A cocaine ‘factory’ on the Ciudad Perdida trek, Colombia. (Photo: Nick Leonard)

Venezuelan authorities discovered and subsequently dismantled 21 drug laboratories dedicated to the production of cocaine, at only 150m from the border with Colombia.

Located in the town of Jesús María Semprum in the North East province of Zulia, the factories contained more than four tones of the illicit drug. Specifically, the raid yielded a total of 4,190 kg of cocaine, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base.

Minister for the Interior and Justice, Néstor Luis Reverol, revealed in an interview with state news channel VTV that the operation would not have been possible without the help of over 200 security personnel of the Bolivarian National Guard, and the support of the National Anti-Drug Office (ONA). He praised them for the “laudable” efforts whilst also commending the strength of the government in “keeping their promise as regards the war against drugs”.

Many of the details regarding the raid remain unknown, and it is not clear whether they encountered any armed resistance or if any arrests were made. Reverol did concede however that a second operation also took place, this time in the Eastern border state of Táchira, where 600 kgs of cocaine were discovered. He went on to reveal that the drugs were found travelling in a vehicle with a “false bottom” and that, in this case, two people were arrested and efforts to locate and dismantle the rest of the cartel are underway.

According to official statistics from the National Anti-Drugs Office, in 2012 Venezuelan authorities seized more that 45 tonnes of various drugs throughout the country: 27,000 kg of which were cocaine, and another 17,000 kg were marihuana.

Reverol went on to state, “we will continue to ratify our government’s battle against an international drugs industry” and that they would not allow the country to be used as a base from which to process and make these “illicit substances”. In September 2012 a top drug trafficker nicknamed “Crazy Barerra” was apprehended in Venezuela.

More than 120 weapons, marijuana, cocaine and a sum of money in cash were detained by officials during a mass raid operation carried out in different shanty towns west and north of Buenos Aires province, police officials stated.

This morning at 9.30 the Buenos Aires Province Governor Daniel Scioli and Security Minister Ricardo Casal will participate in a press conference along Paraíso and Pedriel streets, in front of the Carlos Gardel shantytown in Morón to discuss the situation.

There were carried out 64 separate operations, in which 600 police officers were involved from Police Headquarters in Pilar, San Martín, Morón, Moreno, Merlo, La Matanza y San Isidro, as was explained by researchers.

During the raids, 83 revolvers, 36 pistols and two home-made weapons of different calibers were detained by police officials.

In addition to this, a kilo and a half of marijuana was found, 380 grams of cocaine, marijuana plants and around 4000 pesos in cash, which was presumed by police to have been a sum of profit from drug laundering.

Additionally investigators found 108 cars and 82 motorbikes, which were presumed to have been stolen.