cocaine

The Cartels Come to Ecuador

James North / Truthdig Nov 3, 2023 Narco networks are upending life in the small, once-peaceful nation. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Health & Wellness

Is the Iron Law of Prohibition a ‘Bogus’ Theory?

Peter Andrey Smith / Undark Oct 17, 2023 Critics of the war on drugs say that as law enforcement goes up, drugs get more potent. Some experts say that isn't supported by the facts. Dig deeper ( 14 Min. Read )

Feds to Let States Tap Opioid Funds for Meth, Cocaine Surge

RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR / The Associated Press Jan 21, 2020 Pressed by constituents and state officials, lawmakers of both parties agree to broaden the scope of a $1.5 billion grant program. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

$1 Billion Worth of Cocaine Seized in Historic Bust at Philadelphia Port

MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MATT ROURKE / The Associated Press Jun 18, 2019 In what authorities call one of the largest drug seizures ever in the U.S., about 33,000 pounds of the drug are found on a container ship. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Major Darknet Site Allegedly Selling Cocaine, Stolen ID Data Busted

DAVID RISING / The Associated Press May 3, 2019 Raids in the U.S. and Europe yield the arrest of three German men in probe of the "world's largest darknet marketplace for contraband." Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Notorious Drug Lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Convicted

TOM HAYS / The Associated Press Feb 12, 2019 The ex-leader of the murderous Sinaloa cartel, a jail escape artist who made billions in smuggling profits, faces decades in U.S. prison. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Doubts Loom Over Colombia Peace Deal With Hawk’s Election

JOSHUA GOODMAN and CHRISTINE ARMARIO / The Associated Press Jun 18, 2018 Ivan Duque, who takes office in August, campaigned on rolling back benefits inscribed in a peace deal brokered by outgoing President Juan Manuel Santos. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Security Troops at U.S. Nuclear Missile Base Took LSD, Records Show

ROBERT BURNS / The Associated Press May 24, 2018 “Although this sounds like something from a movie, it isn’t,” says the lead prosecutor of one of six courts martial. None of the 14 airmen disciplined was accused of using drugs while on duty. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

Former Colombian Rebels Blame U.S. for Leader’s Arrest

JOSHUA GOODMAN / The Associated Press Apr 10, 2018 Leaders of Colombia's disbanded FARC rebel army accuse the U.S. of trapping a prominent rebel negotiator on a drug warrant in order to sabotage the country's already struggling peace process. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

High Doses of Cocaine Can Cause the Brain to Eat Itself

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jan 20, 2016 Mice given high doses of the recreational drug exhibited a destructive version of a condition known as autophagy, in which brain cells digest and excrete essential parts, rather than just waste. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Portugal’s Approach to Drugs Is Saving Lives; Why Aren’t We Copying It?

Natasha Hakimi Zapata / Truthdig Jun 16, 2015 In 2001, the Southern European country tackled drug use with what seemed like a radical plan. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Three Things Obama’s New Clemency Initiative Doesn’t Do

Staff / Truthdig Apr 26, 2014 Prisoners’ advocates call the reforms a step forward, but they don’t address discrimination in presidential pardons or apply to everyone serving harsh sentences from outdated guidelines. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )