Early morning on Thursday (July 7th) Singapore executed a Malaysian prisoner who had been on death row for nine years. Kalwant Singh has been executed for drug trafficking. Singh had made a last-minute request for clemency, but the mercy plea was rejected by the courts in Singapore. The news of Kalwant Singh's death as per The Star was confirmed by Singaporean human rights activist Kirsten Han in her tweets.&nbsp;Norasharee Gous, a Singaporean who was detained and accused in connection with the same case as Kalwant, was also hung for drug trafficking, according to Han.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singaporean-man-hanged-for-drug-trafficking-activist-raise-alarm-over-more-executions-after-2-year-halt-467188">Singaporean man hanged for drug trafficking, activists raise alarm over more executions after 2-year halt</a>

"I am sad to be able to confirm the executions of both Kalwant Singh and Norasharee bin Gous. Both families have been handed their belongings and death certificates. Kalwant’s family are still in prison; I am on my way to Norasharee’s funeral" Han tweeted.

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I am sad to be able to confirm the executions of both Kalwant Singh and Norasharee bin Gous. Both families have been handed their belongings and death certificates. Kalwant’s family are still in prison; I am on my way to Norasharee’s funeral. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/deathpenalty?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#deathpenalty</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Singapore?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Singapore</a>
— Kirsten Han 韩俐颖 (@kixes) <a href="https://twitter.com/kixes/status/1544869247121182720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In 2013, Kalwant was detained in Singapore on charges of possessing 60.15 grams of diamorphine and trafficking 120.9 grams of the drug. He was sentenced to death in 2016 and had been in prison ever since.

Watch |&nbsp;Malaysia agrees to abolish mandatory death sentence

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A candlelight vigil was held in front of the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (July 6) night in an attempt to halt the execution. Campaigners held signs reading "#Putrajaya save Kalwant" and "we can live without the death penalty," several attendees are reported to have chanted "save, save Kalwant" and "Singapore, stop the killing."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/the-death-penalty-around-the-world-287573">The death penalty around the world</a>

In a statement Emerlynne Gil, Deputy Regional Director for Research at Amnesty International, said: “Singapore has once again executed people convicted of drug-related offences in violation of international law, callously disregarding public outcry.” &nbsp;

“Going against a worldwide trend towards abolishing the death penalty, Singapore is just one of four countries known to have executed people for drug-related offenses in recent years. The death penalty is never the solution and we oppose it unconditionally. There is no evidence that it acts as a unique deterrent to crime.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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Early morning on Thursday (July 7th) Singapore executed a Malaysian prisoner who had been on death row for nine years. Kalwant Singh has been executed for drug trafficking.

Early morning on Thursday (July 7th) Singapore executed a Malaysian prisoner who had been on death row for nine years. Kalwant Singh has been executed for drug trafficking. Singh had made a last-minute request for clemency, but the mercy plea was rejected by the courts in Singapore. The news of Kalwant Singh's death as per The Star was confirmed by Singaporean human rights activist Kirsten Han in her tweets. Norasharee Gous, a Singaporean who was detained and accused in connection with the same case as Kalwant, was also hung for drug trafficking, according to Han. Also read | Singaporean man hanged for drug trafficking, activists raise alarm over more executions after 2-year halt "I am sad to be able to confirm the executions of both Kalwant Singh and Norasharee bin Gous. Both families have been handed their belongings and death certificates. Kalwant’s family are still in prison; I am on my way to Norasharee’s funeral" Han tweeted. I am sad to be able to confirm the executions of both Kalwant Singh and Norasharee bin Gous. Both families have been handed their belongings and death certificates. Kalwant’s family are still in prison; I am on my way to Norasharee’s funeral. #deathpenalty #Singapore — Kirsten Han 韩俐颖 (@kixes) July 7, 2022 × In 2013, Kalwant was detained in Singapore on charges of possessing 60.15 grams of diamorphine and trafficking 120.9 grams of the drug. He was sentenced to death in 2016 and had been in prison ever since. Watch | Malaysia agrees to abolish mandatory death sentence A candlelight vigil was held in front of the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (July 6) night in an attempt to halt the execution. Campaigners held signs reading "#Putrajaya save Kalwant" and "we can live without the death penalty," several attendees are reported to have chanted "save, save Kalwant" and "Singapore, stop the killing." Also read | The death penalty around the world In a statement Emerlynne Gil, Deputy Regional Director for Research at Amnesty International, said: “Singapore has once again executed people convicted of drug-related offences in violation of international law, callously disregarding public outcry.” “Going against a worldwide trend towards abolishing the death penalty, Singapore is just one of four countries known to have executed people for drug-related offenses in recent years. The death penalty is never the solution and we oppose it unconditionally. There is no evidence that it acts as a unique deterrent to crime.” (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Singapore hangs two for drug trafficking, Amnesty calls it a 'violation of international law'

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is triggering shifts in the smuggling routes for illegal drugs to Europe, the EU drugs agency warned on Tuesday.

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) director Alexis Goosdeel said the war had already had a "direct impact" on one of the heroin trafficking routes out of Afghanistan that used to pass through Ukraine and other neighbouring nations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-planning-to-bring-new-rules-to-cut-nicotine-level-in-cigarettes-announcement-soon-report-487193">US planning to bring new rules to cut nicotine level in cigarettes, announcement soon: Report</a>

"Drug traffickers have no interest to continue to use this route", he told an online news conference, adding there were already signs of increased trafficking on the borders between Turkey and Bulgaria and Turkey and Greece.

Goosdeel said the conflict was also forcing smugglers using the Black Sea to opt for other routes as some ports were now out of reach. He said it was likely trafficking would increase through the Greek islands and the southern Mediterranean.

Watch |&nbsp;Canada to decriminalize possession of certain drugs

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In its annual report, the Lisbon-based EMCDDA also said many people who had suffered "severe psychological stress" during the conflict may become more vulnerable to substance misuse problems, and that health services in European countries, especially those bordering Ukraine, were likely to become more strained as drug users fleeing the conflict required support.

"Continuity of treatment, language services and the provision of accommodation and social welfare support are likely to be key requirements", it said, adding that even those who were not drug users were at risk.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thailand-becomes-first-asian-country-to-legalise-consumption-of-marijuana-486464">Thailand becomes first Asian country to legalise consumption of marijuana</a>

The agency also said the difficult financial situation in Afghanistan that has been under Taliban control since August could make drug revenues a more important source of income and lead to an increase in heroin trafficking to Europe.

It said that despite a ban on the production, sale and trafficking of illicit drugs, poppy cultivation appeared to continue in Afghanistan.

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Russia's invasion of Ukraine is triggering shifts in the smuggling routes for illegal drugs to Europe, the EU drugs agency warned on Tuesday. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) director Alexis Goosdeel said the war had already had a "direct impact" on one of the heroin trafficking routes out of Afghanistan that used to pass through Ukraine and other neighbouring nations.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is triggering shifts in the smuggling routes for illegal drugs to Europe, the EU drugs agency warned on Tuesday. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) director Alexis Goosdeel said the war had already had a "direct impact" on one of the heroin trafficking routes out of Afghanistan that used to pass through Ukraine and other neighbouring nations. Also read | US planning to bring new rules to cut nicotine level in cigarettes, announcement soon: Report "Drug traffickers have no interest to continue to use this route", he told an online news conference, adding there were already signs of increased trafficking on the borders between Turkey and Bulgaria and Turkey and Greece. Goosdeel said the conflict was also forcing smugglers using the Black Sea to opt for other routes as some ports were now out of reach. He said it was likely trafficking would increase through the Greek islands and the southern Mediterranean. Watch | Canada to decriminalize possession of certain drugs In its annual report, the Lisbon-based EMCDDA also said many people who had suffered "severe psychological stress" during the conflict may become more vulnerable to substance misuse problems, and that health services in European countries, especially those bordering Ukraine, were likely to become more strained as drug users fleeing the conflict required support. "Continuity of treatment, language services and the provision of accommodation and social welfare support are likely to be key requirements", it said, adding that even those who were not drug users were at risk. Also read | Thailand becomes first Asian country to legalise consumption of marijuana The agency also said the difficult financial situation in Afghanistan that has been under Taliban control since August could make drug revenues a more important source of income and lead to an increase in heroin trafficking to Europe. It said that despite a ban on the production, sale and trafficking of illicit drugs, poppy cultivation appeared to continue in Afghanistan. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ukraine war forces switch in drug trafficking routes, EU body warns

A 68-year-old man from Singapore charged for drug trafficking was hanged after the city-state resumed executions after a hiatus of two years during the pandemic.

Singapore, which has one of the most draconian rules against drug trafficking, conducted its last execution&nbsp;in November 2019.

Abdul Kahar bin Othman was hanged on Wednesday. The court had convicted him on two charges of trafficking 66.77 grams of diamorphine in 2013. He was sentenced to death in 2015.

According to reports, the execution occurred despite pleas from rights activists, including the UN Human Rights office, to commute Kahar's sentence to life imprisonment.

A group of anti-death penalty activists even held a candlelight vigil outside the prison compound in solidarity.

Kirsten Han, a member of the Transformative Justice Collective, a local activist group that campaigns for the abolishment of the death penalty in Singapore, was at the vigil.

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Abdul Kahar will be hanged at 6am — less than 4 hours away. I can’t begin to imagine how he must feel; his brother Mutalib said that during family visits today Kahar was talking about how he wants to live, and how he doesn’t understand why the state is so determined to kill him. <a href="https://t.co/nnzqzR5ozu">pic.twitter.com/nnzqzR5ozu</a>
— Kirsten Han 韩俐颖 (@kixes) <a href="https://twitter.com/kixes/status/1508878703756947458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“The Singapore government regularly claims that the death penalty is an effective deterrent to drug trafficking. They talk about the harms that drugs can inflict upon people with addictions, and insist that the use of capital punishment will help protect people and save lives. But there is no clear evidence that the death penalty is more effective than any other punishment in deterring drug offences,” Han told The Guardian.

Abdul Kahar’s story showed the situation was far more complicated than the “bad” drug trafficker and “victim” drug user narrative, she added.

According to Han, Kahar came from a poor family and had struggled with drug addiction since he was a teenager.

He spent more time behind bars than as a free man. Kahar was released from prison in 2005 after a decade of preventive detention.

Han has expressed concerns that executions might be accelerated in the city-state after a two-year halt.

(With inputs from agencies)

A 68-year-old man from Singapore charged for drug trafficking was hanged after the city-state resumed executions after a hiatus of two years during the pandemic.

A 68-year-old man from Singapore charged for drug trafficking was hanged after the city-state resumed executions after a hiatus of two years during the pandemic. Singapore, which has one of the most draconian rules against drug trafficking, conducted its last execution in November 2019. Abdul Kahar bin Othman was hanged on Wednesday. The court had convicted him on two charges of trafficking 66.77 grams of diamorphine in 2013. He was sentenced to death in 2015. According to reports, the execution occurred despite pleas from rights activists, including the UN Human Rights office, to commute Kahar's sentence to life imprisonment. A group of anti-death penalty activists even held a candlelight vigil outside the prison compound in solidarity. Kirsten Han, a member of the Transformative Justice Collective, a local activist group that campaigns for the abolishment of the death penalty in Singapore, was at the vigil. Abdul Kahar will be hanged at 6am — less than 4 hours away. I can’t begin to imagine how he must feel; his brother Mutalib said that during family visits today Kahar was talking about how he wants to live, and how he doesn’t understand why the state is so determined to kill him. pic.twitter.com/nnzqzR5ozu — Kirsten Han 韩俐颖 (@kixes) March 29, 2022 × “The Singapore government regularly claims that the death penalty is an effective deterrent to drug trafficking. They talk about the harms that drugs can inflict upon people with addictions, and insist that the use of capital punishment will help protect people and save lives. But there is no clear evidence that the death penalty is more effective than any other punishment in deterring drug offences,” Han told The Guardian. Abdul Kahar’s story showed the situation was far more complicated than the “bad” drug trafficker and “victim” drug user narrative, she added. According to Han, Kahar came from a poor family and had struggled with drug addiction since he was a teenager. He spent more time behind bars than as a free man. Kahar was released from prison in 2005 after a decade of preventive detention. Han has expressed concerns that executions might be accelerated in the city-state after a two-year halt. (With inputs from agencies)

Singaporean man hanged for drug trafficking, activists raise alarm over more executions after 2-year halt

Pakistan's Gwadar city is up in arms the rights movement for Gwadar is now demanding an end to drugs trafficking. Residents and the entire marker and coastal coastal belt has now raised concerns against the drug trafficking in the region.

Pakistan: Gwadar residents raise voice against drug trafficking

The wife of Mexican drug lord El Chapo, Emma Coronel Aispuro has been sentenced to three years in prison for helping her husband in drug trafficking and money laundering.

Wife of El Chapo sentenced to 3 years in prison for drug trafficking charges

In an exclusive interview with WION, Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi hit out against the malicious “India out” campaign, saying that the perpetrators are just “social media bots” and “don’t represent the majority” of the island nation.

Didi, who is on a six-day visit to India to review the 'Passing Out Parade'&nbsp;of officer cadets at the Indian Naval Academy, was responding to a social media campaign in the Maldives called ‘#Indiaout’.

The campaign was critical of Maldives President’s Ibrahim Mohamed Solih administration’s ‘India first’ policy. They have in the past opposed to “any Indian military presence”, and the opening of an Indian consulate in its southern Addu atoll.

Speaking to WION’s Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay, Didi said, “These are just a handful of people and social media bots, trying to create a nuisance and propagating baseless rhetorics. They are people with vested interests and ulterior motives, who are uncomfortable with rules-based order and democracy, transparency, good governance and hate to see a corruption-free society because they themselves are so corrupt.”

The defence minister said that these “corrupt” people belong to the narco-trade network whose “spoils are being thwarted by the joint efforts of India and Maldives.”

“The surveillance and patrolling that have come as a result of cooperation (between India and Maldives) is understandably worrisome for the beneficiaries of narco trade, whose illicit spoils are being confiscated in unprecedently large quantities,” she added.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONExclusive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONExclusive</a> | “Some social media bots are propagating baseless rhetoric. People with vested interests, ulterior motives are trying to destabilise ties between India &amp; Maldives”: Maldivian Defence Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/MariyaDidi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MariyaDidi</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/palkisu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@palkisu</a>, while speaking about the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaOut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaOut</a> campaign. <a href="https://t.co/f6dBhj5NrB">pic.twitter.com/f6dBhj5NrB</a>
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Didi said that such propaganda won’t have any impact on India-Maldives ties

“The fact that I am reviewing the passing out parade is the testimony to the close relationship that exists between our two nations,” she added.

The minister also gave details about her meeting with Vice Admiral Anil Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, and divulged the purpose of her visit to India.

“Southern Command is the training epicentre of the Indian Navy. I met with Southern Naval Commander, Admiral Chawla and the faculty. I saw the standard, and the kind of training they offered. Indian Navy is the cradle of leadership…The purpose (of the visit) is to increase training (of Maldives forces) so that we achieve the objectives of President Soleh’s government&nbsp;which seeks to professionalise the forces.

Talking about the recently held “Four Pillars” security cooperation meeting between India, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Didi said the purpose of such meet was to improve coordination against terrorism and trafficking.

“It is the longest-running exercise in the region. We started with India and Maldives and then Colombo joined. We had observers from Bangladesh and Seychelles. The four pillars, as agreed in the Colombo conclave, aims is to get rid of terrorism, radicalisation, maritime safety and security, trafficking, cybersecurity,” she said.

India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives&nbsp;agreed&nbsp;to work together on the “four pillars” of security cooperation during a National Security Adviser-level meeting, virtually hosted by Sri Lanka in August.

The meetings are a part of the “Colombo Security Conclave” established by Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2011 as the erstwhile Secretary to the Ministry of Defence. It aims to strengthen maritime security and cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.

In an exclusive interview with WION, Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi hit out against the malicious “India out” campaign, saying that the perpetrators are just “social media bots” and “don’t represent the majority” of the island nation.

In an exclusive interview with WION, Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi hit out against the malicious “India out” campaign, saying that the perpetrators are just “social media bots” and “don’t represent the majority” of the island nation. Didi, who is on a six-day visit to India to review the 'Passing Out Parade' of officer cadets at the Indian Naval Academy, was responding to a social media campaign in the Maldives called ‘#Indiaout’. The campaign was critical of Maldives President’s Ibrahim Mohamed Solih administration’s ‘India first’ policy. They have in the past opposed to “any Indian military presence”, and the opening of an Indian consulate in its southern Addu atoll. Speaking to WION’s Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay, Didi said, “These are just a handful of people and social media bots, trying to create a nuisance and propagating baseless rhetorics. They are people with vested interests and ulterior motives, who are uncomfortable with rules-based order and democracy, transparency, good governance and hate to see a corruption-free society because they themselves are so corrupt.” The defence minister said that these “corrupt” people belong to the narco-trade network whose “spoils are being thwarted by the joint efforts of India and Maldives.” “The surveillance and patrolling that have come as a result of cooperation (between India and Maldives) is understandably worrisome for the beneficiaries of narco trade, whose illicit spoils are being confiscated in unprecedently large quantities,” she added. #WIONExclusive | “Some social media bots are propagating baseless rhetoric. People with vested interests, ulterior motives are trying to destabilise ties between India & Maldives”: Maldivian Defence Minister @MariyaDidi tells @palkisu, while speaking about the #IndiaOut campaign. pic.twitter.com/f6dBhj5NrB — WION (@WIONews) November 27, 2021 × Didi said that such propaganda won’t have any impact on India-Maldives ties “The fact that I am reviewing the passing out parade is the testimony to the close relationship that exists between our two nations,” she added. The minister also gave details about her meeting with Vice Admiral Anil Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, and divulged the purpose of her visit to India. “Southern Command is the training epicentre of the Indian Navy. I met with Southern Naval Commander, Admiral Chawla and the faculty. I saw the standard, and the kind of training they offered. Indian Navy is the cradle of leadership…The purpose (of the visit) is to increase training (of Maldives forces) so that we achieve the objectives of President Soleh’s government which seeks to professionalise the forces. Talking about the recently held “Four Pillars” security cooperation meeting between India, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Didi said the purpose of such meet was to improve coordination against terrorism and trafficking. “It is the longest-running exercise in the region. We started with India and Maldives and then Colombo joined. We had observers from Bangladesh and Seychelles. The four pillars, as agreed in the Colombo conclave, aims is to get rid of terrorism, radicalisation, maritime safety and security, trafficking, cybersecurity,” she said. India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives agreed to work together on the “four pillars” of security cooperation during a National Security Adviser-level meeting, virtually hosted by Sri Lanka in August. The meetings are a part of the “Colombo Security Conclave” established by Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2011 as the erstwhile Secretary to the Ministry of Defence. It aims to strengthen maritime security and cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.

Exclusive: Maldives hits out at malicious ‘India out’ campaign, says propaganda by 'corrupt people'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Afghanistan requires humanitarian assistance, adding that a shortage of funds may force the current government in Kabul to turn to drug trafficking.&nbsp;

"According to the UN, today half of Afghans need humanitarian assistance to simply survive. Every third person is deprived of access to food. There is a danger that the lack of funds in the treasury of Afghanistan may push those who control the country today to make money on the sale of drugs and weapons, as it has been happening recently, by the way," Putin told a joint Shanghai Cooperation Organization-Collective Security Treaty Organization summit.

According to a report by Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik International, Vladimir Putin said that "Taliban consider it important to restore infrastructure but it is difficult for them to do it on their own. Moscow supports the convening of an Afghanistan donor conference within the United Nations."

"The Taliban movement, having become practically the sovereign master of the country, has formed its own government, which has assumed responsibility for the future of Afghanistan. This is an interim government, as the Taliban themselves say, and cannot be called truly representative or inclusive. We do not see representatives of other ethnic groups here. But it seems that, of course, it is also necessary to work with him. And as for the recognition [of current Afghan authorities], I think I agree with those who have spoken on this score. We need to agree on our position on this issue, " Putin said.

(With inputs from Sputnik News)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Afghanistan requires humanitarian assistance, adding that a shortage of funds may force the current government in Kabul to turn to drug trafficking.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Afghanistan requires humanitarian assistance, adding that a shortage of funds may force the current government in Kabul to turn to drug trafficking. "According to the UN, today half of Afghans need humanitarian assistance to simply survive. Every third person is deprived of access to food. There is a danger that the lack of funds in the treasury of Afghanistan may push those who control the country today to make money on the sale of drugs and weapons, as it has been happening recently, by the way," Putin told a joint Shanghai Cooperation Organization-Collective Security Treaty Organization summit. According to a report by Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik International, Vladimir Putin said that "Taliban consider it important to restore infrastructure but it is difficult for them to do it on their own. Moscow supports the convening of an Afghanistan donor conference within the United Nations." "The Taliban movement, having become practically the sovereign master of the country, has formed its own government, which has assumed responsibility for the future of Afghanistan. This is an interim government, as the Taliban themselves say, and cannot be called truly representative or inclusive. We do not see representatives of other ethnic groups here. But it seems that, of course, it is also necessary to work with him. And as for the recognition [of current Afghan authorities], I think I agree with those who have spoken on this score. We need to agree on our position on this issue, " Putin said. (With inputs from Sputnik News)

Lack of money may push Afghan authorities to turn to drug trafficking: Putin

China will become the world's first country to ban all synthetic cannabinoid substances. The ban is likely to come into effect on July 1. The move comes as China tries to curb the manufacturing and trafficking of the drug.

China becomes the world's first country to ban synthetic cannabinoids

Mexican children toting replica rifles march alongside armed members of a self-defense force who say they have been left to defend their village against drug traffickers all by themselves.

Mexican villagers take anti-narco fight into own hands

The Honduran President,&nbsp;Juan Orlando Hernández, has been accused of accepting bribes from drug traffickers and ordering the country's armed forces to guard a&nbsp;cocaine laboratory and shipments.

US federal prosecutors have filed motions against&nbsp;Hernández and have also submitted evidence claiming he said he wanted to "shove the drugs right up the noses of the gringos by flooding the United States with cocaine".

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/migrant-caravan-sets-off-to-us-from-honduras-risking-new-tensions-348777">Migrant caravan sets off to US from Honduras, risking new tensions</a>

The motions have been filed by the prosecutors in the&nbsp;southern district of New York.&nbsp;Hernández has been referred to as "CC4" or the&nbsp;co-conspirator No4. However, his brother, also a&nbsp;co-conspirator has been specifically named in the motions. His brother's name and his designation as 'President' has made the accusation against&nbsp;Hernández clear.

"By late 2013, the defendant partnered directly with CC4 and high-ranking officials in the Honduran military. At this time, CC4 was pursuing election as the president of Honduras as a member of the Partido Nacional de Honduras (the ‘National Party’)," the motion states.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-and-mexico-leader-discuss-migration-351076">Biden and Mexico leader discuss migration</a>

Despite the conviction of&nbsp;Juan Antonio Hernández, one of his brothers, in 2019, the President has repeatedly denied all accusations against him. He was accused of accepting more than&nbsp;$1m from the Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán during the 2019 trial, which he denied. The same accusation has been repeated in the recently-filed motions too.

The President, this time, has claimed these accusations are being made by the traffickers as a way to seek&nbsp;vengeance from him after he was 'successful' in clamping down traffickers' operations in the country.

&nbsp;Federal prosecutors have also named several&nbsp;senior military, police, political and business figures in these motions for accepting bribery and laundering money in similar illegal operations.

The Honduran President, Juan Orlando Hernández, has been accused of accepting bribes from drug traffickers and ordering the country's armed forces to guard a cocaine laboratory and shipments.

The Honduran President, Juan Orlando Hernández, has been accused of accepting bribes from drug traffickers and ordering the country's armed forces to guard a cocaine laboratory and shipments. US federal prosecutors have filed motions against Hernández and have also submitted evidence claiming he said he wanted to "shove the drugs right up the noses of the gringos by flooding the United States with cocaine". Also read| Migrant caravan sets off to US from Honduras, risking new tensions The motions have been filed by the prosecutors in the southern district of New York. Hernández has been referred to as "CC4" or the co-conspirator No4. However, his brother, also a co-conspirator has been specifically named in the motions. His brother's name and his designation as 'President' has made the accusation against Hernández clear. "By late 2013, the defendant partnered directly with CC4 and high-ranking officials in the Honduran military. At this time, CC4 was pursuing election as the president of Honduras as a member of the Partido Nacional de Honduras (the ‘National Party’)," the motion states. Also read| Biden and Mexico leader discuss migration Despite the conviction of Juan Antonio Hernández, one of his brothers, in 2019, the President has repeatedly denied all accusations against him. He was accused of accepting more than $1m from the Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán during the 2019 trial, which he denied. The same accusation has been repeated in the recently-filed motions too. The President, this time, has claimed these accusations are being made by the traffickers as a way to seek vengeance from him after he was 'successful' in clamping down traffickers' operations in the country. Federal prosecutors have also named several senior military, police, political and business figures in these motions for accepting bribery and laundering money in similar illegal operations.

Honduras President accused of accepting bribes from drug traffickers

Mexico took a step closer to legalising marijuana for recreational and medicinal use on Thursday as the Senate approved a bill aimed at reducing violence linked to drug trafficking.

Mexican Senate approves bill to legalise Marijuana

Iran has detained two Swedes over the suspicion of drug trafficking, the country's judiciary said on Tuesday. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili refused to identify the arrested or give any details on when and where they were detained.&nbsp;

"Two Swedish nationals were arrested by the judiciary for trafficking drugs," which were still in their possession, he said.

"We informed their government and embassy about their arrest through the foreign ministry," he said, quoted by the judiciary's Mizan Online website.

According to the spokesman, the detained have been informed that they "can enjoy consular services, meeting privileges and the like".

According to Tasnim news agency's report, two Swedish members of an "international drug gang" had been arrested as part of a "complex operation" at the beginning of July.&nbsp;

"A big part of the large shipment discovered was dangerous industrial narcotics," it said, adding that the network had been dismantled.

(Inputs from AFP)

Iran has detained two Swedes over the suspicion of drug trafficking, the country's judiciary said on Tuesday. Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili refused to identify the arrested or give any details on when and where they were detained.

Iran has detained two Swedes over the suspicion of drug trafficking, the country's judiciary said on Tuesday. Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili refused to identify the arrested or give any details on when and where they were detained. "Two Swedish nationals were arrested by the judiciary for trafficking drugs," which were still in their possession, he said. "We informed their government and embassy about their arrest through the foreign ministry," he said, quoted by the judiciary's Mizan Online website. According to the spokesman, the detained have been informed that they "can enjoy consular services, meeting privileges and the like". According to Tasnim news agency's report, two Swedish members of an "international drug gang" had been arrested as part of a "complex operation" at the beginning of July. "A big part of the large shipment discovered was dangerous industrial narcotics," it said, adding that the network had been dismantled. (Inputs from AFP)

Iran arrests two Swedes on suspicion of drug trafficking

The United States has charged&nbsp;Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and several top aides on Thursday for "narco-terrorism" and offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.

Unveiling&nbsp;the indictment, the attorney general, William Barr, said the Venezuelan leadership collaborated with a dissident faction of the former Colombian guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, operating on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, which Barr described as an ''extremely violent terrorist organization''.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-who-orchestrated-3000-murders-for-drugs-kingpin-pablo-escobar-dies-of-stomach-cancer-279268">Man who orchestrated 3000 murders for drugs kingpin Pablo Escobar dies of stomach cancer</a>

''We estimate that somewhere between 200 and 250 metric tons of cocaine are shipped out of Venezuela by these routes,''&nbsp;Barr said. ''Those 250 metric tons equate to 30 million&nbsp;lethal doses.''

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-even-with-strict-preventive-laws-in-place-people-are-brewing-cannabis-coffee-279039">Indonesia: Even with strict preventive laws in place, people are brewing cannabis coffee</a>

"It's time to call out this regime for what it is," he added. "The Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality."

Alongside Maduro, Venezuela’s vice-president for the economy, Venezuela’s defence minister, and the supreme court’s chief justice are among the list of 15 current and former officials who have been indicted.

<aside data-component="rich-link" data-link-name="rich-link-3 | 1">
The Justice Department accused Maduro of leading a cocaine-trafficking gang called "The Cartel of the Suns" that shipped hundreds of tons of narcotics into the US over two decades, earning hundreds of millions of dollars.
</aside>

The United States has charged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and several top aides on Thursday for "narco-terrorism" and offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.

The United States has charged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and several top aides on Thursday for "narco-terrorism" and offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture. Unveiling the indictment, the attorney general, William Barr, said the Venezuelan leadership collaborated with a dissident faction of the former Colombian guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, operating on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, which Barr described as an ''extremely violent terrorist organization''. Also read: Man who orchestrated 3000 murders for drugs kingpin Pablo Escobar dies of stomach cancer ''We estimate that somewhere between 200 and 250 metric tons of cocaine are shipped out of Venezuela by these routes,'' Barr said. ''Those 250 metric tons equate to 30 million lethal doses.'' Also read: Indonesia: Even with strict preventive laws in place, people are brewing cannabis coffee "It's time to call out this regime for what it is," he added. "The Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality." Alongside Maduro, Venezuela’s vice-president for the economy, Venezuela’s defence minister, and the supreme court’s chief justice are among the list of 15 current and former officials who have been indicted. The Justice Department accused Maduro of leading a cocaine-trafficking gang called "The Cartel of the Suns" that shipped hundreds of tons of narcotics into the US over two decades, earning hundreds of millions of dollars.

US indicts Venezuelan President Maduro and other top leaders for drug trafficking

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) inked between India and Saudi Arabia in the field of combating illicit trafficking and smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors.

The MoUs shall facilitate and enhance the cooperation between the two countries in combating illicit trafficking and smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors, as defined by the United Nations International Drug Control Conventions.

The cooperation will also provide a provision for the exchange of relevant information as well as methods, identities and suspicious activities of producers, smugglers and traffickers of narcotic drugs, details of trafficking of NDPS and Precursors Chemicals on requisitions and financial details of the traffickers arrested on drug-related charges.

Illegal Drug trafficking is a global illicit trade. Massive production and circulation of drugs through various convenient routes especially through Afghanistan is paving ways for high consumption of drugs amongst youth thus creating a negative impact on public health and adding to the criminalisation of the society.

Drug trafficking has also provided funding for insurgency and terrorism in various regions throughout the world. Narco-terrorists and international criminal organizations that thrive on the illegal drug trade now threaten the security of many nations.&nbsp;

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) inked between India and Saudi Arabia in the field of combating illicit trafficking and smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) inked between India and Saudi Arabia in the field of combating illicit trafficking and smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors. The MoUs shall facilitate and enhance the cooperation between the two countries in combating illicit trafficking and smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors, as defined by the United Nations International Drug Control Conventions. The cooperation will also provide a provision for the exchange of relevant information as well as methods, identities and suspicious activities of producers, smugglers and traffickers of narcotic drugs, details of trafficking of NDPS and Precursors Chemicals on requisitions and financial details of the traffickers arrested on drug-related charges. Illegal Drug trafficking is a global illicit trade. Massive production and circulation of drugs through various convenient routes especially through Afghanistan is paving ways for high consumption of drugs amongst youth thus creating a negative impact on public health and adding to the criminalisation of the society. Drug trafficking has also provided funding for insurgency and terrorism in various regions throughout the world. Narco-terrorists and international criminal organizations that thrive on the illegal drug trade now threaten the security of many nations.

Cabinet approves India-Saudi Arabia MoUs in smuggling, drug trafficking

Dutch Olympic athlete Madiea Ghafoor has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in jail after 2 million pounds ($2.58 million) worth of ecstasy tablets and crystal meth were found in the boot of her car in Germany, DPA news agency has reported.

Ghafoor, 27, was stopped at a border check in Elten in June where 50kg of ecstasy, 2kg of crystal meth and 11,950 euros in cash were seized by police, the report said.

The athlete, who ran for the Netherlands in the 4x400m relay at the 2016 Olympic Games, pleaded not guilty to the charges at Kleve District Court and said she thought she was carrying doping materials, the German news agency said.

The Dutch Athletics Union said it was shocked by the case and would investigate Ghafoor’s claim concerning doping materials to ascertain who else might have been involved.

"We are stunned by the judgement," a statement on the organisation’s website said. "With the ruling of the German court, the Athletics Union rejects the actions of Ghafoor.

"The Athletics Union condemns any use or trade in doping or drugs and fully commits itself to the Dutch doping law.

"The case has been transferred to the Doping Authority to investigate the extent to which the doping legislation has been violated."

Ghafoor refused to reveal who she was transporting the drugs for and said she feared for the safety of her family, DPA said.

Dutch Olympic athlete Madiea Ghafoor has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in jail after 2 million pounds ($2.58 million) worth of ecstasy tablets and crystal meth were found in the boot of her car in Germany, DPA news agency has reported.

Dutch Olympic athlete Madiea Ghafoor has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in jail after 2 million pounds ($2.58 million) worth of ecstasy tablets and crystal meth were found in the boot of her car in Germany, DPA news agency has reported. Ghafoor, 27, was stopped at a border check in Elten in June where 50kg of ecstasy, 2kg of crystal meth and 11,950 euros in cash were seized by police, the report said. The athlete, who ran for the Netherlands in the 4x400m relay at the 2016 Olympic Games, pleaded not guilty to the charges at Kleve District Court and said she thought she was carrying doping materials, the German news agency said. The Dutch Athletics Union said it was shocked by the case and would investigate Ghafoor’s claim concerning doping materials to ascertain who else might have been involved. "We are stunned by the judgement," a statement on the organisation’s website said. "With the ruling of the German court, the Athletics Union rejects the actions of Ghafoor. "The Athletics Union condemns any use or trade in doping or drugs and fully commits itself to the Dutch doping law. "The case has been transferred to the Doping Authority to investigate the extent to which the doping legislation has been violated." Ghafoor refused to reveal who she was transporting the drugs for and said she feared for the safety of her family, DPA said.

Dutch Olympic athlete jailed for drug trafficking

India and Myanmar on Tuesday began Director General-level talks to take coordinated and concerted actions against drug trafficking between the two countries.

"The fourth Director-General Level Talks between India's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Myanmar's Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) on drug trafficking and related matters were held here on Tuesday," a release by the Ministry of Home Affairs read.

The Indian delegation was led by NCB Director General Abhay, while the Myanmar delegation was headed by CCDAC Joint Secretary Win Naing.

"The two- day bilateral meeting from 9th to 10th July 2019 is being organised to take coordinated and concerted actions against drug trafficking between the two countries," the statement added.

During the first day of the meeting, the two sides shared mutual concerns regarding the menace of drugs and resolved to exchange crucial information relating to the trafficking of drugs and precursors.

"The issues such as trend of illicit poppy cultivation and heroin production in Myanmar, including precursor trafficking, cross border trafficking of Heroin from Myanmar to India, cross border trafficking of Ephedrine/Pseudo-ephedrine on Indo-Myanmar Border and trafficking of Methamphetamine from Myanmar to India, information on Drug trafficking routes, Controlled Delivery Operations, and sharing of best practices and training needs were discussed," the statement read.

The two sides also exchanged operational level contacts for the sharing of real-time information or intelligence.

"The meeting was held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere. The effectiveness of cooperation on drug matters largely depends on the frequency of interaction and was agreed to hold the next DG level talks in Myanmar on a mutually convenient date," it concluded.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

India and Myanmar on Tuesday began Director General-level talks to take coordinated and concerted actions against drug trafficking between the two countries. "The fourth Director-General Level Talks between India's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Myanmar's Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) on drug trafficking and related matters were held here on Tuesday," a release by the Ministry of Home Affairs read.

India and Myanmar on Tuesday began Director General-level talks to take coordinated and concerted actions against drug trafficking between the two countries. "The fourth Director-General Level Talks between India's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Myanmar's Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) on drug trafficking and related matters were held here on Tuesday," a release by the Ministry of Home Affairs read. The Indian delegation was led by NCB Director General Abhay, while the Myanmar delegation was headed by CCDAC Joint Secretary Win Naing. "The two- day bilateral meeting from 9th to 10th July 2019 is being organised to take coordinated and concerted actions against drug trafficking between the two countries," the statement added. During the first day of the meeting, the two sides shared mutual concerns regarding the menace of drugs and resolved to exchange crucial information relating to the trafficking of drugs and precursors. "The issues such as trend of illicit poppy cultivation and heroin production in Myanmar, including precursor trafficking, cross border trafficking of Heroin from Myanmar to India, cross border trafficking of Ephedrine/Pseudo-ephedrine on Indo-Myanmar Border and trafficking of Methamphetamine from Myanmar to India, information on Drug trafficking routes, Controlled Delivery Operations, and sharing of best practices and training needs were discussed," the statement read. The two sides also exchanged operational level contacts for the sharing of real-time information or intelligence. "The meeting was held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere. The effectiveness of cooperation on drug matters largely depends on the frequency of interaction and was agreed to hold the next DG level talks in Myanmar on a mutually convenient date," it concluded.

India, Myanmar begin talks to take coordinated efforts against drug trafficking

Drug lord Joaquín Guzmán is convicted for drug trafficking. United States also seeks $12.7 billion from 'El Chapo'. Watch this video to know more.

Joaquín Guzmán convicted for drug trafficking

President Maithripala Sirisena called United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday and said protecting the nation and its future generations from the prolific risk of drug trafficking is the reason why he decided to implement the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-picks-two-hangmen-for-first-prisoner-executions-since-1970s-231430">death penalty in Sri Lanka</a>.

"The life of schoolchildren, university students and the youth are at risk because of the proliferation of drug trafficking. If we are to protect them, the death penalty should be carried out against drug traffickers," Colombo Page quoted the President as saying.

"I consider those opposed to this move as people who are aiding and abetting the drug traffickers," Sirisen added.

The phone came after the Amnesty International expressed shock after Sirisena on Wednesday announced death warrants for four drug offenders who will "very soon" become the first people to be executed in decades on the island nation.&nbsp;

Followingly, the European Union (EU) has reportedly criticised Sri Lanka`s move to resume executions, saying it would directly contradict the country`s commitment to maintain a 43-year moratorium on the death penalty at the UN General Assembly last year.

The EU said in a statement issued on Thursday that Sri Lanka`s planned executions will send the wrong signals to the international community and investors.

The statement added that the EU will monitor Sri Lanka`s commitments to international conventions upon which hinges a preferential trade deal with the country.

In addition, the country on Friday also reportedly hired two executioners to put the four convicts to death.&nbsp;

The executioners were selected from a list of 100 applicants who responded to an advertisement calling for males, aged between 18 and 45, with "excellent moral character" and "mental strength".

Last week, Sirisena announced that he had signed the documents for execution of four big-time drug operators currently convicted and awaiting death sentence, Colombo Page reported.&nbsp;

However, no names were revealed nor any details were divulged about any scheduled executions or information on the cases except that they would take place "very soon".

Executions for drug-related offences are unlawful. They do not meet the threshold for "most serious crimes" - such as intentional killing - to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international human rights law, Amnesty International stressed.

Sri Lanka is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which sets the abolition of the death penalty as the goal to be achieved by countries that still retain this punishment.

President Maithripala Sirisena called United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday and said protecting the nation and its future generations from the prolific risk of drug trafficking is the reason why he decided to implement the death penalty in Sri Lanka.

President Maithripala Sirisena called United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday and said protecting the nation and its future generations from the prolific risk of drug trafficking is the reason why he decided to implement the death penalty in Sri Lanka. "The life of schoolchildren, university students and the youth are at risk because of the proliferation of drug trafficking. If we are to protect them, the death penalty should be carried out against drug traffickers," Colombo Page quoted the President as saying. "I consider those opposed to this move as people who are aiding and abetting the drug traffickers," Sirisen added. The phone came after the Amnesty International expressed shock after Sirisena on Wednesday announced death warrants for four drug offenders who will "very soon" become the first people to be executed in decades on the island nation. Followingly, the European Union (EU) has reportedly criticised Sri Lanka`s move to resume executions, saying it would directly contradict the country`s commitment to maintain a 43-year moratorium on the death penalty at the UN General Assembly last year. The EU said in a statement issued on Thursday that Sri Lanka`s planned executions will send the wrong signals to the international community and investors. The statement added that the EU will monitor Sri Lanka`s commitments to international conventions upon which hinges a preferential trade deal with the country. In addition, the country on Friday also reportedly hired two executioners to put the four convicts to death. The executioners were selected from a list of 100 applicants who responded to an advertisement calling for males, aged between 18 and 45, with "excellent moral character" and "mental strength". Last week, Sirisena announced that he had signed the documents for execution of four big-time drug operators currently convicted and awaiting death sentence, Colombo Page reported. However, no names were revealed nor any details were divulged about any scheduled executions or information on the cases except that they would take place "very soon". Executions for drug-related offences are unlawful. They do not meet the threshold for "most serious crimes" - such as intentional killing - to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international human rights law, Amnesty International stressed. Sri Lanka is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which sets the abolition of the death penalty as the goal to be achieved by countries that still retain this punishment.

Implementing death penalty will protect future generations from drug trafficking: Sri Lanka President to UN chief

Tepito is a tough neighbourhood whose name in Mexico immediately evokes crime and drug trafficking, and where people live intensely every day because death can strike at any minute.

The streets of the slum are more alive by day and by night than any other part of Mexico City, with death a daily reality due to the bloody gang rivalries in drug trafficking and many other businesses.

"If God gives us life, Tepito feeds us," is the maxim of the slum's inhabitants, who are never given anything for free.

From childhood, they scratch out a living in their hardscrabble world, between crowded street markets and police raids.

The out-of-control war between the Union, the Anti-union Force and other criminal gangs is set in the streets of Tepito and other avenues of the historic downtown area.

Extortion, express kidnappings and demands for protection money are the order of the day. And the main victims are small business owners who also feel they are victims of the government and police.

Small-scale drug dealers abound and shootouts are commonplace, but the guilty parties seldom get arrested.

Under these circumstances, Tepito survives by obeying its own rules and knowing how to dodge the bullets.

"What it means to live in Tepito is hard to define - it's a way of life, a kind of spirit, a state of mind," according to Alfonso Hernandez, Tepito's official chronicler and president of the Mexico City Journalists Association.

"Living in Tepito means keeping your guardian angel very busy. Our grandparents taught us that, and to eat well, make love and tell death to get lost," Alfonso Hernandez told EFE.

Born, raised and living in Tepito, the toughest slum in Mexico City, Alfonso Hernandez for decades has been the official chronicler of one of the most stigmatized of all Mexican neighbourhoods.

With the aid of a librarian, Alfonso, at his more than 70 years, defends the neighbourhood without getting political - he rather talks about the pleasant architecture, culture, and associations of citizens, storekeepers and academics.

Alfonso is also a master of puns and conductor of the Tepitour, a trip deep into this infamous slum with its unbelievable informal economy.

"The word Tepito in Mexico, just like the word Mexico in the rest of the world, is synonymous with violence and toughness. I'm not saying we haven't contributed to creating the image of a tough neighbourhood, but in such a chaotic city you've got to earn respect," Hernandez said.

Self-taught, Alfonso has traveled the world, has won architecture prizes for Tepito, has hosted the late Anthony Bourdain, the artist David Hammons whose work is exhibited at New York's MoMA, and Spain's Manuel Castells Olivan, sociologist, economist and professor of sociology and urbanism at the University of California, Berkeley, among others.

But the neighbourhood's personality comes from its inhabitants, so Alfonso does not want it taken over by big real estate investors with their skyscraper condominiums and their Airbnb, as, he said, is happening with a neighbourhood as iconic as Lavapies in Madrid.

Tepito is a tough neighbourhood whose name in Mexico immediately evokes crime and drug trafficking, and where people live intensely every day because death can strike at any minute.

Tepito is a tough neighbourhood whose name in Mexico immediately evokes crime and drug trafficking, and where people live intensely every day because death can strike at any minute. The streets of the slum are more alive by day and by night than any other part of Mexico City, with death a daily reality due to the bloody gang rivalries in drug trafficking and many other businesses. "If God gives us life, Tepito feeds us," is the maxim of the slum's inhabitants, who are never given anything for free. From childhood, they scratch out a living in their hardscrabble world, between crowded street markets and police raids. The out-of-control war between the Union, the Anti-union Force and other criminal gangs is set in the streets of Tepito and other avenues of the historic downtown area. Extortion, express kidnappings and demands for protection money are the order of the day. And the main victims are small business owners who also feel they are victims of the government and police. Small-scale drug dealers abound and shootouts are commonplace, but the guilty parties seldom get arrested. Under these circumstances, Tepito survives by obeying its own rules and knowing how to dodge the bullets. "What it means to live in Tepito is hard to define - it's a way of life, a kind of spirit, a state of mind," according to Alfonso Hernandez, Tepito's official chronicler and president of the Mexico City Journalists Association. "Living in Tepito means keeping your guardian angel very busy. Our grandparents taught us that, and to eat well, make love and tell death to get lost," Alfonso Hernandez told EFE. Born, raised and living in Tepito, the toughest slum in Mexico City, Alfonso Hernandez for decades has been the official chronicler of one of the most stigmatized of all Mexican neighbourhoods. With the aid of a librarian, Alfonso, at his more than 70 years, defends the neighbourhood without getting political - he rather talks about the pleasant architecture, culture, and associations of citizens, storekeepers and academics. Alfonso is also a master of puns and conductor of the Tepitour, a trip deep into this infamous slum with its unbelievable informal economy. "The word Tepito in Mexico, just like the word Mexico in the rest of the world, is synonymous with violence and toughness. I'm not saying we haven't contributed to creating the image of a tough neighbourhood, but in such a chaotic city you've got to earn respect," Hernandez said. Self-taught, Alfonso has traveled the world, has won architecture prizes for Tepito, has hosted the late Anthony Bourdain, the artist David Hammons whose work is exhibited at New York's MoMA, and Spain's Manuel Castells Olivan, sociologist, economist and professor of sociology and urbanism at the University of California, Berkeley, among others. But the neighbourhood's personality comes from its inhabitants, so Alfonso does not want it taken over by big real estate investors with their skyscraper condominiums and their Airbnb, as, he said, is happening with a neighbourhood as iconic as Lavapies in Madrid.

Tepito, the Mexico slum where one day you're alive and the next you're dead

One of Bangladesh's top female cricketers could be jailed for life after being caught with 14,000 methamphetamine pills, police said today.

Nazreen Khan Mukta, who plays first-grade cricket in the Dhaka Premier League, was returning from a match in the southeastern city of Cox's Bazar when police stopped and searched the team bus at Chittagong.

"During our search, we caught her with 14,000 yaba pills she had kept in packets," local police chief Pronob Chowdhury told AFP, using the local name for tablets of methamphetamine mixed with caffeine.

Chowdhury said the Ansar VDP star would be charged with drug trafficking, an offence that can carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Cox's Bazar borders Myanmar's conflict-plagued Rakhine state, where authorities say methamphetamine labs produce tens of millions of yaba pills that are shipped to Bangladesh.

Officials this month said drug traffickers had been more active since August when nearly 700,000 Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar began pouring into Bangladesh.

Gangs have been using the Rohingya refugees as mules and hiding drugs in fishing boats used for ferrying the persecuted Muslims to safety.

Authorities said last month that nine million yaba pills were seized in less than three months as the refugee influx reached its peak. Nearly two million were discovered in a single haul.

Dhaka has been planning to introduce the death penalty for yaba trafficking to try to curb the drug's popularity and use.

Bangladesh in 2017 seized more than 40 million pills, double the previous year's haul.

One of Bangladesh's top female cricketers could be jailed for life after being caught with 14,000 methamphetamine pills

One of Bangladesh's top female cricketers could be jailed for life after being caught with 14,000 methamphetamine pills, police said today. Nazreen Khan Mukta, who plays first-grade cricket in the Dhaka Premier League, was returning from a match in the southeastern city of Cox's Bazar when police stopped and searched the team bus at Chittagong. "During our search, we caught her with 14,000 yaba pills she had kept in packets," local police chief Pronob Chowdhury told AFP, using the local name for tablets of methamphetamine mixed with caffeine. Chowdhury said the Ansar VDP star would be charged with drug trafficking, an offence that can carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. Cox's Bazar borders Myanmar's conflict-plagued Rakhine state, where authorities say methamphetamine labs produce tens of millions of yaba pills that are shipped to Bangladesh. Officials this month said drug traffickers had been more active since August when nearly 700,000 Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar began pouring into Bangladesh. Gangs have been using the Rohingya refugees as mules and hiding drugs in fishing boats used for ferrying the persecuted Muslims to safety. Authorities said last month that nine million yaba pills were seized in less than three months as the refugee influx reached its peak. Nearly two million were discovered in a single haul. Dhaka has been planning to introduce the death penalty for yaba trafficking to try to curb the drug's popularity and use. Bangladesh in 2017 seized more than 40 million pills, double the previous year's haul.

Bangladeshi cricketer charged with drug trafficking

At least five policemen were killed and 41 others were left injured when a homemade bomb exploded outside a police station on Saturday in the Colombian city of Barranquilla.&nbsp;

The blast comes hours after a high-powered car bomb gutted another police station near the border in neighbouring Ecuador.

The attack was one of the deadliest on security personnel in recent years, in one of Colombia&#39;s most important cities.

It comes as the government of President Juan Manuel Santos seeks to bring the armed conflict that has wracked Colombia for 50 years to an end. Much of the violence has been financed by drug trafficking.

As per media reports, head of Barranquilla&#39;s police,&nbsp;Mariano Botero,&nbsp;said the attack may have been carried out by associates of a local crime boss known as &quot;Happy,&quot; who was arrested recently on charges of drug trafficking, extorting businesses and terrorizing residents with threats of murder in the Caribbean city.

&quot;I do not have the slightest doubt that this is a retaliation&quot; for successful police action against drug traffickers, he told reporters.

Botero also suggested that the attack could be in revenge after a police crackdown on local drug traffickers.

A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of carrying out the attack, according to attorney general Nestor Martinez.

&quot;We will charge (him) with five aggravated murders ... attempted murder, terrorism and use of explosives,&quot; he told a press conference.

 
&nbsp;

Head of Barranquilla's police suggested that the attack could be in revenge after a police crackdown on local drug traffickers

At least five policemen were killed and 41 others were left injured when a homemade bomb exploded outside a police station on Saturday in the Colombian city of Barranquilla. The blast comes hours after a high-powered car bomb gutted another police station near the border in neighbouring Ecuador. The attack was one of the deadliest on security personnel in recent years, in one of Colombia's most important cities. It comes as the government of President Juan Manuel Santos seeks to bring the armed conflict that has wracked Colombia for 50 years to an end. Much of the violence has been financed by drug trafficking. As per media reports, head of Barranquilla's police, Mariano Botero, said the attack may have been carried out by associates of a local crime boss known as "Happy," who was arrested recently on charges of drug trafficking, extorting businesses and terrorizing residents with threats of murder in the Caribbean city. "I do not have the slightest doubt that this is a retaliation" for successful police action against drug traffickers, he told reporters. Botero also suggested that the attack could be in revenge after a police crackdown on local drug traffickers. A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of carrying out the attack, according to attorney general Nestor Martinez. "We will charge (him) with five aggravated murders ... attempted murder, terrorism and use of explosives," he told a press conference.

5 dead, 41 injured after attack in Colombia

India has been enduring the menace of drug trafficking for four decades. Although India has been a traditional consumer of opium and cannabis derivatives, the trends and patterns of drug trafficking demonstrate that there is a gradual shift from traditional/natural drugs towards synthetic drugs that are being trafficked and consumed in the country. In the 1980s, a large quantity of heroin and hashish was smuggled into the country through various borders. While these narcotics are still trafficked, albeit, in lesser quantities, the share of synthetic drugs has gone up tremendously. Various studies and media reports indicate that drug consumption and trafficking in the country are, in fact, showing an increasing trend. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Trend in drug and narcotics trafficking &nbsp;

Being closer to the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle, India has been vulnerable to the trafficking of narcotics and drugs such as heroin, hashish, and synthetic drugs produced in these areas. Heroin was first trafficked into India in the mid-seventies from the Golden Triangle, which picked up by eighties. However, the quantity of the trafficked heroin through the India-Myanmar border into the Northeast has always been very small as it is meant for local consumption only. &nbsp;

The Golden Crescent, on the other hand, has remained the primary source of trafficked heroin in the country since the early eighties when traffickers started rerouting heroin from this region through India following the Iran-Iraq war. Although the end of the war and reopening of the Balkan trafficking route in the late eighties resulted in a dip in heroin trafficking in the country, the trend did not sustain. After a gap of almost two decades, it again picked up in 2012. Increased production of opium in Afghanistan, greater domestic demand in India, and connivance of state government officials and border guarding forces together contributed towards this increase in heroin trafficking, especially in the Punjab sector.&nbsp;

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<h5>Increased production of opium in Afghanistan, greater domestic demand in India, and connivance of state government officials and border guarding forces contributed towards increase in heroin trafficking, especially in the Punjab sector.&nbsp;</h5>
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Besides heroin, hashish and marijuana are the two derivatives of Cannabis which are extensively trafficked in India. Hashish and marijuana have been traditionally trafficked into India from Nepal and therefore, Nepal remains a major source even though its share has been decreasing over the past few years. In addition, the Golden Crescent has also been a major source of hashish in India. Incidentally, a lot of these narcotics that are trafficked into India not consumed domestically but transit the country for destinations such as Europe, Canada and the United States of America. Lately, trafficking of cocaine into India has been observed. This is a result of diversification of cocaine markets globally. Cocaine produced in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia travels to India through West Asia and Gulf Countries.&nbsp;

Apart from narcotics, India has been experiencing a significant rise in the use of psychotropic substances and medicinal preparations among addicts since late 1990. Stringent narcotics and drugs laws, rising price of heroin and easy availability of synthetic drugs have propelled this shift in the consumption pattern and hence their trafficking. Amphetamine Type Stimulant (ATS) and Methamphetamine produced in large quantities in South-east Asia especially in the Golden Triangle are trafficked into India through the porous India-Myanmar border. India also manufactures a lot of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals which are smuggled out of the country. Pharmaceutical preparations containing Dextropropoxyphene and Codeine are trafficked to the neighbouring countries especially to Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Ketamine is yet another medicinal preparation which is smuggled out of India to various South-east Asian countries. Similarly, Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine used for manufacturing ATS and Acetic Anhydride used for the manufacturing of heroin are smuggled into the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle from India.&nbsp;

Threat to National Security&nbsp;

This two-way illegal movement of narcotics and drugs pose a significant threat to the national security. For one, the breach of the international borders of the country by drug traffickers implies that the same routes could be used for smuggling in weapons as well as terrorists into the country. In fact, it has been established that the arms and explosives used in the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai were transported by the Dawood Ibrahim gang through the traditional trafficking routes. Investigations into the Pathankot attack that took place on 31st December 2015 also hinted that the terrorists entered into India from Pakistan through the routes tried and tested by drug traffickers.

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<h5>Breach of the international borders by drug traffickers implies that the same routes could be used for smuggling weapons and terrorists into the country.</h5>
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The nexus between drug traffickers, criminal networks and terrorists are another potent threat. Exploitation of the trafficking routes by terrorists with the help of well-entrenched criminal networks to infiltrate with arms and explosives adds a critical dimension to the security of the borders. It has been proven that the D Company had facilitated activities of Islamist terror groups in India by supporting their cross-border movement and providing them with funds and shelter in the country. Composite seizures of drugs and arms by security forces at the borders points to a close nexus between drug traffickers and anti-national elements. &nbsp;

Further, the money generated by the illegal sale of narcotics and drugs is used for financing terrorist activities. In India, the Kashmiri, Sikh and Northeast militants have used drug money to finance their &lsquo;struggle&rsquo; against the Indian state. It is estimated that 15 per cent of the finances of the J&amp;K militants were generated through the sale of drugs. In the Northeast, while the smaller insurgent organisations are directly involved in drug trafficking to generate quick funds, the bigger insurgent organisations collect protection money from the drug peddlers in lieu of safe passage of drug consignments through their territory.&nbsp;

Last but not least, large-scale availability of narcotics and drugs encourages demand for narcotics and drugs by domestic population. Consumption of which produces dysfunctional behaviour thereby creating law and order problem in the society. It also causes a huge economic drain on the country through loss of production and diversion of resources for caring and rehabilitation of the drug addicts, etc. Drug trafficking also has a direct bearing on the political process as drug cartels subvert, penetrate and further corrupt state institutions to control the illegal drug trade.&nbsp;

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<h5>Drug trafficking also has a direct bearing on the political process as drug cartels subvert, penetrate and further corrupt state institutions to control the illegal drug trade.&nbsp;</h5>
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Response&nbsp;

Given these challenges, India has adopted a comprehensive approach to reducing supply as well as demand for narcotics and drugs. The approach comprises four elements &ndash; a) enacting legislation such as the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS); b) ensuring physical security of the borders and coasts by strengthening patrolling and surveillance; c) eliciting cooperation from neighbours by entering into several bilateral and multilateral agreements on prevention of illicit traffic of drugs and chemicals, and; d) co-operating with voluntary organisations in the endeavour to prevent abuse of narcotics and synthetic drugs.&nbsp;

Conclusion&nbsp;

Despite these measures, prevention of drug trafficking in India has achieved only partial success. Low priority accorded to the prevention of drug trafficking is one of the main reasons why concerned organisation do not display required urgency in apprehending drug peddlers and subsequent investigation. Turf wars between various agencies, corruption, intelligence failure, lack of manpower and infrastructure, poor drug detection training, and procedural delays are other factors that hamper the effectiveness of the country&rsquo;s drug prevention efforts. Since drug trafficking has serious ramifications on the country&rsquo;s security, it is time India pays much more attention to the problem and formulates robust measures to overcome the loopholes in its strategy for prevention of drug trafficking.&nbsp;

Apart from posing a threat to security, there is now a gradual shift in domestic consumption of drugs from natural to synthetic in India

India has been enduring the menace of drug trafficking for four decades. Although India has been a traditional consumer of opium and cannabis derivatives, the trends and patterns of drug trafficking demonstrate that there is a gradual shift from traditional/natural drugs towards synthetic drugs that are being trafficked and consumed in the country. In the 1980s, a large quantity of heroin and hashish was smuggled into the country through various borders. While these narcotics are still trafficked, albeit, in lesser quantities, the share of synthetic drugs has gone up tremendously. Various studies and media reports indicate that drug consumption and trafficking in the country are, in fact, showing an increasing trend. Trend in drug and narcotics trafficking Being closer to the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle, India has been vulnerable to the trafficking of narcotics and drugs such as heroin, hashish, and synthetic drugs produced in these areas. Heroin was first trafficked into India in the mid-seventies from the Golden Triangle, which picked up by eighties. However, the quantity of the trafficked heroin through the India-Myanmar border into the Northeast has always been very small as it is meant for local consumption only. The Golden Crescent, on the other hand, has remained the primary source of trafficked heroin in the country since the early eighties when traffickers started rerouting heroin from this region through India following the Iran-Iraq war. Although the end of the war and reopening of the Balkan trafficking route in the late eighties resulted in a dip in heroin trafficking in the country, the trend did not sustain. After a gap of almost two decades, it again picked up in 2012. Increased production of opium in Afghanistan, greater domestic demand in India, and connivance of state government officials and border guarding forces together contributed towards this increase in heroin trafficking, especially in the Punjab sector. Increased production of opium in Afghanistan, greater domestic demand in India, and connivance of state government officials and border guarding forces contributed towards increase in heroin trafficking, especially in the Punjab sector. × Besides heroin, hashish and marijuana are the two derivatives of Cannabis which are extensively trafficked in India. Hashish and marijuana have been traditionally trafficked into India from Nepal and therefore, Nepal remains a major source even though its share has been decreasing over the past few years. In addition, the Golden Crescent has also been a major source of hashish in India. Incidentally, a lot of these narcotics that are trafficked into India not consumed domestically but transit the country for destinations such as Europe, Canada and the United States of America. Lately, trafficking of cocaine into India has been observed. This is a result of diversification of cocaine markets globally. Cocaine produced in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia travels to India through West Asia and Gulf Countries. Apart from narcotics, India has been experiencing a significant rise in the use of psychotropic substances and medicinal preparations among addicts since late 1990. Stringent narcotics and drugs laws, rising price of heroin and easy availability of synthetic drugs have propelled this shift in the consumption pattern and hence their trafficking. Amphetamine Type Stimulant (ATS) and Methamphetamine produced in large quantities in South-east Asia especially in the Golden Triangle are trafficked into India through the porous India-Myanmar border. India also manufactures a lot of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals which are smuggled out of the country. Pharmaceutical preparations containing Dextropropoxyphene and Codeine are trafficked to the neighbouring countries especially to Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Ketamine is yet another medicinal preparation which is smuggled out of India to various South-east Asian countries. Similarly, Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine used for manufacturing ATS and Acetic Anhydride used for the manufacturing of heroin are smuggled into the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle from India. Threat to National Security This two-way illegal movement of narcotics and drugs pose a significant threat to the national security. For one, the breach of the international borders of the country by drug traffickers implies that the same routes could be used for smuggling in weapons as well as terrorists into the country. In fact, it has been established that the arms and explosives used in the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai were transported by the Dawood Ibrahim gang through the traditional trafficking routes. Investigations into the Pathankot attack that took place on 31st December 2015 also hinted that the terrorists entered into India from Pakistan through the routes tried and tested by drug traffickers. Breach of the international borders by drug traffickers implies that the same routes could be used for smuggling weapons and terrorists into the country. × The nexus between drug traffickers, criminal networks and terrorists are another potent threat. Exploitation of the trafficking routes by terrorists with the help of well-entrenched criminal networks to infiltrate with arms and explosives adds a critical dimension to the security of the borders. It has been proven that the D Company had facilitated activities of Islamist terror groups in India by supporting their cross-border movement and providing them with funds and shelter in the country. Composite seizures of drugs and arms by security forces at the borders points to a close nexus between drug traffickers and anti-national elements. Further, the money generated by the illegal sale of narcotics and drugs is used for financing terrorist activities. In India, the Kashmiri, Sikh and Northeast militants have used drug money to finance their ‘struggle’ against the Indian state. It is estimated that 15 per cent of the finances of the J&K militants were generated through the sale of drugs. In the Northeast, while the smaller insurgent organisations are directly involved in drug trafficking to generate quick funds, the bigger insurgent organisations collect protection money from the drug peddlers in lieu of safe passage of drug consignments through their territory. Last but not least, large-scale availability of narcotics and drugs encourages demand for narcotics and drugs by domestic population. Consumption of which produces dysfunctional behaviour thereby creating law and order problem in the society. It also causes a huge economic drain on the country through loss of production and diversion of resources for caring and rehabilitation of the drug addicts, etc. Drug trafficking also has a direct bearing on the political process as drug cartels subvert, penetrate and further corrupt state institutions to control the illegal drug trade. Drug trafficking also has a direct bearing on the political process as drug cartels subvert, penetrate and further corrupt state institutions to control the illegal drug trade. × Response Given these challenges, India has adopted a comprehensive approach to reducing supply as well as demand for narcotics and drugs. The approach comprises four elements – a) enacting legislation such as the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS); b) ensuring physical security of the borders and coasts by strengthening patrolling and surveillance; c) eliciting cooperation from neighbours by entering into several bilateral and multilateral agreements on prevention of illicit traffic of drugs and chemicals, and; d) co-operating with voluntary organisations in the endeavour to prevent abuse of narcotics and synthetic drugs. Conclusion Despite these measures, prevention of drug trafficking in India has achieved only partial success. Low priority accorded to the prevention of drug trafficking is one of the main reasons why concerned organisation do not display required urgency in apprehending drug peddlers and subsequent investigation. Turf wars between various agencies, corruption, intelligence failure, lack of manpower and infrastructure, poor drug detection training, and procedural delays are other factors that hamper the effectiveness of the country’s drug prevention efforts. Since drug trafficking has serious ramifications on the country’s security, it is time India pays much more attention to the problem and formulates robust measures to overcome the loopholes in its strategy for prevention of drug trafficking.

Drug trafficking a challenge to India's security

Indonesia&#39;s Attorney General said the execution of at least 10 convicts on Friday (July 29) will be suspended pending further reviews. 
 
Four drug traffickers, three Nigerians and one Indonesian, were executed by firing squad during a thunderstorm shortly after midnight earlier today at the prison Island of Nusakambangan. 
 
Initially Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo said 14 convicted drug traffickers, including citizens of India, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe, would be executed. 
 
&quot;After we&#39;ve done the assessment we decided that four people needed to be executed in the early hours today, while the ten other people will be decided later. This suspension was decided through comprehensive assessment and careful thought to avoid any possible mistakes from the judicial aspect and non-judicial aspect.&quot; said Prasetyo during a news conference in Jakarta. 
 
Gurdip Singh of India was among the 10 convicts that were facing execution in a&nbsp;drug peddling case. Singh was found guilty by an Indonesian court and handed death penalty in 2005. 
 
The date for the next round of executions has not been set, Prasetyo said. 
 
The government ignored international calls for clemency and pushed ahead with its plans. 
 
&quot;I have not heard of any diplomatic pressures but only appeals, and I don&#39;t feel like I was pressured. We must enforce and respect the rule of law in our country, surely it&#39;s our dignity,&quot; said Prasetyo. 
 
At least two prisoners among that group of 10, a Pakistani national and an Indonesian woman, have applied for presidential clemency, their representatives said. They said legal proceedings could take a long time. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Indonesia's Attorney General says the execution of 10 drug convicts is suspended due to judicial and non-judicial review

Indonesia's Attorney General said the execution of at least 10 convicts on Friday (July 29) will be suspended pending further reviews. Four drug traffickers, three Nigerians and one Indonesian, were executed by firing squad during a thunderstorm shortly after midnight earlier today at the prison Island of Nusakambangan. Initially Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo said 14 convicted drug traffickers, including citizens of India, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe, would be executed. "After we've done the assessment we decided that four people needed to be executed in the early hours today, while the ten other people will be decided later. This suspension was decided through comprehensive assessment and careful thought to avoid any possible mistakes from the judicial aspect and non-judicial aspect." said Prasetyo during a news conference in Jakarta. Gurdip Singh of India was among the 10 convicts that were facing execution in a drug peddling case. Singh was found guilty by an Indonesian court and handed death penalty in 2005. The date for the next round of executions has not been set, Prasetyo said. The government ignored international calls for clemency and pushed ahead with its plans. "I have not heard of any diplomatic pressures but only appeals, and I don't feel like I was pressured. We must enforce and respect the rule of law in our country, surely it's our dignity," said Prasetyo. At least two prisoners among that group of 10, a Pakistani national and an Indonesian woman, have applied for presidential clemency, their representatives said. They said legal proceedings could take a long time. (Reuters)

Relief for Indian national as Indonesia suspends execution of 10 convicts

India on Thursday said it is making all efforts to save one of its nationals facing death sentence in Indonesia. 
 
Fourteen drug convicts, including nationals of Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Pakistan, are set to be executed in Indonesia today. 
 
Gurdip Singh of India was arrested 14 years ago in a drug peddling case. Singh was found guilty by an Indonesian court and handed death penalty in 2005. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Indian Ambassador in Indonesia has informed me that Gurdip Singh whose execution was fixed for last night, has not been executed.
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/758875253451829249">July 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
Spokesperson of India&#39;s foreign ministry, Vikas Swarup, said the government was trying to reach out to Indonesian authorities in the matter. 
 
&quot;Even as we speak, our embassy officials, consular officials are camping in Cilacap and have met Shri Gurdip Singh. We have reached out to the foreign office. We are trying to reach out to the senior leadership of Indonesia. We are also in constant touch with his wife and brother in India and keeping them informed of the current situation,&quot; said Swarup in New Delhi. 
 
Swarup added Singh&#39;s legal representative has advised him to file for presidential clemency under the relevant law. 
 
&quot;Gurdip Singh is facing death sentence in a drug case in Indonesia. We are making last minute efforts to save him from execution on July 28,&quot; tweeted India&#39;s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday (July 27). 
 
Singh&#39;s family in northern Jalandhar city of Punjab also sought his release. 
 
&quot;He has spent so many years in jail. I now appeal to send him back. He has not even seen (some of his) his children till date,&quot; said Singh&#39;s wife, Kulwinder Kaur. 
 
News of the impending executions prompted condemnation from the United Nations and the European Union. 
 
Indonesia, which is among Southeast Asia&#39;s biggest markets for narcotics, has declared a &quot;drug emergency&quot; and vowed no mercy for drug traffickers. 
 
It provoked international outrage in April last year with the execution of eight drug traffickers, seven among them foreigners, following the 2013 end of a five-year temporary halt in the practice. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

India said it is making all efforts to reach out to Indonesia to save its national, Gurdip Singh, facing death sentence for drug trafficking

India on Thursday said it is making all efforts to save one of its nationals facing death sentence in Indonesia. Fourteen drug convicts, including nationals of Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Pakistan, are set to be executed in Indonesia today. Gurdip Singh of India was arrested 14 years ago in a drug peddling case. Singh was found guilty by an Indonesian court and handed death penalty in 2005. Indian Ambassador in Indonesia has informed me that Gurdip Singh whose execution was fixed for last night, has not been executed. — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 29, 2016 Spokesperson of India's foreign ministry, Vikas Swarup, said the government was trying to reach out to Indonesian authorities in the matter. "Even as we speak, our embassy officials, consular officials are camping in Cilacap and have met Shri Gurdip Singh. We have reached out to the foreign office. We are trying to reach out to the senior leadership of Indonesia. We are also in constant touch with his wife and brother in India and keeping them informed of the current situation," said Swarup in New Delhi. Swarup added Singh's legal representative has advised him to file for presidential clemency under the relevant law. "Gurdip Singh is facing death sentence in a drug case in Indonesia. We are making last minute efforts to save him from execution on July 28," tweeted India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday (July 27). Singh's family in northern Jalandhar city of Punjab also sought his release. "He has spent so many years in jail. I now appeal to send him back. He has not even seen (some of his) his children till date," said Singh's wife, Kulwinder Kaur. News of the impending executions prompted condemnation from the United Nations and the European Union. Indonesia, which is among Southeast Asia's biggest markets for narcotics, has declared a "drug emergency" and vowed no mercy for drug traffickers. It provoked international outrage in April last year with the execution of eight drug traffickers, seven among them foreigners, following the 2013 end of a five-year temporary halt in the practice. (Reuters)

Indonesia executions: India intervenes, Gurdip Singh hanging suspended until further review

Indonesia executed four convicted drug traffickers, three of them Nigerians, in the early hours of Friday, leaving the fate of 10 others uncertain. 
 
The Africans and an Indonesian man were shot by firing squad during a thunderstorm shortly after midnight on Nusakambangan Island in&nbsp;Central Java, as the government ignored international calls for clemency and pushed ahead with what it considers a war on drugs. 
 
The attorney general said on Wednesday that 14 prisoners, including citizens of India, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe, would be executed this weekend. 
 
An official said on Friday the planned executions would go ahead &quot;in stages&quot; but declined to give a timeframe. 
 
Security was stepped up at the Indonesian embassy in Nigerian capital Abuja on Thursday as protesters gathered to urge Indonesia to halt the executions. Indian and Pakistani officials said they were making last-minute efforts to save their citizens. 
 
&quot;We considered several factors and decided that for now four death row inmates would be executed,&quot; Noor Rachmad, an official at the attorney general&#39;s office, told reporters shortly after Friday&#39;s executions. 
 
Just over a year ago, Indonesia executed 14 prisoners, mostly foreign drugs offenders, causing diplomatic outrage. 
 
Rights activists and governments have again called on Indonesia to abolish the death penalty. 
 
The death penalty is widely accepted by the Indonesian public, but police on Thursday had to break up a protest outside the prison by members of a migrant workers group who called for mercy for an Indonesian woman who was scheduled to be executed. 
 
Around 152 people remain on death row in the country, including convicted drug traffickers from the Philippines, France and Britain. 
 
Authorities plan to execute 16 prisoners this year and more than double that number in 2017. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The fate of remaining 10 drug convicts expected to face the firing squad still uncertain

Indonesia executed four convicted drug traffickers, three of them Nigerians, in the early hours of Friday, leaving the fate of 10 others uncertain. The Africans and an Indonesian man were shot by firing squad during a thunderstorm shortly after midnight on Nusakambangan Island in Central Java, as the government ignored international calls for clemency and pushed ahead with what it considers a war on drugs. The attorney general said on Wednesday that 14 prisoners, including citizens of India, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe, would be executed this weekend. An official said on Friday the planned executions would go ahead "in stages" but declined to give a timeframe. Security was stepped up at the Indonesian embassy in Nigerian capital Abuja on Thursday as protesters gathered to urge Indonesia to halt the executions. Indian and Pakistani officials said they were making last-minute efforts to save their citizens. "We considered several factors and decided that for now four death row inmates would be executed," Noor Rachmad, an official at the attorney general's office, told reporters shortly after Friday's executions. Just over a year ago, Indonesia executed 14 prisoners, mostly foreign drugs offenders, causing diplomatic outrage. Rights activists and governments have again called on Indonesia to abolish the death penalty. The death penalty is widely accepted by the Indonesian public, but police on Thursday had to break up a protest outside the prison by members of a migrant workers group who called for mercy for an Indonesian woman who was scheduled to be executed. Around 152 people remain on death row in the country, including convicted drug traffickers from the Philippines, France and Britain. Authorities plan to execute 16 prisoners this year and more than double that number in 2017. (Reuters)

Indonesia executes one local, 3 Nigerian drug convicts

Somsak Sreesomsong was 18 when he was jailed for selling illegal drugs. Now, turning 30, he is not yet half way through his 33-year sentence at Bangkok&#39;s high-security Klong Prem prison. 
 
Somsak was &quot;just a kid, not a big-time dealer&quot;, his older brother Panit told Reuters after a visit to the jail. &quot;We&#39;re also serving time, waiting for him to get out so he can help the family.&quot; 
 
More than a decade after Thailand declared a &quot;war on drugs&quot;, the country is admitting defeat. As the prison population soars, Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya told Reuters he was looking at changes to the country&#39;s draconian drug laws. 
 
&quot;I want to de-classify methamphetamine but Thailand is not ready yet,&quot; said Paiboon, meaning downgrading the drug, popularly known as &quot;meth&quot;, from a Category 1 substance, which would reduce jail time for possession or dealing. 
 
Use of methamphetamine is spiralling across Southeast Asia, and authorities are struggling to respond. 
 
In the Philippines, which has some of the highest rates of &quot;meth&quot; use, police killings of drug suspects have spiked since the swearing-in of President Rodrigo Duterte, elected on a platform of harsh measures to wipe out drug crime. 
 
Myanmar, the source of much of the drugs flooding through the region, is bracing for an explosion in domestic use.&nbsp;Overall, drugs supply in Southeast Asia, especially of methamphetamine, is at a record level, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). 
 
Harsh punishments 
 
In common with much of the region, Thailand&#39;s criminal justice system treats drug offenders harshly.&nbsp;Producing and trading in Category 1 drugs, which also include heroin, MDMA - the main chemical for ecstasy pills - and LSD, is punishable by death or life imprisonment. 
 
Klong Prem is home to 6,267 inmates serving sentences that range from 15 years to life, with 64 per cent convicted of drug-related crimes.&nbsp;A typical cell measures 5 x 10 feet and sleeps five inmates, side-by-side on dark blue mattress on the floor. 
 
&quot;Some of the men, especially the foreign prisoners, are pretty big, so it&#39;s a squeeze for them,&quot; said one prison guard. 
 
Lengthy sentences for drug offences are part of the reason why Thai jails struggle with chronic overcrowding, according to both Justice Minister Paiboon and UN experts. 
 
Thailand has approximately 40 per cent of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations&#39; prison population, despite having only 10 per cent of the bloc&#39;s total population, the UNODC says. 
 
Paiboon, an army general and senior member of the junta that seized power in a 2014 coup, said in an interview that Thailand would build more prisons, including 17 temporary jails for prisoners who have served at least a third of their sentence. 
 
He added that his priority was to tackle drug trafficking and addiction - an ambitious plan in a country where a record number of people use methamphetamines, known in Thai as &quot;ya ba&quot; or &quot;crazy medicine&quot;, according to a 2015 UN report. 
 
A crackdown launched by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2003 aimed at suppressing drug trafficking killed more than 2,800 people, according to an independent inquiry chaired by a former attorney general. 
 
But the country&#39;s growing number of drug users and bulging jails have forced policymakers to think again. 
 
&quot;The world has lost the war on drugs, not only Thailand,&quot; said Paiboon. &quot;We have clear numbers that drug use has increased over the past three years. Another indicator is there are more prisoners.&quot; 
 
Crisis point 
 
A 2015 report by the Institute for Criminal Policy Research shows Thailand has the fourth highest number of women imprisoned in the world, after the United States, China and Russia. 
 
&quot;We know from meeting and interviewing prisoners, including female prisoners, in Thailand, that the impact is profoundly negative for families,&quot; said Jeremy Douglas, the UNODC&#39;s Asia-Pacific chief. 
 
One former female inmate, who declined to be named because of the social stigma attached to drug offenders in Thailand, said she was jailed for three years after being caught with 20 methamphetamine pills. 
 
&quot;My boyfriend was the dealer. I was carrying the pills for him. My son doesn&#39;t want anything to do with me now,&quot; she said. 
 
The number of inmates jailed for drug convictions has almost doubled over the past decade, Thai Department of Corrections figures showed, a result of unsparing sentencing that puts even petty users behind bars. 
 
&quot;We need to change sentencing and make a distinction between small and big time dealers,&quot; said Klong Prem prison commander Thawatchai Chaiywat. &quot;Thailand thinks prisons are a panacea for all crimes, including drug crimes.&quot; 
 
In the meantime, Thailand&#39;s jails grow ever more crowded. Corrections department figures for July showed a prison population of 321,347, with around 70 per cent jailed for drugs offences. 
 
Institute for Criminal Policy Research data showed Thailand has the eighth highest incarceration rate in the world. 
 
&quot;The situation has approached a noticeable crisis point,&quot; said UNODC chief Douglas. &quot;The reality is that talk has not yet moved to action and the prison population is still growing.&quot; ($1 = 35.1100 baht) 
 
(Reuters)

Corrections department figures show 70 per cent of prison population jailed for drugs offences. Even petty offenders are sentenced harshly

Somsak Sreesomsong was 18 when he was jailed for selling illegal drugs. Now, turning 30, he is not yet half way through his 33-year sentence at Bangkok's high-security Klong Prem prison. Somsak was "just a kid, not a big-time dealer", his older brother Panit told Reuters after a visit to the jail. "We're also serving time, waiting for him to get out so he can help the family." More than a decade after Thailand declared a "war on drugs", the country is admitting defeat. As the prison population soars, Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya told Reuters he was looking at changes to the country's draconian drug laws. "I want to de-classify methamphetamine but Thailand is not ready yet," said Paiboon, meaning downgrading the drug, popularly known as "meth", from a Category 1 substance, which would reduce jail time for possession or dealing. Use of methamphetamine is spiralling across Southeast Asia, and authorities are struggling to respond. In the Philippines, which has some of the highest rates of "meth" use, police killings of drug suspects have spiked since the swearing-in of President Rodrigo Duterte, elected on a platform of harsh measures to wipe out drug crime. Myanmar, the source of much of the drugs flooding through the region, is bracing for an explosion in domestic use. Overall, drugs supply in Southeast Asia, especially of methamphetamine, is at a record level, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Harsh punishments In common with much of the region, Thailand's criminal justice system treats drug offenders harshly. Producing and trading in Category 1 drugs, which also include heroin, MDMA - the main chemical for ecstasy pills - and LSD, is punishable by death or life imprisonment. Klong Prem is home to 6,267 inmates serving sentences that range from 15 years to life, with 64 per cent convicted of drug-related crimes. A typical cell measures 5 x 10 feet and sleeps five inmates, side-by-side on dark blue mattress on the floor. "Some of the men, especially the foreign prisoners, are pretty big, so it's a squeeze for them," said one prison guard. Lengthy sentences for drug offences are part of the reason why Thai jails struggle with chronic overcrowding, according to both Justice Minister Paiboon and UN experts. Thailand has approximately 40 per cent of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' prison population, despite having only 10 per cent of the bloc's total population, the UNODC says. Paiboon, an army general and senior member of the junta that seized power in a 2014 coup, said in an interview that Thailand would build more prisons, including 17 temporary jails for prisoners who have served at least a third of their sentence. He added that his priority was to tackle drug trafficking and addiction - an ambitious plan in a country where a record number of people use methamphetamines, known in Thai as "ya ba" or "crazy medicine", according to a 2015 UN report. A crackdown launched by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2003 aimed at suppressing drug trafficking killed more than 2,800 people, according to an independent inquiry chaired by a former attorney general. But the country's growing number of drug users and bulging jails have forced policymakers to think again. "The world has lost the war on drugs, not only Thailand," said Paiboon. "We have clear numbers that drug use has increased over the past three years. Another indicator is there are more prisoners." Crisis point A 2015 report by the Institute for Criminal Policy Research shows Thailand has the fourth highest number of women imprisoned in the world, after the United States, China and Russia. "We know from meeting and interviewing prisoners, including female prisoners, in Thailand, that the impact is profoundly negative for families," said Jeremy Douglas, the UNODC's Asia-Pacific chief. One former female inmate, who declined to be named because of the social stigma attached to drug offenders in Thailand, said she was jailed for three years after being caught with 20 methamphetamine pills. "My boyfriend was the dealer. I was carrying the pills for him. My son doesn't want anything to do with me now," she said. The number of inmates jailed for drug convictions has almost doubled over the past decade, Thai Department of Corrections figures showed, a result of unsparing sentencing that puts even petty users behind bars. "We need to change sentencing and make a distinction between small and big time dealers," said Klong Prem prison commander Thawatchai Chaiywat. "Thailand thinks prisons are a panacea for all crimes, including drug crimes." In the meantime, Thailand's jails grow ever more crowded. Corrections department figures for July showed a prison population of 321,347, with around 70 per cent jailed for drugs offences. Institute for Criminal Policy Research data showed Thailand has the eighth highest incarceration rate in the world. "The situation has approached a noticeable crisis point," said UNODC chief Douglas. "The reality is that talk has not yet moved to action and the prison population is still growing." ($1 = 35.1100 baht) (Reuters)

Soaring prison population prompts Thailand to re-think 'lost' drug war

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