Internacionales
22 cocaine manufacturing laboratories destroyed in Bolivia
October 23 |
Bolivia’s Vice Minister of Social Defense and Controlled Substances, Jaime Mamani, announced on Friday the dismantling of 22 laboratories destined for the illicit manufacture of cocaine in the province of Chapare, department of Cochabamba.
According to Mamani, the destruction was carried out thanks to the execution of two operations by the Bolivian Army in less than 48 hours, on October 18 and 19.
“With the two operations that have been executed, on October 18 and 19, the patrimony of drug trafficking has been affected by 1,065,755 dollars”, he assured in a press conference, offered together with the director in that territory of the Special Force against Drug Trafficking (Felcn), Juan José Torrico.
The vice minister explained that the first operation, called Leopardo, took place on October 18 and 20 mobile cocaine paste factories were found, with a daily production capacity of up to 20 kilos.
The Colombian Rafael Ramirez Morales (52 years old), armed with a rifle, and Bolivian Ernesto Yucra Seña (46 years old) were arrested in this action.
Also destroyed were 48 tanks of 1,200 liters; 54 bags of cement; 240 gasoline cans of 60 liters; 719 jute bags; 20 hoses; 30 racks and 1,175 liters of rich water equivalent to 40 kilos 705 grams of cocaine; among other elements of artisanal manufacture.
The second operation, named Rinoceronte, took place on October 19 and two clandestine cocaine paste factories and two cocaine crystallization laboratories were found, and a minor and Evo Ramírez Méndez were arrested.
Also dismantled were eight 1,000-liter tanks; 200 liters of liquid cocaine equivalent to nine kilos; 28 packages of coca leaves; 18 drums with a capacity of 60 liters and eight bags of lime, among other products.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the drug produced in Bolivia is mainly destined for Europe, although at least 31 countries, including some in the region — such as Chile, Uruguay, Panama and Argentina — have reported receiving cocaine from Bolivia.
Internacionales
Colombian coffee production hits 14.8 million bags, best in over three decades
Colombia closed the 2024/25 coffee season with a production of 14.8 million 60-kilogram bags, marking a 17% increase compared to the previous cycle and the highest output in 33 years, the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC) announced on Tuesday.
According to FNC data, Colombia produced 14,869,000 bags between September 2024 and August 2025, up from 12.7 million bags in the previous harvest.
FNC manager Germán Bahamón highlighted that this performance “reaffirms the reliability of Colombian coffee origin in the global market” and reflects “the disciplined work of producers, the impact of responsible crop renewal, professional technical assistance, and the favorable weather conditions that supported the production process.”
Looking ahead to the 2025/26 cycle, the FNC warned of a possible drop in output due to the physiological response of coffee plants and the heavy rains expected in the coming semester.
“Each season brings new challenges and opportunities. We will work with determination to ensure that farmer profitability remains the foundation of sustainability and the future of the entire coffee chain,” Bahamón wrote on X.
Internacionales
Model Angie Miller last seen in Mexico City amid musician deaths
Model Angélica Torrini, who goes by Angie Miller on social media, was last seen on Tuesday in a southern area of Mexico City, according to the local prosecutor’s office.
On her Instagram account, the Venezuelan appeared with Bayron Sánchez, known professionally as B King, who traveled to Mexico for a series of performances alongside DJ Regio Clown (real name Jorge Herrera).
Both musicians were last seen in Mexico City on September 16, and on Monday, their bodies were found in a municipality of the neighboring State of Mexico, local media reported.
Torrini, 29, lives in Mexico City, works as a model, and has a daughter. Following the disappearance of the Colombian musicians, she posted messages on her social media accounts to help locate them.
“My favorite Colombian,” she wrote in a video on September 11, in which she appeared dancing with B King, who also shared the clip on his own account.
Internacionales
Authorities investigate triple homicide of young women in southern Buenos Aires
The bodies of three women, two aged 20 and one 15, were found on the outskirts of Buenos Aires in a case authorities are investigating as a revenge killing linked to drug trafficking, the provincial Security Minister reported on Wednesday.
“Apparently, they were going to attend an event they had been invited to, unaware that it was a trap organized by a transnational drug trafficking group planning to kill them,” said Javier Alonso, Buenos Aires provincial Security Minister, during a press conference.
So far, four people have been arrested for aggravated homicide, including the owner of the house where the bodies were discovered, though Alonso suggested that more individuals may be involved.
Investigators determined that the victims voluntarily got into a vehicle on Friday night and were taken to a house in Florencio Varela, on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires. The vehicle was later found burned near the property where the bodies were discovered in the garden.
While the exact motive is still under investigation, the minister explained that the women had previously encountered members of the criminal organization, and an incident involving them led to this act of revenge. Alonso estimated that the killings occurred the same night the women disappeared, and phone tracking helped reconstruct their movements.
On Tuesday, a small group of people, including neighbors of the victims, gathered at the roundabout where the women were last seen in southern Buenos Aires
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