Drug Trafficking | featured news

A deputy U.S. marshal was arrested Tuesday for allegedly disclosing the identity of an undercover agent to his father, who is accused of being part of a drug trafficking organization, federal prosecutors said.

Even as Western sanctions ravage their economy, some Iranians are reaping a cash harvest from an unexpected source: a booming illicit drug industry that law enforcement officials say is producing record quantities of a powerful synthetic drug.

The American taxpayer may be getting into the movie business. Federal prosecutors have forced a Mexican drug trafficker to turn over his stake in a planned prequel to Mel Gibson's 2004 blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ." It's a real-life case of drugs and extortion that could itself make a pretty good screenplay.

Two former and two current airport security screeners were arrested this week on federal charges of drug trafficking and bribery for smuggling large bundles of cocaine and other illegal drugs through security checkpoints at Los Angeles International Airport in exchange for cash, authorities said.

Five years after President Felipe Calderon launched an offensive against Mexico's five main drug cartels, the nation is now dominated by two powerful organizations that appear poised for a one-on-one battle to control drug markets and trafficking routes....

Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared three days of mourning Friday for the 52 victims of a casino fire set by presumed drug traffickers, branding the attackers "true terrorists" and ordering authorities to offer a $2.4 million reward for their capture.

Police say they have arrested 25 drug cartel members or collaborators in central Mexico, including a police chief, two commanding officers and seven agents suspected of aiding traffickers.

Leon Panetta cites governance problems, drug trafficking and the Taliban insurgency. Progress is "slower than I think anyone anticipated," he says.

Law enforcement agencies have arrested more than 2,000 people in a 22-month investigation targeting Mexican drug trafficking organizations in the United States.

Mexican authorities say soldiers have detained one of the nation's 24 top drug traffickers included on a "most-wanted" list issued ...