Police officer dressed as cartoon hero seizes marijuana and cocaine in drugs raid
Wearing the red costume of the beloved slapstick antihero popular across the Spanish -speaking world, the officer used a sledgehammer to break down a door during the Thursday (17 July) operation, while fellow agents moved in undetected.
Colonel Pedro Rojas of the Green Squadron said the disguise allowed the unit to approach unnoticed, using the character's familiarity to blend in — catching suspects off guard with the unusual police tactic.
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BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Thousands of vapes and cigarettes seized in Grimsby raids
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The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Peru seizes record 4-ton mercury shipment in fight against illegal gold mining
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Indigenous and riverine communities that rely on fish for food are especially vulnerable. Peruvian authorities say much of the mercury entering the country is smuggled from Mexico, where it's mined in central states such as Querétaro. Prices have surged in recent years due to booming global demand for gold, reaching as high as $330 per kilogram of mercury — and more than $3,500 per ounce of gold — earlier this year. Some of the mercury seized in June is believed to have originated in small, artisanal mines inside a UNESCO ‑protected biosphere reserve. While the Environmental Investigation Agency, a nonprofit watchdog that investigates environmental crime, has documented that at least 30 tons of mercury have been trafficked annually from Mexico to countries like Peru and Colombia by a single criminal network, the real volume is likely higher. Soaring gold prices and a 400% markup on mercury in the Amazon compared to Mexico have made smuggling increasingly lucrative. Seizures and monitoring suggest flows rose to an estimated 56 tons in 2024, with further increases expected this year. Colombia remains one of the highest per capita emitters of mercury worldwide, with total annual releases reaching up to 150 tons, much of it tied to illegal gold mining. EIA's latest investigation, released in tandem with Peru's announcement, describes a growing 'gold-mercury-drug trifecta' linking illegal mining to transnational crime and environmental degradation. The group's investigators documented how organized criminal groups — including Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel — are now involved in mercury mining and trafficking. 'Until mercury mines are no longer in operation, traffickers will leave no stone unturned to smuggle the metal,' the report states. Growing calls to close mercury mines Traffickers often disguise mercury shipments with false paperwork and front companies, allowing them to slip through customs. 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'Unless mercury production is shut down at the source, this toxic trade will continue,' Dolezal said. Calls are growing to close remaining mercury mines in Mexico and reform global controls on the metal. The issue is expected to take center stage at the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention later this year, where advocates hope to eliminate legal loopholes that allow mercury to be traded for small-scale mining. ____ ____ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Reuters
a day ago
- Reuters
Brazil's top court rules out Bolsonaro arrest, for now
BRASILIA, July 24 (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court decided on Thursday not to order the arrest of former President Jair Bolsonaro for an "isolated" breach of court-imposed restrictions, but warned he could be imprisoned for future violations. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees the case in which Bolsonaro is charged with plotting a coup, kept in place the restraining orders he imposed on the former president and clarified he is not forbidden from giving interviews. Moraes last week ordered Bolsonaro to wear an ankle bracelet and stop using social media over allegations he courted the interference of U.S. President Donald Trump, who tied new tariffs on Brazil to what he called a "witch hunt" against his ally. On Monday, the justice threatened Bolsonaro with arrest, saying he breached the restrictions on his social media use - including through third parties - when he talked to journalists in Brasilia. Moraes wrote in his Thursday decision that there is "no doubt" the order has not been complied with, saying that Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, who is in the U.S. to drum up support for his father in Washington, posted the former president's remarks on social media to benefit him. The justice added, however, that given that the breach was "isolated," it did not call for an arrest order. Bolsonaro's lawyers did not immediately comment on Thursday's decision, but the former president has always denied any wrongdoing. In an last week, Bolsonaro described Moraes' decision to prohibit his social media use as "cowardice," and said he intended to continue engaging with the press to ensure his voice was heard.
