Mexico reports largest seizures of precursor chemicals for methamphetamine

October 2nd, 2009 Mexico reports record drug seizureMEXICO CITY — Mexico's federal Attorney General's Office says authorities have has seized the largest quantity of precursor chemicals for methamphetamine in the country's history. It says 20 tons of chemicals were seized at Manzanillo port in the Pacific coast state of Colima and 17 tons were found by customs agents in Nuevo Laredo, across from Laredo, Texas.

September 30th, 2009 US, Colombian, Mexican officials seize $41 millionWASHINGTON — U.S. and Colombian authorities seized $41 million in suspected drug money over the past two weeks — one of the largest seizures in the history of the countries' joint efforts, law enforcement officials said Monday.

September 3rd, 2009 US sanctions 6 Mexicans accused of meth trade tiesMEXICO CITY — The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on six Mexicans linked to a pharmaceutical company that allegedly diverted precursor chemicals to a methamphetamine trafficking gang.

August 26th, 2009 Myanmar reports major drug bust near Thai borderYANGON, Myanmar — Police in Myanmar seized more than 100 blocks of heroin and nearly 3 million methamphetamine tablets near the border with Thailand in one of the military-ruled country's largest drug seizures, a state-run newspaper said Wednesday. An anti-drug squad confiscated two guns and ammunition and arrested four people in the raid Monday on two houses in the northeastern town of Tachileik, the Myanma Ahlin newspaper said.

August 25th, 2009 Argentine police discover 4 tons of ephedrineBUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Federal police on Monday uncovered four tons (4,200 kilograms) of ephedrine in oil drums and boxes to be sent to Mexico and the United States. The lead investigator called it the largest illegal shipment of the methamphetamine precursor ever seized in Argentina, worth millions.

August 24th, 2009 41 indicted in $2 million-a-month Denver meth ringDENVER — Colorado authorities say they've broken up a drug ring responsible for importing and distributing more than $2 million worth of methamphetamine in the Denver area each month. State Attorney General John Suthers said Monday 41 people have been indicted.

August 21st, 2009 KMG Chemicals declares regular quarterly dividendHOUSTON — Chemicals maker KMG Chemicals Inc. said Thursday its board approved a regular quarterly dividend of 2 cents per share.

August 13th, 2009 Argentina seizes over 4 tons of meth ingredientsBUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentine customs officers have seized more than four tons of a chemical that can be used to make methamphetamine during an investigation into drug traffickers with ties to Mexico. Mario Crespo, director of investigations for the customs service, says a total of 4.2 metric tons (4.6 tons) of pseudoephedrine was confiscated at several government warehouses at the port in Buenos Aires on Wednesday.

August 10th, 2009 Obama says drug cartels violate human rightsGUADALAJARA, Mexico —President Barack Obama says drug cartels are the largest violators of human rights in Mexico and he has confidence Mexican President Felipe Calderon is cracking down without violating human rights. Obama on Monday, however, did not say whether his State Department would certify that Mexico is protecting human rights in its efforts to fight the drug traders.

August 3rd, 2009 Mexico arrests alleged drug operativeMEXICO CITY — Police raided a church service in western Mexico and arrested a man known as "The Truck" who is suspected of moving a half ton of crystal methamphetamine into the United States each month, federal officials said Monday. Authorities detained Miguel Angel Beraza and another suspect after surrounding a church in Apatzingan in drug-plagued Michoacan state, said Ramon Pequeno, head of the Federal Police's anti-drug unit.

July 28th, 2009 Mexico announces plan to test special drug courtsMEXICO CITY — Mexico announced a pilot program Monday to have special courts handle cases involving addicted offenders who commit crimes while under the influence of drugs. The idea was praised by visiting U.S.

June 17th, 2009 MEXICO CITY - The Mexican Navy says it has seized more than a tonne of cocaine hidden inside the carcasses of frozen sharks, BBC reported Wednesday. Armed officers found slabs of cocaine inside more than 20 sharks aboard a freight ship in the Gulf coast port of Progreso in Yucatan state.

June 17th, 2009 Military finds one of Mexico's largest meth labsBADIRAGUATO, Mexico — The Mexican Navy gave reporters a firsthand look Tuesday at what they described as one of the largest methamphetamine labs ever found in the country, with enough ephedrine to produce more than 40 tons of the drug. The smell of chemical solvents was overwhelming at the remote mountaintop site in the northern state of Sinaloa, where Navy personnel on patrol last week stumbled across an enormous holding tank they initially thought might be used to water a marijuana plantation.

June 16th, 2009 Guatemala seizes 9.9 million pseudoephedrine pillsGUATEMALA CITY — Guatemalan authorities confiscated nearly 10 million pseudoephedrine pills worth $33 million on Tuesday — the country's biggest seizure of the methamphetamine precursor, police said. The 9.9 million pills were seized from a shipping container at Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala's main port on the Pacific coast, said police spokesman Donald Gonzalez.

June 13th, 2009 Mexico candidate: Drug gangs contact all hopefulsMEXICO CITY — A ruling party mayoral candidate in Mexico's richest city told his supporters that drug traffickers have contacted all leading political contenders in the country seeking their loyalty ahead of elections next month. Mauricio Fernandez's discussion with a group of supporters in a suburb of Monterrey — a leaked recording of which was broadcast throughout Mexico on Friday — is a remarkably frank description of how the brutal gangs try to control political leaders, which is a key concern of President Felipe Calderon in his fight against drug cartels.