northamptonshire, was arrested at the prison on Tattenhoe Street on Thursday December 13.He was in possession of 336 tablets containing Class C steroids with a street value of £168, but a value in prison of over £500.He told police he had been approached by two prisoners and had been smuggling drugs in since August, receiving up to £1,000 from someone on the outside.Seamark, who had been a prison officer for four-and-a-half years, pleaded guilty to four charges of attempting to supply controlled drugs and also to possession of an anabolic steroid with intent to supply and misconduct in a public office.Alistair Polson, defending, said his client was put under pressure by inmates who made threats of violence against his girlfriend after obtaining personal details about his family.
Mr Polson said: "Although he was given money he didn't want it, nor could he refuse it.
"He was singled out and exploited by ruthless individuals." But Judge Christopher Tyrer showed little sympathy when sentencing Seamark.He said: "This is a grave series of offences."You must have seen daily the terrible effects of drug misuse upon inmates."Yours was a gross betrayal and a huge breach of trust."You put your own interests in front of your duties."Public confidence in the prison service must be maintained, as must the health and welfare of those the courts have to send to prison." Seamark received five years for attempting to supply Class A drugs and miconduct in a public office.He was sentenced to four years, to be served concurrently, for possession of a Class C anabolic steroid with intent to supply.
Seamark blew a kiss to his girlfriend, seated in the public gallery, as he was taken away to serve his sentence.

Scott Lee Johnson to hear charges that he distributed at least five kilos of cocaine, which is punishable by not less than 10 years

Scott Lee Johnson told Wilkerson he is from Pontoon Beach and has two daughters, ages 25 and 14.He said he finished 11th grade in high school, then earned a GED and has some college, which answered Wilkerson's question as to whether he could read and write English.Johnson told Wilkerson that he understood the charges against him. He said he was going to be represented by attorney William Stiehl Jr.
Johnson was in court making his initial appearance to hear charges that he distributed at least five kilos of cocaine, which is punishable by not less than 10 years and up to life in prison. It also carries a penalty of $4 million in fines and at least three years of supervised release.Johnson has previous drug convictions. He was out on federal supervised release.Wilkerson said he might learn today that that privilege had been revoked.Johnson is scheduled to be back in front of Wilkerson on Wednesday for a detention and probable cause hearing. At that time, he will learn whether the government has probable cause for him to be detained in the federal system.Johnson stood motionless as the judge told him what he was facing. And when Wilkerson said, "good luck to you," Johnson replied, "thanks." As he was led away from the courtroom by deputy U.S. Marshals, he turned and waved to a woman and a young girl who had come to court on his behalf.Johnson also was told that he faces charges of being a felon in possession of a weapon. The prison sentence for conviction of this charge is not more than 10 years and a fine of $250,0000 or both and not more than three years supervised release.Johnson was arrested Friday night at 8201 State St., a home East St. Louis police said belonged to him.Police served three search warrants -- one at the Best Fish House at 917 Martin Luther King Drive, a house in the 5700 block of Westmoreland, in Washington Park, which East St. Louis Police Chief Michael Baxton said belonged to Johnson, and the State Street address.Police seized large sums of money, drugs and more than nine handguns from the three locations associated with Johnson, Baxton said.
Johnson was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding after he refused to pull over the truck he was driving east on Interstate 64 with police following him. He turned the truck around and around and then bailed out. Police chased and arrested him, Baxton said.Baxton said Johnson's arrest will put a big dent in drug trafficking in the metro-east.

David McKitrick received an eight-year prison sentence for dealing heroin

David McKitrick received an eight-year prison sentence for dealing heroin. McKitrick, with a criminal history of nearly 40 arrests, didn't help his case by allegedly smuggling and smoking marijuana into his jail cell, court reports state.
The 25-year-old LaPorte man also received two years' probation. He had faced up to 20 years in prison.McKitrick was convicted of Class B felony dealing in a schedule I substance for selling $40 worth of heroin.The transaction occurred in January 2007 outside his apartment at 106 Erie St. McKitrick testified he was dealing mostly to support his growing use of 10 packs of heroin per day.According to courtroom testimony, McKitrick has used other drugs including LSD, opium, cocaine and mushrooms.