Portugal Portugal announces record cocaine haul off the Azores archipelago Portuguese law enforcement was assisted by the navy and air force, as well as the UK and US authorities, in difficult weather conditions. 26/01/2026
Netherlands Synthetic drug ring smashed in 'largest-ever' operation, Europol says Authorities dismantled 24 industrial-scale labs and seized around 1,000 tonnes of chemicals used to make street drugs such as MDMA, amphetamine and meth. 21/01/2026
Mexico US troop deployment in Mexico 'not on the table,' Sheinbaum says Trump again said last week that land attacks against drug cartels would follow recent US maritime operations in the Pacific and Caribbean, without specifying where or when. 12/01/2026
USA Trump dubs himself 'Venezuela's acting president' in Truth Social post Trump has repeatedly asserted that the United States will "run" Venezuela, despite its interim President Delcy Rodríguez insisting that no foreign power was governing her country. 12/01/2026
Health news Experts propose guidelines for a ‘safer’ amount of cannabis use Researchers in the United Kingdom have proposed new limits for ‘safer’ cannabis use amid growing use and availability in the market. 12/01/2026
USA Trump says US could run Venezuela and control its oil for years US special forces snatched president Maduro and his wife in a lightning raid on Saturday and whisked them to New York to face trial on drug and weapons charges. 08/01/2026
Colombia Colombia and US vow joint fight against drug-smuggling gangs Washington and Bogotá have enjoyed security cooperation for decades but ties have deteriorated since Trump began his second term last January. 08/01/2026
Qatar Qatar offers to continue mediation efforts over Venezuela Following successful mediations between Venezuela and the United States in the past, Qatar has expressed deep concern over the situation in Venezuela, calling for restraint, de-escalation and dialogue, while reaffirming its readiness to support mediation. 06/01/2026
Syria Iran is plotting to assassinate Syria's al-Sharaa, Israel warns Israeli intelligence has warned Iran is planning to organise a hit against Syria's interim president, as further reports claim former al-Assad loyalists are pouring money into Alawite minority militias in alleged uprising plots. 06/01/2026
USA Maduro pleads not guilty to drugs charges in first US court appearance Maduro's lawyers are expected to contest the legality of his arrest, arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of state. 05/01/2026
Europe News 'Today, drugs are everywhere,' warns director of the EU Drugs Agency After 10 years in office, the director of the EU Drugs Agency will step down at the end of the month. He takes stock of developments in the drugs market and outlines the challenges facing the bloc. 11/12/2025
USA Trump justifies narcoboat second strike amid calls to release footage Trump claimed survivors of the September boat strike were trying to right a drug-laden vessel, as Congress threatens to cut Hegseth's budget over the video. 09/12/2025
Turkey Turkish police officer dies after being shot during drugs raid Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a social media post on Monday that 970 suspects had been detained in nationwide counter-narcotics operations over the previous week. 08/12/2025
Europe News Belgian drug chief warns of hidden 'spice' in vapes affecting children The majority of illegal refillable vape capsules seized in Belgium are laced with synthetic cannabinoids, Belgium's drug commissioner warned. This risks addiction from a young age. 05/12/2025
France French woman allegedly drugged by official slams slow pace of justice More than 240 women accuse Christian Nègre, a former senior official in the Culture Ministry, of secretly drugging them with diuretics during job interviews, then deliberately placing them in situations where they would be forced to urinate in public or on themselves. 05/12/2025
USA US resumes strikes on narcoboats, killing four in latest operation US Southern Command resumed lethal strikes on alleged narcoboats, killing four amid bipartisan scrutiny of the Pentagon's anti-drug campaign. 05/12/2025