Snapchat's parent company announced on Tuesday that it was taking additional measures to combat drug trafficking on the service, including making it more difficult for users to locate accounts of minors under the age of 17.

It is making the shift at a time when drug overdoses are on the rise across the United States, owing in part to the widespread availability of the powerful opioid fentanyl.

According to an NBC News investigation released in October, Snapchat was linked to the sale of fentanyl-laced pills that murdered teenagers and young adults in over a dozen states.

Following the news, Snap, the service's parent company, claimed it has upgraded its automated systems for detecting illegal narcotics, employed additional staff to handle law enforcement requests, and created an education page focusing on the hazards of fentanyl and counterfeit pills.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/youtube-snap-and-tiktok-executives-take-their-turn-answering-to-washington-424280">Also read | YouTube, Snap and TikTok executives take their turn answering to Washington</a>

"Our position on this has always been clear: we have absolutely zero tolerance for drug dealing on Snapchat," the company said in a blog post announcing the move this week.&nbsp;

"We have a unique opportunity to use our voice, technology, and resources to help address this scourge, which threatens the lives of our community members."

Snapchat claims that proactive detection of drug transactions has increased by 390 percent in the last year, with a 50 percent increase in the last quarter alone.

It went on to say that if its sensors discover drug peddling behaviour, the account is immediately suspended and the creator is barred from creating new Snapchat accounts.

The corporation claims to have increased coordination with law enforcement and cut response times to law enforcement inquiries by 85 percent in the last year.

Snapchat claimed in a blog post that it is working with experts to keep the list of slang and drug-related phrases restricted from search results on Snapchat up to date.

(With inputs from agencies)

Snapchat's parent company announced on Tuesday that it was taking additional measures to combat drug trafficking on the service, including making it more difficult for users to locate accounts of minors under the age of 17.

Snapchat's parent company announced on Tuesday that it was taking additional measures to combat drug trafficking on the service, including making it more difficult for users to locate accounts of minors under the age of 17. It is making the shift at a time when drug overdoses are on the rise across the United States, owing in part to the widespread availability of the powerful opioid fentanyl. According to an NBC News investigation released in October, Snapchat was linked to the sale of fentanyl-laced pills that murdered teenagers and young adults in over a dozen states. Following the news, Snap, the service's parent company, claimed it has upgraded its automated systems for detecting illegal narcotics, employed additional staff to handle law enforcement requests, and created an education page focusing on the hazards of fentanyl and counterfeit pills. Also read | YouTube, Snap and TikTok executives take their turn answering to Washington "Our position on this has always been clear: we have absolutely zero tolerance for drug dealing on Snapchat," the company said in a blog post announcing the move this week. "We have a unique opportunity to use our voice, technology, and resources to help address this scourge, which threatens the lives of our community members." Snapchat claims that proactive detection of drug transactions has increased by 390 percent in the last year, with a 50 percent increase in the last quarter alone. It went on to say that if its sensors discover drug peddling behaviour, the account is immediately suspended and the creator is barred from creating new Snapchat accounts. The corporation claims to have increased coordination with law enforcement and cut response times to law enforcement inquiries by 85 percent in the last year. Snapchat claimed in a blog post that it is working with experts to keep the list of slang and drug-related phrases restricted from search results on Snapchat up to date. (With inputs from agencies)

Snapchat makes it tougher for drug dealers to connect with kids

An annual survey by the National Institute on drug abuse has revealed that drug and alcohol use among teenagers in the US saw a massive dip in 2021. The researchers have recorded the largest single-year decline since 1975. "The 2021 survey reported significant decreases in use across many substances, including those most commonly used in adolescence – alcohol, marijuana, and vaped nicotine," read a press release.

The survey urged students from different classes to come together and report their substance use over various periods. As a part of the survey, responses from over 32,000 students were recorded, both in public and private schools in the US.

Nora Volkow, MD, NIDA director, in the press release said, "We have never seen such dramatic decreases in drug use among teens in just a one-year period. These data are unprecedented and highlight one unexpected potential consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused seismic shifts in the day-to-day lives of adolescents."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-fears-of-new-variant-who-expert-says-that-pandemic-can-end-in-2022-437253">Also read |&nbsp;Amid fears of new variant, WHO expert says that pandemic can end in 2022</a>

She further added, "Moving forward, it will be crucial to identify the pivotal elements of this past year that contributed to decreased drug use – whether related to drug availability, family involvement, differences in peer pressure, or other factors – and harness them to inform future prevention efforts.”

The results were gathered using a broad geographic and representative sample. It was then concluded that 11.3 per cent of the students who took the survey were African American, 16.7 per cent were Hispanic, 5 per cent were Asian, 0.9 per cent were American Indian or Alaska Native. The remaining 13.8 per cent were multiple, and 51.2 per cent were white.&nbsp;

The survey further urged students to talk about their mental health amid the ongoing pandemic. Various students reported an increase in feelings of boredom, anxiety, depression, loneliness and worry.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

An annual survey by the National Institute on drug abuse has revealed that drug and alcohol use among teenagers in the US saw a massive dip in 2021. The researchers have recorded the largest single-year decline since 1975.

An annual survey by the National Institute on drug abuse has revealed that drug and alcohol use among teenagers in the US saw a massive dip in 2021. The researchers have recorded the largest single-year decline since 1975. "The 2021 survey reported significant decreases in use across many substances, including those most commonly used in adolescence – alcohol, marijuana, and vaped nicotine," read a press release. The survey urged students from different classes to come together and report their substance use over various periods. As a part of the survey, responses from over 32,000 students were recorded, both in public and private schools in the US. Nora Volkow, MD, NIDA director, in the press release said, "We have never seen such dramatic decreases in drug use among teens in just a one-year period. These data are unprecedented and highlight one unexpected potential consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused seismic shifts in the day-to-day lives of adolescents." Also read | Amid fears of new variant, WHO expert says that pandemic can end in 2022 She further added, "Moving forward, it will be crucial to identify the pivotal elements of this past year that contributed to decreased drug use – whether related to drug availability, family involvement, differences in peer pressure, or other factors – and harness them to inform future prevention efforts.” The results were gathered using a broad geographic and representative sample. It was then concluded that 11.3 per cent of the students who took the survey were African American, 16.7 per cent were Hispanic, 5 per cent were Asian, 0.9 per cent were American Indian or Alaska Native. The remaining 13.8 per cent were multiple, and 51.2 per cent were white. The survey further urged students to talk about their mental health amid the ongoing pandemic. Various students reported an increase in feelings of boredom, anxiety, depression, loneliness and worry. (With inputs from agencies)

For the first time since 1975, US teens record significant decline in drug use

In what comes as China's first specialised treatment against Covid-19, the government has approved its Covid drug. An official note on Wednesday read China's National Medical Products Administration said it has granted "emergency approval" for monoclonal antibody treatment.

The monoclonal antibodies are proteins that have been designed to attach a specific target. In the case of Covid, the target will be the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which is used by the virus to enter human cells.&nbsp;

The therapy has been co-developed by Tsinghua University, the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen and Brii Biosciences.

According to a statement issued by Tsinghua University, the trials showed that the therapy could reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death by around 80 per cent.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-in-a-first-fda-authorises-astrazenecas-evusheld-as-a-purely-preventative-treatment-435315">Also read |&nbsp;Covid: In a first, FDA authorises AstraZeneca's Evusheld as a purely preventative treatment</a>

As per the drug authority, this treatment involves a combination of two drugs, which are administered through injections.&nbsp;Also, they can be used to treat certain cases that can get severe.

Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration has issued an emergency use authorisation for AstraZeneca's Evusheld to prevent people from the deadly coronavirus. Evusheld comprises two types of synthetic antibodies - tixagevimab and cilgavimab. It is given as two intramuscular injections.

"The product is only authorised for those individuals who are not currently infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and who have not recently been exposed to an individual infected with SARS-CoV-2," read the statement issued by FDA. This is the first time that the FDA has given emergency authorisation for purely preventative treatment.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In what comes as China's first specialised treatment against Covid-19, the government has approved its Covid drug. An official note on Wednesday read China's National Medical Products Administration said it has granted "emergency approval" for monoclonal antibody treatment.

In what comes as China's first specialised treatment against Covid-19, the government has approved its Covid drug. An official note on Wednesday read China's National Medical Products Administration said it has granted "emergency approval" for monoclonal antibody treatment. The monoclonal antibodies are proteins that have been designed to attach a specific target. In the case of Covid, the target will be the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which is used by the virus to enter human cells. The therapy has been co-developed by Tsinghua University, the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen and Brii Biosciences. According to a statement issued by Tsinghua University, the trials showed that the therapy could reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death by around 80 per cent. Also read | Covid: In a first, FDA authorises AstraZeneca's Evusheld as a purely preventative treatment As per the drug authority, this treatment involves a combination of two drugs, which are administered through injections. Also, they can be used to treat certain cases that can get severe. Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration has issued an emergency use authorisation for AstraZeneca's Evusheld to prevent people from the deadly coronavirus. Evusheld comprises two types of synthetic antibodies - tixagevimab and cilgavimab. It is given as two intramuscular injections. "The product is only authorised for those individuals who are not currently infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and who have not recently been exposed to an individual infected with SARS-CoV-2," read the statement issued by FDA. This is the first time that the FDA has given emergency authorisation for purely preventative treatment. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid: China grants emergency approval for its first Monoclonal antibody drug

According to a new report by WHO, HIV drug resistance is on the rise. The report has also found that the number of people with the virus being treated with antiretrovirals has also increased to 27.5 million. It has witnessed an annual increase of two million. &nbsp;

The HIV drug-resistance report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) said four out of five nations with high rates have seen success in suppressing the virus with antiretroviral treatments. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/highly-mutated-new-covid-variant-uk-bans-6-african-nations-flights-who-calls-special-meeting-432019" hreflang="en">Highly mutated new Covid variant: UK bans 6 African nations' flights, WHO calls special meeting</a>

The study also found a rise in nations reaching a 10 per cent threshold of resistance to a class of drugs. The WHO said, it underlined the need for a move to an alternative treatment, which was recommended since 2019. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In 21 out of 30 nations surveyed in the study, the resistance exceeding the 10% threshold was reported. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-take-weeks-to-understand-new-virus-variant-says-who-432124" hreflang="en">Will take weeks to understand new virus variant, says WHO</a>

The surveys in 10 sub-Saharan African nations showed that switching from non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors was important for children. Nearly half of infants were diagnosed with carrying the drug-resistant HIV. &nbsp;

Meg Doherty, director, WHO’s global HIV, hepatitis and STI programmes, said the report holds nations accountable for monitoring drug resistance and ensuring effective treatment for patients.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

According to a new report by WHO, HIV drug resistance is on the rise. The report has also found that the number of people with the virus being treated with antiretrovirals has also increased to 27.

According to a new report by WHO, HIV drug resistance is on the rise. The report has also found that the number of people with the virus being treated with antiretrovirals has also increased to 27.5 million. It has witnessed an annual increase of two million. The HIV drug-resistance report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) said four out of five nations with high rates have seen success in suppressing the virus with antiretroviral treatments. Also Read: Highly mutated new Covid variant: UK bans 6 African nations' flights, WHO calls special meeting The study also found a rise in nations reaching a 10 per cent threshold of resistance to a class of drugs. The WHO said, it underlined the need for a move to an alternative treatment, which was recommended since 2019. In 21 out of 30 nations surveyed in the study, the resistance exceeding the 10% threshold was reported. Also Read: Will take weeks to understand new virus variant, says WHO The surveys in 10 sub-Saharan African nations showed that switching from non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors was important for children. Nearly half of infants were diagnosed with carrying the drug-resistant HIV. Meg Doherty, director, WHO’s global HIV, hepatitis and STI programmes, said the report holds nations accountable for monitoring drug resistance and ensuring effective treatment for patients. (With inputs from agencies)

Resistance to HIV drug on rise, finds WHO report

Two Amazon executives in India have been booked in connection with the alleged smuggling of marijuana through the e-commerce platform, police said.

Action against the executives comes days after the arrest of two people on November 13 who were involved in the smuggling of cannabis. Around 20 kilograms of cannabis were confiscated from them at that time.

During a probe, the police found that the accused, who were arrested from Bhind town in India’s central Madhya Pradesh state, sold marijuana through the e-commerce service.

It has been claimed that 1,000 kg of marijuana, worth roughly $148,000 (around 10 million Indian rupees) was sold through the online platform, so far.

Explaining their modus operandi, police said the accused —Bijendra Singh Tomar and Suraj Paviaya—were smuggling cannabis, tagged as ‘curry leaves’, from southern Andhra Pradesh state and delivering it through the e-commerce service to other cities like Bhopal, Gwalior, Kota and Agra.

Following the arrest, the Amazon officials were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, for providing contradictory answers and documents in response to the police questions.

Madhya Pradesh police had earlier issued a 20-point notice to Amazon as part of their investigation into the alleged smuggling of marijuana.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra&nbsp;called&nbsp;the online delivery of drugs a matter of "great concern".

“There are no guidelines for online businesses. We'll make guidelines for the state. Amazon was called but they're not cooperating. We will bring them. I appeal to Amazon's MD-CEO to cooperate or else we'll initiate action,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Two Amazon executives in India have been booked in connection with the alleged smuggling of marijuana through the e-commerce platform, police said. Action against the executives comes days after the arrest of two people on November 13 who were involved in the smuggling of cannabis.

Two Amazon executives in India have been booked in connection with the alleged smuggling of marijuana through the e-commerce platform, police said. Action against the executives comes days after the arrest of two people on November 13 who were involved in the smuggling of cannabis. Around 20 kilograms of cannabis were confiscated from them at that time. During a probe, the police found that the accused, who were arrested from Bhind town in India’s central Madhya Pradesh state, sold marijuana through the e-commerce service. It has been claimed that 1,000 kg of marijuana, worth roughly $148,000 (around 10 million Indian rupees) was sold through the online platform, so far. Explaining their modus operandi, police said the accused —Bijendra Singh Tomar and Suraj Paviaya—were smuggling cannabis, tagged as ‘curry leaves’, from southern Andhra Pradesh state and delivering it through the e-commerce service to other cities like Bhopal, Gwalior, Kota and Agra. Following the arrest, the Amazon officials were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, for providing contradictory answers and documents in response to the police questions. Madhya Pradesh police had earlier issued a 20-point notice to Amazon as part of their investigation into the alleged smuggling of marijuana. Earlier, Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra called the online delivery of drugs a matter of "great concern". “There are no guidelines for online businesses. We'll make guidelines for the state. Amazon was called but they're not cooperating. We will bring them. I appeal to Amazon's MD-CEO to cooperate or else we'll initiate action,” he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Two Amazon executives charged over online delivery of marijuana in India’s Madhya Pradesh

In a striking assessment, it was revealed that more than 100,000 people have died due to the drug overdoses over a year-long period during the Covid pandemic.&nbsp;This is the highest death toll in a year from drugs ever recorded in the US.&nbsp;

Overdose deaths rose by 28.5% in 12 months ending on this past April, shows data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-transgender-woman-put-with-three-men-in-jail-cell-gets-beaten-suffers-broken-jaw-430264" hreflang="en">US transgender woman put with three men in jail cell, gets beaten, suffers broken jaw</a>&nbsp;

According to the experts, the overdoses had seen a sharp rise due to the psychological toll of the pandemic and more synthetic opioids like fentanyl in the supply. &nbsp;

Overdoses rose in 46 states of the US. The CDC estimated that 100,306 people died from April 2020 to same month in 2021 with the help of data from death certificates. Around 78,056 deaths were reported the year prior to it. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-censures-republican-paul-gosar-for-posting-violent-anime-video-of-killing-democrat-430213" hreflang="en">US House censures Republican Paul Gosar for posting violent anime video of killing Democrat</a>

The highest rise in overdose deaths was recorded in Vermont, where the fatalities rose by 70% to 209. The number of deaths in the country from drugs has surpassed those from car crashes, guns and the flu. &nbsp;

Katherine Keyes, a drug abuse expert and associate professor of epidemiology, Columbia University, told the BBC that although overdose deaths have been rising for several years, the pandemic "added fuel to that fire". &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a striking assessment, it was revealed that more than 100,000 people have died due to the drug overdoses over a year-long period during the Covid pandemic. This is the highest death toll in a year from drugs ever recorded in the US.

In a striking assessment, it was revealed that more than 100,000 people have died due to the drug overdoses over a year-long period during the Covid pandemic. This is the highest death toll in a year from drugs ever recorded in the US. Overdose deaths rose by 28.5% in 12 months ending on this past April, shows data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also Read: US transgender woman put with three men in jail cell, gets beaten, suffers broken jaw According to the experts, the overdoses had seen a sharp rise due to the psychological toll of the pandemic and more synthetic opioids like fentanyl in the supply. Overdoses rose in 46 states of the US. The CDC estimated that 100,306 people died from April 2020 to same month in 2021 with the help of data from death certificates. Around 78,056 deaths were reported the year prior to it. Also Read: US House censures Republican Paul Gosar for posting violent anime video of killing Democrat The highest rise in overdose deaths was recorded in Vermont, where the fatalities rose by 70% to 209. The number of deaths in the country from drugs has surpassed those from car crashes, guns and the flu. Katherine Keyes, a drug abuse expert and associate professor of epidemiology, Columbia University, told the BBC that although overdose deaths have been rising for several years, the pandemic "added fuel to that fire". (With inputs from agencies)

Drug overdoses killed a record 100,000 in US during COVID-19 pandemic

Antidepressant medicine Fluvoxamine can help reduce hospitalisation rate in high-risk Covid patients by 30 per cent, as per a study published in the Lancet Global Health journal.<o:p></o:p>

This drug is usually used to treat mental health conditions such as obsessive compulsion disorders (OCD), depression, anxiety and such.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-south-african-company-hired-to-decode-moderna-vaccines-recipe-talks-to-wion-424559">Exclusive: South African company hired to decode Moderna vaccine's recipe talks to WION</a></o:p>

Researchers used Fluvoxamine on 739 patients between the time period of January 15 and August 6, this year. These 739 patients hailed from Brazil and were Covid patients. Another group of 733 patients had received placebo. Patients who were given Fluvoxamine were observed for 28 days and the experts kept a track of their health to see if they needed to be hospitalised.<o:p></o:p>

The data proved that people who were administered Fluvoxamine did not have to be admitted to the hospital. The hospitalisation rate had reduced by 30 per cent in case of Fluvoxamine injected patients. <o:p></o:p>

In cases of patients who were taking all their prescribed drugs saw reduction of 65 per cent in hospitalisation rate.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-covid-19-vaccines-immunocompromised-americans-to-get-a-4th-shot-424562">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-covid-19-vaccines-immunocompromised-americans-to-get-a-4th-shot-424562/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Fluvoxamine may reduce the production of inflammatory molecules known as cytokines, that can be triggered by SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 causing virus," Angela Reiersen, an associate professor at the Washington University and co-author of the research said.<o:p></o:p>

The drug was selected for its anti-inflammatory properties and because it was believed that the drug has the potential to reduce the cytokine storm in the Covid patients.<o:p></o:p>

"COVID-19 still poses a risk to individuals in countries with low resources and limited access to vaccinations," said Edward Mills of McMaster University, co-principal investigator on the trial.&nbsp;"Identifying inexpensive, widely available, and effective therapies against Covid-19 is therefore of great importance, and repurposing existing medications that are widely available and have well-understood safety profiles is of particular interest."

Antidepressant medicine Fluvoxamine can help reduce hospitalisation rate in high-risk Covid patients by 30 per cent, as per a study published in the Lancet Global Health journal.

Antidepressant medicine Fluvoxamine can help reduce hospitalisation rate in high-risk Covid patients by 30 per cent, as per a study published in the Lancet Global Health journal. This drug is usually used to treat mental health conditions such as obsessive compulsion disorders (OCD), depression, anxiety and such. Also read | Exclusive: South African company hired to decode Moderna vaccine's recipe talks to WION Researchers used Fluvoxamine on 739 patients between the time period of January 15 and August 6, this year. These 739 patients hailed from Brazil and were Covid patients. Another group of 733 patients had received placebo. Patients who were given Fluvoxamine were observed for 28 days and the experts kept a track of their health to see if they needed to be hospitalised. The data proved that people who were administered Fluvoxamine did not have to be admitted to the hospital. The hospitalisation rate had reduced by 30 per cent in case of Fluvoxamine injected patients. In cases of patients who were taking all their prescribed drugs saw reduction of 65 per cent in hospitalisation rate. WATCH | "Fluvoxamine may reduce the production of inflammatory molecules known as cytokines, that can be triggered by SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 causing virus," Angela Reiersen, an associate professor at the Washington University and co-author of the research said. The drug was selected for its anti-inflammatory properties and because it was believed that the drug has the potential to reduce the cytokine storm in the Covid patients. "COVID-19 still poses a risk to individuals in countries with low resources and limited access to vaccinations," said Edward Mills of McMaster University, co-principal investigator on the trial. "Identifying inexpensive, widely available, and effective therapies against Covid-19 is therefore of great importance, and repurposing existing medications that are widely available and have well-understood safety profiles is of particular interest."

Antidepressant drug Fluvoxamine can help reduce Covid hospitalisations by 30%: Study

With shaved heads, oversized tunics and the terrified gaze of the hunted, the drug addicts rounded up by the Taliban brace for 45 days of painful withdrawal.

For some, the hardliners&nbsp;raids may potentially help them cast off the yoke of addiction.

But for many the stay at Kabul's Ibn Sina centre will just mark a short change of scene, marked by a brutal approach to forcing users off their powerful dependence.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/malala-sends-letter-to-taliban-one-month-after-girls-school-ban-421804">Malala sends letter to Taliban one month after girls school ban</a>

Before the Taliban marched into Kabul on August 15, police in the capital would sometimes arrest addicts and transfer them to the centre.

But since the hardline Islamists took control, the frequency of raids on areas where addicts gather appears to have increased.

Hundreds of users shelter in squalid conditions at Pul-e-Sukhta, under a bridge in western Kabul synonymous with hard drugs and violent crime.

They recognise the rehab clinic's ambulance, and those who can lift themselves off the fetid ground stagger down the rubbish-strewn Paghman River to avoid capture, while many are too intoxicated to wake up.

Two Taliban fighters, armed with M16 and AK-47 rifles, prod the comatose heroin and methamphetamine users with their gun barrels as outreach workers wrestle with men before forcing them to the vehicle.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-are-not-terrorists-us-has-a-wrong-understanding-zabihullah-mujahid-to-wion-421788">Taliban are not terrorists, US has a wrong understanding: Zabihullah Mujahid to WION</a>

Raw sewage runs straight into the boggy river bed, and the stench of urine, faeces and vomit in the crowded drug den is overwhelming.

Cushions, blankets, sandbags and tarpaulins make up the ramshackle camp, which is littered with the addicts' paraphernalia: syringes, wraps, foil and pipes.

The gunmen fire a few shots into the air to assert their authority and shock the addicts, before about 20 are rounded up and whisked away.

<h2>Searches and checks&nbsp;</h2>

During their 45-day rehabilitation stay at the 1,000-bed centre, the men spend their time lying on cots in large dormitories or crouched in the yard, soaking up the autumn sun.&nbsp;

There is little methadone available to help wean the opium and heroin addicts, and nothing to remove the withdrawal pains for those being weaned off of meth, doctors say.

This morning, Emal, 36, shuffles into the registration room.

A volunteer, who like many others working here is a former addict, opens his logbook.

- Name? Emal.

- Your father's name? Abdul Matin.

- Married? Yes. I have three children, two girls and one boy.

- Working? Not currently.

- What drugs do you take? Crystal (meth).

- Have you been here before? Yes, three times. This is my fourth. I was discharged 10 days ago.

As Emal leaves, 22-year-old Bilal Ahmad, skinny and jittery, takes a seat. He is also addicted to meth, and has been through the programme before, "one or one and a half year years ago".

"I am happy to be here," he tells AFP, casting fearful, furtive glances around the room that indicate he is not. "In 45 days, God willing, we can go home."

The men are searched carefully when they arrive.&nbsp;

"Open your mouth. Wider. Lift your tongue," another member of staff at the clinic tells the new arrivals, before checking their shoes and clothes for traces of drugs.

In groups of six, they then shuffle to the tiled building that houses the showers.

There their baggy khaki tunics and trousers are removed and they are handed a packet of shampoo, but no towel.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-should-first-seek-internal-legitimacy-to-receive-international-recognition-ex-afghan-president-karzai-421686">Taliban should first seek internal legitimacy to receive international recognition: Ex-Afghan president Karzai</a>

When they emerge, dripping, they are handed over to a team of barbers who shave their heads to prevent the spread of lice, but leave their scraggy beards.

Some are taken to rooms lined with five beds, while others are ushered into a dormitory where around 30 men of all ages are already lying on top of their covers.

One childishly plays a bamboo flute. Another gestures to his mouth indicating that he is hungry.&nbsp;

<h2>'Terrible problem'&nbsp;</h2>

Poppy cultivation was banned under the Taliban's last rule in the 1990s, but the export of heroin from Taliban-controlled areas provided the hardliners with billions of dollars during their insurgency against the United States and the Western-backed government.

With poppies cheap and easy to grow, Afghanistan provides around 90 percent of the world's production of heroin.

Crystal methamphetamine production has also surged, created from the ephedra plant which grows wild in the country.

According to anti-narcotics experts, 11 percent of Afghanistan's 34 million population are drug users, with four to six percent addicted.

Since sweeping back into power, the Taliban have promised not to allow narcotics production.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-may-obtain-nuclear-weapons-from-pakistan-says-former-us-national-security-advisor-john-bolton-416597">Taliban may obtain nuclear weapons from Pakistan, says former US national security advisor John Bolton</a>

"It is the policy of the Islamic Emirate," said Doctor Ahmad Zoher Sultani, who heads the centre located in an old US army base.

For now, the staff in the centre are all working without pay. Salaries have not been paid out for four months as Afghanistan's economy teeters on the verge of collapse.

Sultani says he was worried that the Taliban would shut his clinic when they first seized power.

"Their intentions towards us were not clear," he told AFP, adding though that the country's new rulers had "quickly told us they wanted us to continue."

In signs he is adapting to the new regime, the doctor has since mid-August swapped out his Western suit and tie for the traditional shalwar kameez, and has removed all of the photographs that once filled the walls of his office.

"Drugs are a terrible problem," he said.

With shaved heads, oversized tunics and the terrified gaze of the hunted, the drug addicts rounded up by the Taliban brace for 45 days of painful withdrawal. For some, the hardliners raids may potentially help them cast off the yoke of addiction.

With shaved heads, oversized tunics and the terrified gaze of the hunted, the drug addicts rounded up by the Taliban brace for 45 days of painful withdrawal. For some, the hardliners raids may potentially help them cast off the yoke of addiction. But for many the stay at Kabul's Ibn Sina centre will just mark a short change of scene, marked by a brutal approach to forcing users off their powerful dependence. Also Read | Malala sends letter to Taliban one month after girls school ban Before the Taliban marched into Kabul on August 15, police in the capital would sometimes arrest addicts and transfer them to the centre. But since the hardline Islamists took control, the frequency of raids on areas where addicts gather appears to have increased. Hundreds of users shelter in squalid conditions at Pul-e-Sukhta, under a bridge in western Kabul synonymous with hard drugs and violent crime. They recognise the rehab clinic's ambulance, and those who can lift themselves off the fetid ground stagger down the rubbish-strewn Paghman River to avoid capture, while many are too intoxicated to wake up. Two Taliban fighters, armed with M16 and AK-47 rifles, prod the comatose heroin and methamphetamine users with their gun barrels as outreach workers wrestle with men before forcing them to the vehicle. Also Read | Taliban are not terrorists, US has a wrong understanding: Zabihullah Mujahid to WION Raw sewage runs straight into the boggy river bed, and the stench of urine, faeces and vomit in the crowded drug den is overwhelming. Cushions, blankets, sandbags and tarpaulins make up the ramshackle camp, which is littered with the addicts' paraphernalia: syringes, wraps, foil and pipes. The gunmen fire a few shots into the air to assert their authority and shock the addicts, before about 20 are rounded up and whisked away. Searches and checks During their 45-day rehabilitation stay at the 1,000-bed centre, the men spend their time lying on cots in large dormitories or crouched in the yard, soaking up the autumn sun. There is little methadone available to help wean the opium and heroin addicts, and nothing to remove the withdrawal pains for those being weaned off of meth, doctors say. This morning, Emal, 36, shuffles into the registration room. A volunteer, who like many others working here is a former addict, opens his logbook. - Name? Emal. - Your father's name? Abdul Matin. - Married? Yes. I have three children, two girls and one boy. - Working? Not currently. - What drugs do you take? Crystal (meth). - Have you been here before? Yes, three times. This is my fourth. I was discharged 10 days ago. As Emal leaves, 22-year-old Bilal Ahmad, skinny and jittery, takes a seat. He is also addicted to meth, and has been through the programme before, "one or one and a half year years ago". "I am happy to be here," he tells AFP, casting fearful, furtive glances around the room that indicate he is not. "In 45 days, God willing, we can go home." The men are searched carefully when they arrive. "Open your mouth. Wider. Lift your tongue," another member of staff at the clinic tells the new arrivals, before checking their shoes and clothes for traces of drugs. In groups of six, they then shuffle to the tiled building that houses the showers. There their baggy khaki tunics and trousers are removed and they are handed a packet of shampoo, but no towel. Also Read | Taliban should first seek internal legitimacy to receive international recognition: Ex-Afghan president Karzai When they emerge, dripping, they are handed over to a team of barbers who shave their heads to prevent the spread of lice, but leave their scraggy beards. Some are taken to rooms lined with five beds, while others are ushered into a dormitory where around 30 men of all ages are already lying on top of their covers. One childishly plays a bamboo flute. Another gestures to his mouth indicating that he is hungry. 'Terrible problem' Poppy cultivation was banned under the Taliban's last rule in the 1990s, but the export of heroin from Taliban-controlled areas provided the hardliners with billions of dollars during their insurgency against the United States and the Western-backed government. With poppies cheap and easy to grow, Afghanistan provides around 90 percent of the world's production of heroin. Crystal methamphetamine production has also surged, created from the ephedra plant which grows wild in the country. According to anti-narcotics experts, 11 percent of Afghanistan's 34 million population are drug users, with four to six percent addicted. Since sweeping back into power, the Taliban have promised not to allow narcotics production. Also Read | Taliban may obtain nuclear weapons from Pakistan, says former US national security advisor John Bolton "It is the policy of the Islamic Emirate," said Doctor Ahmad Zoher Sultani, who heads the centre located in an old US army base. For now, the staff in the centre are all working without pay. Salaries have not been paid out for four months as Afghanistan's economy teeters on the verge of collapse. Sultani says he was worried that the Taliban would shut his clinic when they first seized power. "Their intentions towards us were not clear," he told AFP, adding though that the country's new rulers had "quickly told us they wanted us to continue." In signs he is adapting to the new regime, the doctor has since mid-August swapped out his Western suit and tie for the traditional shalwar kameez, and has removed all of the photographs that once filled the walls of his office. "Drugs are a terrible problem," he said.

Under Taliban, Kabul's drug addicts forced into withdrawal

Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso on Monday declared a state of emergency in the country grappling with a surge in drug-related violence, and ordered the mobilization of armed forces in the streets.

Ecuador grapples with rise in drug-related violence

Countries all across the Asia-Pacific region are rushing to place orders for the latest weapon which can help in battling the deadly coronavirus, an antiviral pill that has not been authorised for use yet.

Termed as Molnupiravir and produced by US pharmaceutical company Merck, the pill is being deemed as a potential pandemic game-changer, especially for those unable to get vaccinated.&nbsp;

As of now, at least eight countries or territories in the Asia-Pacific region have signed deals or are in talks to procure the drug. These countries include New Zealand, Australia and South Korea.

Merck is seeking US Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorisation for the drug. If it is granted, the capsule will become the first oral antiviral treatment against COVID-19.

This comes as a worrying factor for the experts as they think many people will use it as an alternative for the vaccine, which still offers the best protection.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cdc-releases-official-guidelines-for-upcoming-holiday-season-421333">Also read |&nbsp;CDC releases official guidelines for upcoming holiday season</a>

They have also cautioned that Asia's race to stock up on the pill could see a repeat of the vaccine grab when wealthier countries were accused of hoarding doses and lower-income countries missed out.

Molnupiravir is seen as a positive step because it offers a way to treat COVID-19, without the patients needing hospitalisation.

Once a patient is diagnosed with COVID-19, they can start a course of molnupiravir. That involves four 200-milligram capsules, twice a day, for five days, which is a total of 40 pills.&nbsp;

Interim Phase 3 results from a trial of more than 700 unvaccinated patients released earlier this month noted that the pill might reduce the risk of hospitalisation or death by approximately 50 per cent, compared to patients who took a placebo.&nbsp;

The participants were all given the pill or placebo within five days of symptom onset, and within 29 days, none of those who took the pill died, compared with eight who were given the placebo.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-records-more-than-40000-covid-cases-for-fourth-day-in-a-row-421421">Also read |&nbsp;UK records more than 40,000 Covid cases for fourth day in a row</a>

Full data from the trial has not yet been released. The data has not yet been peer-reviewed or published.

Wendy Holman, chief executive officer of Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, which is collaborating on the development, in a statement said that the results were encouraging, as she hoped the drug could make a "profound impact in controlling the pandemic."

Countries all across the Asia-Pacific region are rushing to place orders for the latest weapon which can help in battling the deadly coronavirus, an antiviral pill that has not been authorised for use yet.

Countries all across the Asia-Pacific region are rushing to place orders for the latest weapon which can help in battling the deadly coronavirus, an antiviral pill that has not been authorised for use yet. Termed as Molnupiravir and produced by US pharmaceutical company Merck, the pill is being deemed as a potential pandemic game-changer, especially for those unable to get vaccinated. As of now, at least eight countries or territories in the Asia-Pacific region have signed deals or are in talks to procure the drug. These countries include New Zealand, Australia and South Korea. Merck is seeking US Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorisation for the drug. If it is granted, the capsule will become the first oral antiviral treatment against COVID-19. This comes as a worrying factor for the experts as they think many people will use it as an alternative for the vaccine, which still offers the best protection. Also read | CDC releases official guidelines for upcoming holiday season They have also cautioned that Asia's race to stock up on the pill could see a repeat of the vaccine grab when wealthier countries were accused of hoarding doses and lower-income countries missed out. Molnupiravir is seen as a positive step because it offers a way to treat COVID-19, without the patients needing hospitalisation. Once a patient is diagnosed with COVID-19, they can start a course of molnupiravir. That involves four 200-milligram capsules, twice a day, for five days, which is a total of 40 pills. Interim Phase 3 results from a trial of more than 700 unvaccinated patients released earlier this month noted that the pill might reduce the risk of hospitalisation or death by approximately 50 per cent, compared to patients who took a placebo. The participants were all given the pill or placebo within five days of symptom onset, and within 29 days, none of those who took the pill died, compared with eight who were given the placebo. Also read | UK records more than 40,000 Covid cases for fourth day in a row Full data from the trial has not yet been released. The data has not yet been peer-reviewed or published. Wendy Holman, chief executive officer of Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, which is collaborating on the development, in a statement said that the results were encouraging, as she hoped the drug could make a "profound impact in controlling the pandemic."

Pandemic game-changer: A new drug to treat COVID-19 - Molnupiravir

Philippines Vice President Leni Robredo, an arch-rival of President Rodrigo Duterte and staunch critic of his deadly drug war, said Thursday she will run for the top job, becoming the leading opposition candidate in a crowded election field.

Robredo has been under pressure from supporters and opposition groups to join the 2022 presidential race, but she has been well behind the front runners in opinion polls.

Analysts say the even-tempered former congresswoman could struggle.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-duterte-says-will-retire-from-politics-417602">Philippines' Duterte says will retire from politics</a>

"I will fight, we will fight," Robredo, 56, said, declaring herself a presidential candidate.

"We will defeat the archaic and rotten style of politics."

President and vice president are elected separately in the Philippines. Robredo quit Duterte's cabinet less than six months after he was sworn in, after a presidential aide told her she had been barred from its meetings.

Her decision comes after her nemesis Ferdinand Marcos Jr, son and namesake of the country's former dictator, said Tuesday he would run for the top job.

Robredo narrowly defeated Marcos Jr for the nation's second-highest office in 2016, dealing a blow to the political aspirations of the powerful clan as they sought to rehabilitate their image.

Marcos Jr -- an ally of Duterte and a defender of the narcotics crackdown that has killed thousands of people -- fought a nearly five-year legal battle challenging the vote, but lost in February when the Supreme Court rejected the protest.

Marcos Jr was in second place behind Duterte's daughter, Sara, in a recent Pulse Asia Research poll, though she has denied plans to run.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-duterte-to-prepare-defence-against-icc-probe-418279">Philippines' Duterte to prepare defence against ICC probe</a>

Robredo was a distant sixth, trailing boxing great Manny Pacquiao and celebrity mayor Francisco Domagoso, who have confirmed they will seek the presidency; and Senator Grace Poe, who has not.

Most of the top candidates have supported the drug war, which is being investigated by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity.

- 'All my strength' -

Robredo, originally a lawyer for the disadvantaged, rose to fame as the wife of Jesse Robredo, a respected cabinet member in former president Benigno Aquino's administration.

When her husband died in a plane crash in 2012, public clamour encouraged her to enter politics.

Robredo, who has three daughters, served a single term in the House of Representatives before her successful bid for the vice presidency.

"My promise is to give all my strength, not only until the election but until the very end to fight for the Philippines that we dream of," Robredo said Thursday.

University of the Philippines political science professor Jean Franco told AFP: "It is going to be an uphill climb but her running sends a strong statement in itself that there is a genuine opposition to Duterte and the return of another Marcos to the presidency."

Duterte has repeatedly attacked Robredo since taking power in 2016 on a promise to rid the country of drugs.

Among other things, she opposed Duterte's plan to bring back the death penalty and his decision to allow the embalmed body of Ferdinand Marcos to be buried at the national heroes' cemetery.

So far, more than 40 candidates have registered to run for president in the May election, but the field will narrow significantly in the coming months.

Election season kicked off this month, the candidates flocking to the offices of the elections commission to file their nominations.

The process launched a typically noisy and deadly seven months of campaigning for more than 18,000 positions, with the COVID-19&nbsp;pandemic and the economic downturn caused by lockdowns expected to dampen the atmosphere.

Philippines Vice President Leni Robredo, an arch-rival of President Rodrigo Duterte and staunch critic of his deadly drug war, said Thursday she will run for the top job, becoming the leading opposition candidate in a crowded election field.

Philippines Vice President Leni Robredo, an arch-rival of President Rodrigo Duterte and staunch critic of his deadly drug war, said Thursday she will run for the top job, becoming the leading opposition candidate in a crowded election field. Robredo has been under pressure from supporters and opposition groups to join the 2022 presidential race, but she has been well behind the front runners in opinion polls. Analysts say the even-tempered former congresswoman could struggle. Also Read | Philippines' Duterte says will retire from politics "I will fight, we will fight," Robredo, 56, said, declaring herself a presidential candidate. "We will defeat the archaic and rotten style of politics." President and vice president are elected separately in the Philippines. Robredo quit Duterte's cabinet less than six months after he was sworn in, after a presidential aide told her she had been barred from its meetings. Her decision comes after her nemesis Ferdinand Marcos Jr, son and namesake of the country's former dictator, said Tuesday he would run for the top job. Robredo narrowly defeated Marcos Jr for the nation's second-highest office in 2016, dealing a blow to the political aspirations of the powerful clan as they sought to rehabilitate their image. Marcos Jr -- an ally of Duterte and a defender of the narcotics crackdown that has killed thousands of people -- fought a nearly five-year legal battle challenging the vote, but lost in February when the Supreme Court rejected the protest. Marcos Jr was in second place behind Duterte's daughter, Sara, in a recent Pulse Asia Research poll, though she has denied plans to run. Also Read | Philippines' Duterte to prepare defence against ICC probe Robredo was a distant sixth, trailing boxing great Manny Pacquiao and celebrity mayor Francisco Domagoso, who have confirmed they will seek the presidency; and Senator Grace Poe, who has not. Most of the top candidates have supported the drug war, which is being investigated by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity. - 'All my strength' - Robredo, originally a lawyer for the disadvantaged, rose to fame as the wife of Jesse Robredo, a respected cabinet member in former president Benigno Aquino's administration. When her husband died in a plane crash in 2012, public clamour encouraged her to enter politics. Robredo, who has three daughters, served a single term in the House of Representatives before her successful bid for the vice presidency. "My promise is to give all my strength, not only until the election but until the very end to fight for the Philippines that we dream of," Robredo said Thursday. University of the Philippines political science professor Jean Franco told AFP: "It is going to be an uphill climb but her running sends a strong statement in itself that there is a genuine opposition to Duterte and the return of another Marcos to the presidency." Duterte has repeatedly attacked Robredo since taking power in 2016 on a promise to rid the country of drugs. Among other things, she opposed Duterte's plan to bring back the death penalty and his decision to allow the embalmed body of Ferdinand Marcos to be buried at the national heroes' cemetery. So far, more than 40 candidates have registered to run for president in the May election, but the field will narrow significantly in the coming months. Election season kicked off this month, the candidates flocking to the offices of the elections commission to file their nominations. The process launched a typically noisy and deadly seven months of campaigning for more than 18,000 positions, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn caused by lockdowns expected to dampen the atmosphere.

Duterte nemesis and drug-war critic bids for Philippine president

Two persons were arrested&nbsp;while further search&nbsp;is taking place across India, in connection with the seizure of around 3,000 kgs of heroin, originating from Afghanistan, from a port in India's Gujarat state.

The authorities also suspect the involvement of an Afghan national, whose whereabouts are currently being traced.

According to India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the 3,000 kgs&nbsp;drug—valued at $2.7 billion in the international market—was seized from Mundra port. The contraband was mixed with talc stone powder.

The officials acted after receiving “specific intelligence” that the drugs were being shipped from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran via two containers, weighing 40 tonnes.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/heroin-from-afghanistan-worth-usd-27-billion-seized-in-india-414584">Heroin from Afghanistan worth USD 2.7 billion seized in India</a>

“Specific intelligence was developed that a consignment imported by M/s Aashi Trading Company, Vijaywada, declared as semi-processed Talc stones originating shipped from Bandar Abbas Port to Mundra Port is suspected to contain narcotics drugs. Intelligence indicated that these drugs have originated from Afghanistan,” the officers said in a statement.

The DRI official informed&nbsp;that 1999.579 kgs were recovered from the first container and 988.64 kgs&nbsp;from the second container, totalling to 2988.219 kgs of heroin.

The officers found that the drug was heroin after conducting a laboratory test.

“The examination was conducted in presence of experts from Forensics Science Lab (FSL), Gandhinagar. During the examination, suspected narcotics drugs were recovered from both the containers. The FSL conducted tests and confirmed the presence of heroin,” it added.

The officers are conducting searches in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Gandhidham and Mandvi in Gujarat.

<h2>Afghanistan—World’s narco-state</h2>

The latest haul by the Indian authorities brings back the focus on Afghanistan, from where the seized heroin originated.

Afghanistan is the world’s biggest illicit opiate supplier. The poppy crops—the raw ingredient of opium and its derivative heroin— had played a key role in helping the Taliban fund its insurgency against the Western forces, cementing the country’s longtime position as the world’s leading producer of opium.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/lack-of-money-may-push-afghan-authorities-to-turn-to-drug-trafficking-putin-413767">Lack of money may push Afghan authorities to turn to drug trafficking: Putin</a>

According to the data shared by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the area covered under poppy cultivation expanded from 8,000 hectares in 2001 to 224,000 hectares in 2020.

The gum harvested from poppies is turned into heroin and then shipped to Central Asia, Europe and the United States— where the demand remains in high.

According to the UNODC, the opium economy in Afghanistan is estimated at $1.2 billion to $2.1 billion annually, accounting for 6 to 11 per cent of the Afghan Gross Domestic Production (GDP).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-women-judges-fear-reprisal-stay-in-hiding-414427">Afghanistan's women judges fear reprisal, stay in hiding &nbsp;</a>&nbsp;

The UN agency estimates Afghanistan's drug kingpins to account for 80 per cent of global opium and heroin supplies.

<h2>Taliban's tryst with opium</h2>

Intoxicants including narcotic drugs are, notably, ‘haraam’ in Islam. Yet, the Taliban which claim to fight in the name of religion has refrained from banning opium.

According to an American official quoted in the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR) report released in May 2021, the militia group derives up to 60 per cent of its annual revenue from the illegal narcotics trade,

An investigation by the BBC found that the Taliban's annual income surged to $400 million from 2011 onwards and is estimated to have peaked at $1.5 billion by 2018-end.

As per UN officials, the Taliban are expected to have earned more than $400 million between 2018 and 2019 from the drug trade, Reuters reported.

However, ever since it took over Afghanistan, the Taliban had been repeatedly stressing that their new government won’t allow the production of narcotics drug.

Speaking at a first press conference on September 12, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid promised that the new government would not turn the world's leading producer of opium into a fully-fledged narco-state.

“We are assuring our countrymen and women and the international community, we will not have any narcotics produced," Mujahid told reporters in Kabul.

“From now on, nobody’s going to get involved (in the heroin trade), nobody can be involved in drug smuggling.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Two persons were arrested while further search is taking place across India, in connection with the seizure of around 3,000 kgs of heroin, originating from Afghanistan, from a port in India's Gujarat state.

Two persons were arrested while further search is taking place across India, in connection with the seizure of around 3,000 kgs of heroin, originating from Afghanistan, from a port in India's Gujarat state. The authorities also suspect the involvement of an Afghan national, whose whereabouts are currently being traced. According to India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the 3,000 kgs drug—valued at $2.7 billion in the international market—was seized from Mundra port. The contraband was mixed with talc stone powder. The officials acted after receiving “specific intelligence” that the drugs were being shipped from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran via two containers, weighing 40 tonnes. Also read | Heroin from Afghanistan worth USD 2.7 billion seized in India “Specific intelligence was developed that a consignment imported by M/s Aashi Trading Company, Vijaywada, declared as semi-processed Talc stones originating shipped from Bandar Abbas Port to Mundra Port is suspected to contain narcotics drugs. Intelligence indicated that these drugs have originated from Afghanistan,” the officers said in a statement. The DRI official informed that 1999.579 kgs were recovered from the first container and 988.64 kgs from the second container, totalling to 2988.219 kgs of heroin. The officers found that the drug was heroin after conducting a laboratory test. “The examination was conducted in presence of experts from Forensics Science Lab (FSL), Gandhinagar. During the examination, suspected narcotics drugs were recovered from both the containers. The FSL conducted tests and confirmed the presence of heroin,” it added. The officers are conducting searches in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Gandhidham and Mandvi in Gujarat. Afghanistan—World’s narco-state The latest haul by the Indian authorities brings back the focus on Afghanistan, from where the seized heroin originated. Afghanistan is the world’s biggest illicit opiate supplier. The poppy crops—the raw ingredient of opium and its derivative heroin— had played a key role in helping the Taliban fund its insurgency against the Western forces, cementing the country’s longtime position as the world’s leading producer of opium. Also read | Lack of money may push Afghan authorities to turn to drug trafficking: Putin According to the data shared by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the area covered under poppy cultivation expanded from 8,000 hectares in 2001 to 224,000 hectares in 2020. The gum harvested from poppies is turned into heroin and then shipped to Central Asia, Europe and the United States— where the demand remains in high. According to the UNODC, the opium economy in Afghanistan is estimated at $1.2 billion to $2.1 billion annually, accounting for 6 to 11 per cent of the Afghan Gross Domestic Production (GDP). Also read | Afghanistan's women judges fear reprisal, stay in hiding The UN agency estimates Afghanistan's drug kingpins to account for 80 per cent of global opium and heroin supplies. Taliban's tryst with opium Intoxicants including narcotic drugs are, notably, ‘haraam’ in Islam. Yet, the Taliban which claim to fight in the name of religion has refrained from banning opium. According to an American official quoted in the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR) report released in May 2021, the militia group derives up to 60 per cent of its annual revenue from the illegal narcotics trade, An investigation by the BBC found that the Taliban's annual income surged to $400 million from 2011 onwards and is estimated to have peaked at $1.5 billion by 2018-end. As per UN officials, the Taliban are expected to have earned more than $400 million between 2018 and 2019 from the drug trade, Reuters reported. However, ever since it took over Afghanistan, the Taliban had been repeatedly stressing that their new government won’t allow the production of narcotics drug. Speaking at a first press conference on September 12, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid promised that the new government would not turn the world's leading producer of opium into a fully-fledged narco-state. “We are assuring our countrymen and women and the international community, we will not have any narcotics produced," Mujahid told reporters in Kabul. “From now on, nobody’s going to get involved (in the heroin trade), nobody can be involved in drug smuggling.” (With inputs from agencies)

Massive drug haul: Indian authorities reveal how heroin worth $2.7 bn was busted on way from Afghanistan

A shootout among suspected rival drug cartel gunmen left 18 people dead Friday in Mexico, a government official said. &nbsp;

The gunfight happened in a remote area of northwestern Zacatecas state, said Rocio Aguilar, a spokeswoman for the state government.

The battle was between rival gangs fighting over turf, she told Milenio TV.

On Wednesday the bodies of two police officers were found hanging from a bridge in Zacatecas and since then local media have reported a series of shootouts.

But Aguilera said that so far authorities have not found a link between that grisly find and the big gunbattle in the city of Valparaiso on Friday.

Valparaiso borders Jalisco state, which is a stronghold of a powerful cartel called Jalisco Nueva Generacion. Authorities say it is waging a violent campaign to take control of drug trafficking routes.

Mexico is suffering drug-related violence that has claimed more than 300,000 lives since 2006, when the government started deploying federal army troops to fight the country's drug cartels.

A shootout among suspected rival drug cartel gunmen left 18 people dead Friday in Mexico, a government official said. The gunfight happened in a remote area of northwestern Zacatecas state, said Rocio Aguilar, a spokeswoman for the state government.

A shootout among suspected rival drug cartel gunmen left 18 people dead Friday in Mexico, a government official said. The gunfight happened in a remote area of northwestern Zacatecas state, said Rocio Aguilar, a spokeswoman for the state government. The battle was between rival gangs fighting over turf, she told Milenio TV. On Wednesday the bodies of two police officers were found hanging from a bridge in Zacatecas and since then local media have reported a series of shootouts. But Aguilera said that so far authorities have not found a link between that grisly find and the big gunbattle in the city of Valparaiso on Friday. Valparaiso borders Jalisco state, which is a stronghold of a powerful cartel called Jalisco Nueva Generacion. Authorities say it is waging a violent campaign to take control of drug trafficking routes. Mexico is suffering drug-related violence that has claimed more than 300,000 lives since 2006, when the government started deploying federal army troops to fight the country's drug cartels.

Drug gang shootout leaves 18 dead in Mexico, says government

Merck &amp; Co said on Wednesday (June 9) the U.S. government has agreed to pay about $1.2 billion for 1.7 million courses of its experimental COVID-19 treatment if it is proven to work in an ongoing large trial and authorized by U.S. regulators.

The oral antiviral treatment, molnupiravir, aims to stop COVID-19 from progressing and can be given early in the course of the disease, similar to Tamiflu to treat influenza.

The treatment course being tested in the trial is an oral dose given every 12 hours for five days.

Merck expects to have more than 10 million courses of therapy available by the end of this year and said it was in discussions with other countries interested in advance purchase agreements for molnupiravir.

The company, which is developing the drug with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is assessing the treatment in a late-stage trial in non-hospitalized patients to see if it reduces the risk of hospitalization or death.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seeking-a-pill-to-cure-covid-drugmakers-eye-alternative-to-vaccines-387717">Also Read |&nbsp;Seeking a pill to cure Covid: Drugmakers eye alternative to vaccines</a>

Data from the trial, which plans to enrol a total of 1,850 patients globally, are expected in the fall of 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Other antiviral drugs also contending to be the first treatment aimed at the cause of COVID-19 include Pfizer Inc's PFE.N PF-07321332 and Roche Holding AG's ROG.S AT-527. (Full Story)

If successful, Merck said it expects to file for the emergency use authorization of molnupiravir in the second half of 2021 at the earliest.

Merck has focused on its treatment after two COVID-19 vaccines it was developing failed to generate the necessary immune responses in early testing, prompting it to abandon them in January.

The drugmaker announced a change of plans and said in April it would no longer pursue the use of molnupiravir in hospitalized patients. 
&nbsp;

Merck & Co said on Wednesday (June 9) the U.S. government has agreed to pay about $1.2 billion for 1.7 million courses of its experimental COVID-19 treatment if it is proven to work in an ongoing large trial and authorized by U.

Merck & Co said on Wednesday (June 9) the U.S. government has agreed to pay about $1.2 billion for 1.7 million courses of its experimental COVID-19 treatment if it is proven to work in an ongoing large trial and authorized by U.S. regulators. The oral antiviral treatment, molnupiravir, aims to stop COVID-19 from progressing and can be given early in the course of the disease, similar to Tamiflu to treat influenza. The treatment course being tested in the trial is an oral dose given every 12 hours for five days. Merck expects to have more than 10 million courses of therapy available by the end of this year and said it was in discussions with other countries interested in advance purchase agreements for molnupiravir. The company, which is developing the drug with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is assessing the treatment in a late-stage trial in non-hospitalized patients to see if it reduces the risk of hospitalization or death. Also Read | Seeking a pill to cure Covid: Drugmakers eye alternative to vaccines Data from the trial, which plans to enrol a total of 1,850 patients globally, are expected in the fall of 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Other antiviral drugs also contending to be the first treatment aimed at the cause of COVID-19 include Pfizer Inc's PFE.N PF-07321332 and Roche Holding AG's ROG.S AT-527. (Full Story) If successful, Merck said it expects to file for the emergency use authorization of molnupiravir in the second half of 2021 at the earliest. Merck has focused on its treatment after two COVID-19 vaccines it was developing failed to generate the necessary immune responses in early testing, prompting it to abandon them in January. The drugmaker announced a change of plans and said in April it would no longer pursue the use of molnupiravir in hospitalized patients.

US to need Merck's COVID-19 drug for preparedness, says doctor

The Biden administration is easing decades-old requirements that made it difficult for doctors to treat opioid addiction using medication.&nbsp;

New guidelines announced on Tuesday mean doctors and other health workers will no longer need extra hours of training to prescribe buprenorphine, a gold standard medicine that helps with cravings. And they no longer have to refer patients to counseling services.&nbsp;

Under the loosened guidelines, prescribers will be able to treat up to 30 patients at a time with the drug. It comes in a pill or film that dissolves under the tongue. It costs about USD 100 a month. A common version of buprenorphine is Suboxone.&nbsp;

Because of how opioids act on the brain, people dependent on them get sick if they stop using. &nbsp;

Withdrawal can feel like a bad flu with cramping, sweating, anxiety and sleeplessness. Cravings for the drug can be so intense that relapse is common.&nbsp;

Buprenorphine helps by moving a patient from powerful painkillers or an illicit opioid like heroin to a regular dose of a legal opioid-based medication.&nbsp;

Besides doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives and some other types of nurses will be able to prescribe buprenorphine without first getting special training.&nbsp;

The Trump administration tried to make a similar change in its final days but it would have applied only to doctors. &nbsp;

The Biden administration put the matter on hold for a legal and policy review, ultimately deciding to expand the easier guidelines to more prescribers. &nbsp;

"What it does is provide more on-ramps to treatment," said Brendan Saloner, an addiction researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. &nbsp;

"This will help in health centers, hospitals, jails and prisons places where these folks sometimes show up for treatment."&nbsp;

Stricter requirements will remain for prescribers, who want to treat more than 30 patients at a time.&nbsp;

The prescribing requirements date back to legislation in 2000 meant to prevent too-easy access to a medicine with its own potential for misuse. But only a small number of doctors went through the steps and, in many parts of the country, patients couldn't find a prescriber. Ironically, doctors could prescribe buprenorphine for pain without the extra training.&nbsp;

US drug overdose deaths have climbed during the coronavirus pandemic. &nbsp;

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 90,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in September, the highest number ever recorded in a one-year period. There is not yet data for all of 2020, and the figures are preliminary.&nbsp;

“The change will increase the number of prescribers and the number of patients who receive prescriptions," said Assistant Health Secretary Dr Rachel Levine.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The Biden administration is easing decades-old requirements that made it difficult for doctors to treat opioid addiction using medication. New guidelines announced on Tuesday mean doctors and other health workers will no longer need extra hours of training to prescribe buprenorphine, a gold standard medicine that helps with cravings.

The Biden administration is easing decades-old requirements that made it difficult for doctors to treat opioid addiction using medication. New guidelines announced on Tuesday mean doctors and other health workers will no longer need extra hours of training to prescribe buprenorphine, a gold standard medicine that helps with cravings. And they no longer have to refer patients to counseling services. Under the loosened guidelines, prescribers will be able to treat up to 30 patients at a time with the drug. It comes in a pill or film that dissolves under the tongue. It costs about USD 100 a month. A common version of buprenorphine is Suboxone. Because of how opioids act on the brain, people dependent on them get sick if they stop using. Withdrawal can feel like a bad flu with cramping, sweating, anxiety and sleeplessness. Cravings for the drug can be so intense that relapse is common. Buprenorphine helps by moving a patient from powerful painkillers or an illicit opioid like heroin to a regular dose of a legal opioid-based medication. Besides doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives and some other types of nurses will be able to prescribe buprenorphine without first getting special training. The Trump administration tried to make a similar change in its final days but it would have applied only to doctors. The Biden administration put the matter on hold for a legal and policy review, ultimately deciding to expand the easier guidelines to more prescribers. "What it does is provide more on-ramps to treatment," said Brendan Saloner, an addiction researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "This will help in health centers, hospitals, jails and prisons places where these folks sometimes show up for treatment." Stricter requirements will remain for prescribers, who want to treat more than 30 patients at a time. The prescribing requirements date back to legislation in 2000 meant to prevent too-easy access to a medicine with its own potential for misuse. But only a small number of doctors went through the steps and, in many parts of the country, patients couldn't find a prescriber. Ironically, doctors could prescribe buprenorphine for pain without the extra training. US drug overdose deaths have climbed during the coronavirus pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 90,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in September, the highest number ever recorded in a one-year period. There is not yet data for all of 2020, and the figures are preliminary. “The change will increase the number of prescribers and the number of patients who receive prescriptions," said Assistant Health Secretary Dr Rachel Levine. (With inputs from agencies)

US lifts barriers to prescribing addiction treatment drug 

Norway's main opposition Labour Party on Friday rejected a government plan to decriminalise the personal use of drugs in small quantities, saying the measure could incite young people to experiment with narcotics.

Under the centre-right coalition government's proposal submitted in February, both the possession and use of small quantities of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and cannabis, would no longer have been punishable under the criminal code, but users would still have had to seek help.

The ruling party however needed backing from the opposition in parliament in order for the bill to be approved.

Although the Labour Party is in principal in favour of doing away with penalties for heavy drug users, it is against decriminalising drug use for the wider population.

Proponents of the bill argued that criminal prosecution of drug users can be counterproductive as it deters those with abuse problems from seeking help, makes it more difficult for relatives to detect problems and stigmatises an already vulnerable demographic.

Although the bill was rejected on Friday, negotiations could still lead to a different text decriminalising heavy drug use being adopted.

Despite having one of the highest living standards in Europe, Norway — and other Nordic countries — have seen higher numbers of drug-related deaths per capita than the rest of Europe.

In recent years, 260 people have died annually from a drug overdose in Norway, according to a report published last year by the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

Norway's main opposition Labour Party on Friday rejected a government plan to decriminalise the personal use of drugs in small quantities, saying the measure could incite young people to experiment with narcotics.

Norway's main opposition Labour Party on Friday rejected a government plan to decriminalise the personal use of drugs in small quantities, saying the measure could incite young people to experiment with narcotics. Under the centre-right coalition government's proposal submitted in February, both the possession and use of small quantities of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and cannabis, would no longer have been punishable under the criminal code, but users would still have had to seek help. The ruling party however needed backing from the opposition in parliament in order for the bill to be approved. Although the Labour Party is in principal in favour of doing away with penalties for heavy drug users, it is against decriminalising drug use for the wider population. Proponents of the bill argued that criminal prosecution of drug users can be counterproductive as it deters those with abuse problems from seeking help, makes it more difficult for relatives to detect problems and stigmatises an already vulnerable demographic. Although the bill was rejected on Friday, negotiations could still lead to a different text decriminalising heavy drug use being adopted. Despite having one of the highest living standards in Europe, Norway — and other Nordic countries — have seen higher numbers of drug-related deaths per capita than the rest of Europe. In recent years, 260 people have died annually from a drug overdose in Norway, according to a report published last year by the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

Norway opposition torpedoes plan to decriminalise drug use

With the aim to save her grandson from the world of drugs, an Italian grandma has unknowingly helped the police dismantle a mafia drug ring.

This Italian grandma visited the Carabinieri police station pleading to help them save her grandson from drugs. However, it turned out to be a big tip that helped bust a drug mafia ring, operating in the southern Calabria region.

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"The grandmother went to the Carabinieri (police) to ask them to save her grandson who was being devoured by the world of drugs," Colonel Piero Sutera, commander of the local Carabinieri police force told the media. in a press conference.

Carabinieri police were able to arrest 18 people on suspicion of drug dealing in the nearby areas of the Calabrian district of Cetraro.&nbsp;

The arrested people are being suspected to be a part of the "Muto" clan, which is one of the most infamous groups in &nbsp;'Ndrangheta, an organised crime syndicate considered one of the world's most powerful, whose main business is drug trafficking.&nbsp;

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Local police also acquired large amounts of cocaine that has allegedly been moved by the clan. It was acquired through a broker operating on the other side of Calabria.

The police have also alleged that the group was involved in extorting entrepreneurs dealing in the tourism sector, one of whom had contacted the police for help.

"People have suffered and seen the arrogance of these criminals who insisted on extorting money," anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri told local media.

Gratteri also reported that some of the extorted money went to clan members who are behind bars and also to their family members.

With the aim to save her grandson from the world of drugs, an Italian grandma has unknowingly helped the police dismantle a mafia drug ring. This Italian grandma visited the Carabinieri police station pleading to help them save her grandson from drugs.

With the aim to save her grandson from the world of drugs, an Italian grandma has unknowingly helped the police dismantle a mafia drug ring. This Italian grandma visited the Carabinieri police station pleading to help them save her grandson from drugs. However, it turned out to be a big tip that helped bust a drug mafia ring, operating in the southern Calabria region. Also read | Man accidentally breeds Python with 3 smiley faces; Sold for $6,000 "The grandmother went to the Carabinieri (police) to ask them to save her grandson who was being devoured by the world of drugs," Colonel Piero Sutera, commander of the local Carabinieri police force told the media. in a press conference. Carabinieri police were able to arrest 18 people on suspicion of drug dealing in the nearby areas of the Calabrian district of Cetraro. The arrested people are being suspected to be a part of the "Muto" clan, which is one of the most infamous groups in 'Ndrangheta, an organised crime syndicate considered one of the world's most powerful, whose main business is drug trafficking. Also read | China's ban on Taiwan's pineapples inspires creative dishes Local police also acquired large amounts of cocaine that has allegedly been moved by the clan. It was acquired through a broker operating on the other side of Calabria. The police have also alleged that the group was involved in extorting entrepreneurs dealing in the tourism sector, one of whom had contacted the police for help. "People have suffered and seen the arrogance of these criminals who insisted on extorting money," anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri told local media. Gratteri also reported that some of the extorted money went to clan members who are behind bars and also to their family members.

Italian grandma helps bust drug ring while saving grandson

Drugmakers, including Pfizer, Sanofi SA, and others are mulling over plans to hike prices of more than 300 drugs in the US on January 1, a report based on drugmakers and data analysed by medical research firm 3 Axis Advisors.

The increase in prices so far has been 10 per cent or below, but big organisations like Pfizer and Sanofi raised the prices of their drugs not more than 5 per cent, 3 Axis Advisors said, as reported by news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

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The research firm also said that GSK did hike prices of two vaccines Shingrix and Pediarix by 7 and 8.6 per cent respectively.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-indian-experts-take-cautions-approach-353658/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Several drugs are expected to raise prices of their drugs in early January as makers are struggling to deal with the severe effect of coronavirus pandemic that has led to a reduction in doctor visits and hampered demand of new drugs.&nbsp;

3 Axis analysis said that last year, prices of over 860 drugs were raised by around 5 per cent on average.&nbsp;

The hike in drug prices have substantially slowed down since 2015 but could help pharma companies like Pfizer that have developed Covid-19 vaccine in record time and make up for the lost revenue due to a reduction in doctor visits for other illness.&nbsp;

Drugmakers, including Pfizer, Sanofi SA, and others are mulling over plans to hike prices of more than 300 drugs in the US on January 1, a report based on drugmakers and data analysed by medical research firm 3 Axis Advisors.

Drugmakers, including Pfizer, Sanofi SA, and others are mulling over plans to hike prices of more than 300 drugs in the US on January 1, a report based on drugmakers and data analysed by medical research firm 3 Axis Advisors. The increase in prices so far has been 10 per cent or below, but big organisations like Pfizer and Sanofi raised the prices of their drugs not more than 5 per cent, 3 Axis Advisors said, as reported by news agency Reuters. Also read | WHO grants 'emergency validation' to Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine The research firm also said that GSK did hike prices of two vaccines Shingrix and Pediarix by 7 and 8.6 per cent respectively. Watch | Several drugs are expected to raise prices of their drugs in early January as makers are struggling to deal with the severe effect of coronavirus pandemic that has led to a reduction in doctor visits and hampered demand of new drugs. 3 Axis analysis said that last year, prices of over 860 drugs were raised by around 5 per cent on average. The hike in drug prices have substantially slowed down since 2015 but could help pharma companies like Pfizer that have developed Covid-19 vaccine in record time and make up for the lost revenue due to a reduction in doctor visits for other illness.

Drug prices to hike in 2021 as pandemic jolts revenues: Report

A new trend of drug dealers has worried the authorities in Hong Kong. According to these authorities, the dealers are soaking wood with liquefied methamphetamine to smuggle the banned substance into the city.

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This trend came into light after HK police seized more than $21.9 million worth of illegal narcotics hidden inside soft-drink bottles, during a raid on a factory in Fanling.

On Thursday, Superintendent Alan Chung said that the new method was revealed after police arrested two men and seized 3 kg of wood suspected to have been soaked with liquefied meth, also known as crystal meth. The officers also confiscated 600 grams of cocaine while arresting the men.&nbsp;

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“We believe overseas drug dealers use a chemical method to soak Ice (meth) into wood, and then make furniture to be shipped into Hong Kong,” Chung said.

Superintendent also added that the dealers broke the furniture into pieces and extracted the drug from the wood.

“It is the new and innovative method to conceal the drug,” Chung said.

“We don’t rule out the possibility it was an experiment by drug dealers to see whether such a drug-trafficking method could work,” he said. 
“We will exchange information and liaise with other law enforcement agencies over such tactics,” he added.&nbsp;

A new trend of drug dealers has worried the authorities in Hong Kong. According to these authorities, the dealers are soaking wood with liquefied methamphetamine to smuggle the banned substance into the city.

A new trend of drug dealers has worried the authorities in Hong Kong. According to these authorities, the dealers are soaking wood with liquefied methamphetamine to smuggle the banned substance into the city. Also read: 'Brutus': Chinese official explains hurt over Australia's COVID-19 probe This trend came into light after HK police seized more than $21.9 million worth of illegal narcotics hidden inside soft-drink bottles, during a raid on a factory in Fanling. On Thursday, Superintendent Alan Chung said that the new method was revealed after police arrested two men and seized 3 kg of wood suspected to have been soaked with liquefied meth, also known as crystal meth. The officers also confiscated 600 grams of cocaine while arresting the men. Also read: In tit-for-tat move, US imposes fresh restrictions on Chinese diplomats “We believe overseas drug dealers use a chemical method to soak Ice (meth) into wood, and then make furniture to be shipped into Hong Kong,” Chung said. Superintendent also added that the dealers broke the furniture into pieces and extracted the drug from the wood. “It is the new and innovative method to conceal the drug,” Chung said. “We don’t rule out the possibility it was an experiment by drug dealers to see whether such a drug-trafficking method could work,” he said. “We will exchange information and liaise with other law enforcement agencies over such tactics,” he added.

'Wood' you believe that? Hong Kong police decode drug dealers' new tactic to smuggle meth

The Mexican Army and state security forces on Sunday captured Jose Antonio Yepez, a notorious drug gang leader and fuel thief blamed for fanning a surge in violence that has severely tested the government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

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Widely known as "El Marro" (The Mallet), Yepez was captured early on Sunday morning in Guanajuato state, according to the federal government and authorities in the central region, one of the principal flashpoints of gang violence in Mexico.

"This a tremendously successful blow for the government," said Raul Benitez, a security expert at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Boss of the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, a Guanajuato-based gang, Yepez has been engaged in a bloody struggle for criminal control of the state with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the country's most powerful and violent groups.

Yepez, 40, is the most high-profile arrest made yet under Lopez Obrador, who pledged to bring down record levels of violence plaguing Mexico when he took office in December 2018.

Instead, homicides have further increased during the Lopez Obrador presidency and last October his government suffered serious embarrassment when it botched the detention of Ovidio Guzman, a son of jailed kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

The Guanajuato attorney general's office said soldiers and state security forces captured Yepez with five other people and rescued a kidnapped local businesswoman during the operation. An "arsenal" of weapons was also secured during the raid.

Mexican news network Milenio broadcast a video of the night-time arrest, which it said took place in the tiny village of Franco Tavera, a few miles north of the municipality of Villagran where the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel was born.

Wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers, and flanked by several soldiers, Yepez gives his full name and age before also identifying himself as "Marro."

Security forces have been gradually closing in on Yepez but he had managed to evade capture thanks to a tight network of informers who allowed him to stay one step ahead of his pursuers, according to analysts and media reports.

&nbsp;

LUCRATIVE TRADE

One of Mexico's most-wanted bosses, El Marro has appeared in expletive-laden videos threatening his enemies, and in June a clip of an emotional Yepez lamenting the arrest of his mother and sister was widely broadcast on national media.

The women, who were suspected of aiding his operations, were later released when judges picked apart the case against them.

Initially notorious for fuel theft in a state crisscrossed by pipelines and home to a major oil refinery, the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel has become increasingly embroiled in battles with the CJNG, based in the neighboring state of Jalisco.

Hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of fuel were being stolen every year before Lopez Obrador cracked down a few weeks after taking office.

Abetted by the complicity of corrupt employees within state-run oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), the lucrative activity gave the Santa Rosa de Lima outfit outsize financial heft, said security analyst Benitez.

"It's even more money than cocaine," he said.

Lopez Obrador blamed corruption at Pemex for fuel theft and the new management he appointed has vowed to root it out.

Yepez's interrogation could yield rich information on corruption inside Pemex, Benitez said.

His detention also suggested that U.S. and Mexican security services had intensified cooperation to crack down on the trafficking of potent opiate fentanyl, a business of which Yepez was trying to secure a bigger share, he added.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Christopher Landau hailed news of the arrest in Guanajuato in a post on Twitter.

A hub of the carmaking industry, Guanajuato was once one of the safer regions of Mexico. But recent violence there has pushed national homicide tallies to record levels.

Once the government dismantles the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, Benitez said, it can turn up the pressure on the CJNG, which in late June was blamed for a brazen assassination attempt on Mexico City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch.

El Marro's adversary, CJNG boss Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, is arguably the most wanted crime boss in Mexico now.

"Now 'El Mencho' is next up," Benitez said.

Security Minister Alfonso Durazo said Yepez would be taken to the Altiplano maximum-security prison where "El Chapo" Guzman was housed before he escaped through a tunnel in 2015.

Guzman was recaptured in 2016, extradited in 2017 and convicted of drug trafficking by a U.S. court in 2019.

The Mexican Army and state security forces on Sunday captured Jose Antonio Yepez, a notorious drug gang leader and fuel thief blamed for fanning a surge in violence that has severely tested the government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The Mexican Army and state security forces on Sunday captured Jose Antonio Yepez, a notorious drug gang leader and fuel thief blamed for fanning a surge in violence that has severely tested the government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Also read: Deaths due to virus in Latin America and Caribbean exceeds 200,000: Tally Widely known as "El Marro" (The Mallet), Yepez was captured early on Sunday morning in Guanajuato state, according to the federal government and authorities in the central region, one of the principal flashpoints of gang violence in Mexico. "This a tremendously successful blow for the government," said Raul Benitez, a security expert at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Boss of the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, a Guanajuato-based gang, Yepez has been engaged in a bloody struggle for criminal control of the state with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the country's most powerful and violent groups. Yepez, 40, is the most high-profile arrest made yet under Lopez Obrador, who pledged to bring down record levels of violence plaguing Mexico when he took office in December 2018. Instead, homicides have further increased during the Lopez Obrador presidency and last October his government suffered serious embarrassment when it botched the detention of Ovidio Guzman, a son of jailed kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. The Guanajuato attorney general's office said soldiers and state security forces captured Yepez with five other people and rescued a kidnapped local businesswoman during the operation. An "arsenal" of weapons was also secured during the raid. Mexican news network Milenio broadcast a video of the night-time arrest, which it said took place in the tiny village of Franco Tavera, a few miles north of the municipality of Villagran where the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel was born. Wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers, and flanked by several soldiers, Yepez gives his full name and age before also identifying himself as "Marro." Security forces have been gradually closing in on Yepez but he had managed to evade capture thanks to a tight network of informers who allowed him to stay one step ahead of his pursuers, according to analysts and media reports. LUCRATIVE TRADE One of Mexico's most-wanted bosses, El Marro has appeared in expletive-laden videos threatening his enemies, and in June a clip of an emotional Yepez lamenting the arrest of his mother and sister was widely broadcast on national media. The women, who were suspected of aiding his operations, were later released when judges picked apart the case against them. Initially notorious for fuel theft in a state crisscrossed by pipelines and home to a major oil refinery, the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel has become increasingly embroiled in battles with the CJNG, based in the neighboring state of Jalisco. Hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of fuel were being stolen every year before Lopez Obrador cracked down a few weeks after taking office. Abetted by the complicity of corrupt employees within state-run oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), the lucrative activity gave the Santa Rosa de Lima outfit outsize financial heft, said security analyst Benitez. "It's even more money than cocaine," he said. Lopez Obrador blamed corruption at Pemex for fuel theft and the new management he appointed has vowed to root it out. Yepez's interrogation could yield rich information on corruption inside Pemex, Benitez said. His detention also suggested that U.S. and Mexican security services had intensified cooperation to crack down on the trafficking of potent opiate fentanyl, a business of which Yepez was trying to secure a bigger share, he added. U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Christopher Landau hailed news of the arrest in Guanajuato in a post on Twitter. A hub of the carmaking industry, Guanajuato was once one of the safer regions of Mexico. But recent violence there has pushed national homicide tallies to record levels. Once the government dismantles the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, Benitez said, it can turn up the pressure on the CJNG, which in late June was blamed for a brazen assassination attempt on Mexico City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch. El Marro's adversary, CJNG boss Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, is arguably the most wanted crime boss in Mexico now. "Now 'El Mencho' is next up," Benitez said. Security Minister Alfonso Durazo said Yepez would be taken to the Altiplano maximum-security prison where "El Chapo" Guzman was housed before he escaped through a tunnel in 2015. Guzman was recaptured in 2016, extradited in 2017 and convicted of drug trafficking by a U.S. court in 2019.

Mexico nabs 'El Marro', fuel theft king blamed for surge in drug violence

After a plane crashed right after takeoff in&nbsp;Papua New Guinea, five people have been charged with conspiring of import of cocaine across borders.

The five suspects are alleged members of Melbourne-based organised crime ring.

They have been charged for conspiration to import nearly&nbsp;500 kilogrammes of cocaine worth some Aus$80 million (USD$57 million) and other related crimes, the police said in a statement.

The cocaine was discovered on late Friday night and the Australian Federal Police&nbsp;claims it was "the equivalent of about 500,000 street deals".

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Australian Federal Police allege that "greed played a significant part in the syndicate's activities and cannot rule out that the weight of the cocaine had an impact on the plane's ability to take off."

The&nbsp;crash happened on July 26 after the aircraft attempted to take-off from a remote airstrip in Papa Lea Lea, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) north of Papua New Guinea's capital of Port Moresby, en route to Australia.

The five accused were&nbsp;arrested in Queensland and Victoria after the Cessna model light aircraft departed Mareeba Airport in Australia on July 26 for its mission to Papua New Guinea.

If convicted, the five suspects could face a sentence of life-time prison.

(With inputs from AFP)

After a plane crashed right after takeoff in Papua New Guinea, five people have been charged with conspiring of import of cocaine across borders. The five suspects are alleged members of Melbourne-based organised crime ring.

After a plane crashed right after takeoff in Papua New Guinea, five people have been charged with conspiring of import of cocaine across borders. The five suspects are alleged members of Melbourne-based organised crime ring. They have been charged for conspiration to import nearly 500 kilogrammes of cocaine worth some Aus$80 million (USD$57 million) and other related crimes, the police said in a statement. The cocaine was discovered on late Friday night and the Australian Federal Police claims it was "the equivalent of about 500,000 street deals". Also watch: War of words between China and Australian envoy Australian Federal Police allege that "greed played a significant part in the syndicate's activities and cannot rule out that the weight of the cocaine had an impact on the plane's ability to take off." The crash happened on July 26 after the aircraft attempted to take-off from a remote airstrip in Papa Lea Lea, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) north of Papua New Guinea's capital of Port Moresby, en route to Australia. The five accused were arrested in Queensland and Victoria after the Cessna model light aircraft departed Mareeba Airport in Australia on July 26 for its mission to Papua New Guinea. If convicted, the five suspects could face a sentence of life-time prison. (With inputs from AFP)

Australia: Five arrested for cocaine smuggling after carrier plane crashes

In the second incident of thwarted Ecstasy smuggling via foreign post in a week, Chennai Customs have seized a parcel containing 100 pills of MDMA, worth over 3 lakh Rupees. In both these cases, based on intelligence inputs, the parcel was seized at the foreign post office and also arrests were made from other states.&nbsp;

The parcel which was addressed to a person in Erode, Tamil Nadu had arrived at the Foreign Post Office in Chennai, from Frankfurt, Germany. It was found to contain light yellow coloured pills and a few light pink coloured pills. The pills tested positive for MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), a narcotic substance.

Of the Seized pills, yellow hexagonal-shaped ones, with ‘Philipp Plein’ aka PP SKULL marking have been around since 2017 and contain 225 mg of MDMA, whereas the light pink pills with ‘CNN’ &nbsp;marking contains 285mg of MDMA. Samples have been sent to the laboratory.&nbsp;

In order to apprehend the recipient, when Customs Officials had visited the cosigned address, they learnt that it was his parent’s house. His mother had informed the Officials that he was living in Bengaluru and hadn’t returned home since the lockdown started.&nbsp;

As a follow-up action, searches were carried out at his apartment located in the upscale Koramangala locality of Bengaluru, by a team of Air Customs, Chennai and Bangalore City Customs. The accused, a 25-year old Malaysian national of Indian origin, working with a leading firm was apprehended and brought to Chennai by road. He was arrested under the NDPS Act and was produced before the judicial magistrate and was remanded to judicial custody.

When asked about a majority of contraband (in pills) coming in from Europe, Commissioner of Customs, Rajan Chaudhary said that it was due to the high quality. “Tablets manufactured there are of very high quality, unlike the ones that are locally sourced. &nbsp;Pills coming from Europe are found to have a high percentage of MDMA and it is used in parties. This individual received it from a friend who was living abroad”, he told WION.&nbsp;

MDMA is commonly known as Ecstasy, a party drug that alters mood and perception and is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens which produce feelings of increased energy and pleasure. The seized pills are extremely potent as they contain a very high dosage of MDMA. Dosage above 120 mg is considered to be quite high and can be fatal.

Last Thursday, Ecstasy pills worth Rs.12lakhs were seized and a person living in Andhra was arrested. In March as well, Air Customs had seized ecstasy pills worth Rs. 30 Lakhs at Foreign Post Office, Chennai and arrested a Mysore based person.

In the second incident of thwarted Ecstasy smuggling via foreign post in a week, Chennai Customs have seized a parcel containing 100 pills of MDMA, worth over 3 lakh Rupees.

In the second incident of thwarted Ecstasy smuggling via foreign post in a week, Chennai Customs have seized a parcel containing 100 pills of MDMA, worth over 3 lakh Rupees. In both these cases, based on intelligence inputs, the parcel was seized at the foreign post office and also arrests were made from other states. The parcel which was addressed to a person in Erode, Tamil Nadu had arrived at the Foreign Post Office in Chennai, from Frankfurt, Germany. It was found to contain light yellow coloured pills and a few light pink coloured pills. The pills tested positive for MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), a narcotic substance. Of the Seized pills, yellow hexagonal-shaped ones, with ‘Philipp Plein’ aka PP SKULL marking have been around since 2017 and contain 225 mg of MDMA, whereas the light pink pills with ‘CNN’ marking contains 285mg of MDMA. Samples have been sent to the laboratory. In order to apprehend the recipient, when Customs Officials had visited the cosigned address, they learnt that it was his parent’s house. His mother had informed the Officials that he was living in Bengaluru and hadn’t returned home since the lockdown started. As a follow-up action, searches were carried out at his apartment located in the upscale Koramangala locality of Bengaluru, by a team of Air Customs, Chennai and Bangalore City Customs. The accused, a 25-year old Malaysian national of Indian origin, working with a leading firm was apprehended and brought to Chennai by road. He was arrested under the NDPS Act and was produced before the judicial magistrate and was remanded to judicial custody. When asked about a majority of contraband (in pills) coming in from Europe, Commissioner of Customs, Rajan Chaudhary said that it was due to the high quality. “Tablets manufactured there are of very high quality, unlike the ones that are locally sourced. Pills coming from Europe are found to have a high percentage of MDMA and it is used in parties. This individual received it from a friend who was living abroad”, he told WION. MDMA is commonly known as Ecstasy, a party drug that alters mood and perception and is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens which produce feelings of increased energy and pleasure. The seized pills are extremely potent as they contain a very high dosage of MDMA. Dosage above 120 mg is considered to be quite high and can be fatal. Last Thursday, Ecstasy pills worth Rs.12lakhs were seized and a person living in Andhra was arrested. In March as well, Air Customs had seized ecstasy pills worth Rs. 30 Lakhs at Foreign Post Office, Chennai and arrested a Mysore based person.

Two ecstasy drug parcels seized in Chennai over last week; combined value 15 lakhs

Gilead is a&nbsp;company that makes Remdesivir, another drug, that experts say holds promise against coronavirus.

In the US, Remdesivir is undergoing clinical trials. America's top health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says it can block the virus.

That one statement made heads turn. Not just doctors, even investors began betting on Remdesivir.&nbsp;Needless to say, this was a shot in the arm for Gilead. Its shares gained by six per cent after the endorsement from Dr. Fauci.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/53000-total-covid-19-cases-in-india-now-death-toll-jumps-to-1783-297123">Also read:&nbsp;53,000 total COVID-19 cases in India now; death toll jumps to 1783</a>

Five days ago, the federal drug administration in the United States has given its approval to Remdesivir. US&nbsp;President Donald Trump made the announcement himself, with Gilead CEO&nbsp;standing right next to him.

But, will Remdesivir be the cure that no one can afford? Gilead is under watch, not because it has one of the most promising coronavirus treatments.

US Lawmakers want to know how much Gilead will charge for Remdesivir&nbsp;because Gilead has a reputation for charging sky high prices.

In 2015, the company had charged 84 thousand dollars for a Hepatitis C drug. It didn't happen by accident, this was by design.

The Senate finance committee invested Gilead's pricing. This is a standing committee of lawmakers in the US&nbsp;Senate.

Gilead knew that affordable pricing would allow more patients to be treated. But, it still pursued profits. The company wanted to maximize its profits. What it didn't anticipate was the angry backlash; Gilead had to suffer through a spate of bad publicity.

Gilead is a company that makes Remdesivir, another drug, that experts say holds promise against coronavirus. In the US, Remdesivir is undergoing clinical trials.

Gilead is a company that makes Remdesivir, another drug, that experts say holds promise against coronavirus. In the US, Remdesivir is undergoing clinical trials. America's top health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says it can block the virus. That one statement made heads turn. Not just doctors, even investors began betting on Remdesivir. Needless to say, this was a shot in the arm for Gilead. Its shares gained by six per cent after the endorsement from Dr. Fauci. Also read: 53,000 total COVID-19 cases in India now; death toll jumps to 1783 Five days ago, the federal drug administration in the United States has given its approval to Remdesivir. US President Donald Trump made the announcement himself, with Gilead CEO standing right next to him. But, will Remdesivir be the cure that no one can afford? Gilead is under watch, not because it has one of the most promising coronavirus treatments. US Lawmakers want to know how much Gilead will charge for Remdesivir because Gilead has a reputation for charging sky high prices. In 2015, the company had charged 84 thousand dollars for a Hepatitis C drug. It didn't happen by accident, this was by design. The Senate finance committee invested Gilead's pricing. This is a standing committee of lawmakers in the US Senate. Gilead knew that affordable pricing would allow more patients to be treated. But, it still pursued profits. The company wanted to maximize its profits. What it didn't anticipate was the angry backlash; Gilead had to suffer through a spate of bad publicity.

Gilead starts clinical trials of Remdesivir with US lawmakers curious about selling price

Learning how to use weapons begins at an early age, in the heart of the violence-stricken Mexican state of Guerrero. Due to the apathy of the authorities, 600 people volunteered to join a military force to fight organized crime.

Mexico's children fight against drug gangs

3.5 Million children vaccinated in last 4 days in Karachi

Drug-Resistant Typhoid outbreak in Pakistan

Mexican officials on Friday admitted they had bungled the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cartel-gunmen-terrorise-mexican-city-free-el-chapos-son-256671">arrest of kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's son</a>, who they let go during shootouts with drug gangs in the streets of a major city, but the president insisted his security strategy was working.

Cartel gunmen surrounded around 35 police and national guards in the northwestern city of Culiacan on Thursday and made them free Ovidio Guzman, one of the jailed drug lord's dozen or so children after his brief detention set off widespread gun battles and a jailbreak that stunned the country.

The chaos in Culiacan, a bastion of Guzman's Sinaloa Cartel, turned up the pressure on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office in December promising to pacify a country weary of more than a decade of gang violence and murders.

Security forces were attempting to enforce a federal judge's arrest warrant against the younger Guzman for his extradition, drawing a fierce response, the government said.

In the end, Lopez Obrador came under heavy criticism on social media and from security experts, who said that authorities risked encouraging copycat actions by caving into the gang and that the retreat from a major city created the impression that the cartel, not the state, was in control.

His own officials said the operation in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state and home to nearly a million people, had not been planned as well as it should have been.

"It was done hastily, the consequences were not considered, the riskiest part wasn't taken into account," Defence Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval told a news conference in Culiacan, alongside Security Minister Alfonso Durazo, who called the attempt to capture the Guzman son a "failure."

Durazo admitted he and the military top brass were not aware ahead of time of the mission to take into custody the alleged trafficker, calling it a bureaucratic error.

But the president defended the government's response.

"Capturing a criminal can't be worth more than people's lives," he said, adding that officials "did well" to free Ovidio Guzman. "We don't want dead people, we don't want war," said Lopez Obrador, a veteran leftist who has advocated a less confrontational approach to tackling the gangs.

"We're doing really well in our strategy," he said.

The violent reaction to Guzman's apprehension in a wealthy area of Culiacan was on a scale rarely seen during Mexico's long drug wars.

Sandoval said he had reports of at least eight people killed, including five suspected gang members, in Culiacan, where schools were closed on Friday after the ordeal.

More than 200 soldiers were being sent to reinforce the city on Friday evening, a spokeswoman for the security ministry said. 
 
Who's in control?

One Facebook user stumbled on two dead bodies in the street near an abandoned truck, suggesting the death toll may yet rise in the city, where the government said gunmen staged 14 attacks on the armed forces and 19 roadblocks where vehicles burned.

Footage of Thursday's chaos on social media showed panicked residents fleeing and high calibre gunfire ringing out across town. People cowered in shopping centres and supermarkets and black plumes of smoke rose across the skyline.

Chaos continued into the night after a large group of inmates also escaped from the city prison.

On Friday, cars navigated burnt-out vehicles that partially blocked streets.

Gladys McCormick, a security analyst at Syracuse University in the United States, said the latest news from Mexico read like that of a country in "the throes of war."

"What is incontrovertible is that the Sinaloa Cartel won yesterday's battle," she added. "Not only did they get the government to release Ovidio, they demonstrated to the citizens of Culiacan as well as the rest of Mexico who is in control."

Durazo said the government's decision to free Guzman "involved absolutely no negotiation."

Still, questions about how the release was handled continued circulating after defence minister Sandoval said nine security personnel were "held and freed without injury."

Meanwhile, Jose Luis Gonzalez Meza, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fierce-gun-battles-as-el-chapos-son-arrested-in-mexico-256591">a lawyer for the Guzman family</a>, thanked Lopez Obrador for the government's actions.

"We have a humane president, a Christian president who in the end decided not to hurt Ovidio," he told a news conference.

Blaming others

Lopez Obrador rejected the suggestion the government had showed weakness in releasing the younger Guzman, describing this view as "conjecture" put about by his adversaries to hurt him.

A trenchant critic of past administrations, Lopez Obrador said previous government strategies had turned Mexico into a "graveyard" and that his critics wanted him to continue with it.

He argues that authorities should focus more on the root causes of drug violence, such as poverty and a lack of jobs.

To boost security, Lopez Obrador has created a new National Guard, but thousands of that militarised police force's members have instead been sent to contain illegal immigration through Mexico at the behest of US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

He has also sought to underline his command of law and order by chairing security cabinet meetings every weekday at 6 a.m.

Still, the murder tally in Mexico this year is on track to surpass last year's record total of more than 29,000.

Thursday's events followed the massacre of more than a dozen police in western Mexico earlier this week and the killing of 14 suspected gangsters by the army a day later.

Lopez Obrador said police swooped on the Culiacan house to capture Ovidio Guzman, contradicting the initial version put out by the government, which was that officers had come under fire from the building while passing, then found Guzman inside.

The elder Guzman escaped from prison in Mexico twice, in 2001 and 2015. Under the previous administration, security forces captured him twice in Sinaloa, in 2014 and 2016.

The previous government extradited him to the United States on the eve of Trump's accession. He was found guilty in a US&nbsp;court in February of smuggling tons of drugs and sentenced to life in prison.

The US&nbsp;Department of Justice unveiled an indictment against Ovidio and one of his brothers in February, charging them with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana in the United States.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration declined to comment.

Mexican officials on Friday admitted they had bungled the arrest of kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's son, who they let go during shootouts with drug gangs in the streets of a major city, but the president insisted his security strategy was working.

Mexican officials on Friday admitted they had bungled the arrest of kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's son, who they let go during shootouts with drug gangs in the streets of a major city, but the president insisted his security strategy was working. Cartel gunmen surrounded around 35 police and national guards in the northwestern city of Culiacan on Thursday and made them free Ovidio Guzman, one of the jailed drug lord's dozen or so children after his brief detention set off widespread gun battles and a jailbreak that stunned the country. The chaos in Culiacan, a bastion of Guzman's Sinaloa Cartel, turned up the pressure on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office in December promising to pacify a country weary of more than a decade of gang violence and murders. Security forces were attempting to enforce a federal judge's arrest warrant against the younger Guzman for his extradition, drawing a fierce response, the government said. In the end, Lopez Obrador came under heavy criticism on social media and from security experts, who said that authorities risked encouraging copycat actions by caving into the gang and that the retreat from a major city created the impression that the cartel, not the state, was in control. His own officials said the operation in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state and home to nearly a million people, had not been planned as well as it should have been. "It was done hastily, the consequences were not considered, the riskiest part wasn't taken into account," Defence Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval told a news conference in Culiacan, alongside Security Minister Alfonso Durazo, who called the attempt to capture the Guzman son a "failure." Durazo admitted he and the military top brass were not aware ahead of time of the mission to take into custody the alleged trafficker, calling it a bureaucratic error. But the president defended the government's response. "Capturing a criminal can't be worth more than people's lives," he said, adding that officials "did well" to free Ovidio Guzman. "We don't want dead people, we don't want war," said Lopez Obrador, a veteran leftist who has advocated a less confrontational approach to tackling the gangs. "We're doing really well in our strategy," he said. The violent reaction to Guzman's apprehension in a wealthy area of Culiacan was on a scale rarely seen during Mexico's long drug wars. Sandoval said he had reports of at least eight people killed, including five suspected gang members, in Culiacan, where schools were closed on Friday after the ordeal. More than 200 soldiers were being sent to reinforce the city on Friday evening, a spokeswoman for the security ministry said. Who's in control? One Facebook user stumbled on two dead bodies in the street near an abandoned truck, suggesting the death toll may yet rise in the city, where the government said gunmen staged 14 attacks on the armed forces and 19 roadblocks where vehicles burned. Footage of Thursday's chaos on social media showed panicked residents fleeing and high calibre gunfire ringing out across town. People cowered in shopping centres and supermarkets and black plumes of smoke rose across the skyline. Chaos continued into the night after a large group of inmates also escaped from the city prison. On Friday, cars navigated burnt-out vehicles that partially blocked streets. Gladys McCormick, a security analyst at Syracuse University in the United States, said the latest news from Mexico read like that of a country in "the throes of war." "What is incontrovertible is that the Sinaloa Cartel won yesterday's battle," she added. "Not only did they get the government to release Ovidio, they demonstrated to the citizens of Culiacan as well as the rest of Mexico who is in control." Durazo said the government's decision to free Guzman "involved absolutely no negotiation." Still, questions about how the release was handled continued circulating after defence minister Sandoval said nine security personnel were "held and freed without injury." Meanwhile, Jose Luis Gonzalez Meza, a lawyer for the Guzman family, thanked Lopez Obrador for the government's actions. "We have a humane president, a Christian president who in the end decided not to hurt Ovidio," he told a news conference. Blaming others Lopez Obrador rejected the suggestion the government had showed weakness in releasing the younger Guzman, describing this view as "conjecture" put about by his adversaries to hurt him. A trenchant critic of past administrations, Lopez Obrador said previous government strategies had turned Mexico into a "graveyard" and that his critics wanted him to continue with it. He argues that authorities should focus more on the root causes of drug violence, such as poverty and a lack of jobs. To boost security, Lopez Obrador has created a new National Guard, but thousands of that militarised police force's members have instead been sent to contain illegal immigration through Mexico at the behest of US President Donald Trump. He has also sought to underline his command of law and order by chairing security cabinet meetings every weekday at 6 a.m. Still, the murder tally in Mexico this year is on track to surpass last year's record total of more than 29,000. Thursday's events followed the massacre of more than a dozen police in western Mexico earlier this week and the killing of 14 suspected gangsters by the army a day later. Lopez Obrador said police swooped on the Culiacan house to capture Ovidio Guzman, contradicting the initial version put out by the government, which was that officers had come under fire from the building while passing, then found Guzman inside. The elder Guzman escaped from prison in Mexico twice, in 2001 and 2015. Under the previous administration, security forces captured him twice in Sinaloa, in 2014 and 2016. The previous government extradited him to the United States on the eve of Trump's accession. He was found guilty in a US court in February of smuggling tons of drugs and sentenced to life in prison. The US Department of Justice unveiled an indictment against Ovidio and one of his brothers in February, charging them with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana in the United States. The US Drug Enforcement Administration declined to comment.

Mexico admits bungled arrest of El Chapo's son after mayhem

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-rise-and-fall-of-el-chapo-mexicos-most-wanted-kingpin-236726">Joaquin Guzman</a>, the convicted Mexican drug lord known as "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drug-lord-el-chapo-given-life-sentence-by-us-judge-236721">El Chapo</a>", has escaped twice from maximum-security prisons in Mexico, once by digging a mile-long tunnel from his cell.

But on Wednesday, US authorities made sure that a third escape for Guzman never happens.

A federal judge in Brooklyn, while giving life sentence to "El Chapo", sent him to the US Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, the cumbersome name for what is better known as ADX Florence, the nation's most secure "Supermax" prison.

No one has escaped from the prison since it opened in 1994, and Guzman would join a long list of the most infamous of criminals who call it home.

"It's very well designed for its purpose, to hold the most dangerous offenders in the federal prison system," said Martin Horn, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction.

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-look-back-at-the-life-of-drug-boss-el-chapo-guzman-197141/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"In his previous two escapes, Guzman has demonstrated that he may be a greater risk of escaping than pretty much anyone else. That makes ADX Florence an appropriate place for him."

&nbsp;

Guzman, 62, was convicted on February 12 of trafficking tons of cocaine, heroin and other drugs into the United States as the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, where prosecutors said he amassed power through murders and wars with rival cartels.

Alcatraz of the Rockies

Located about 115 miles (185 km) south of Denver, ADX Florence is nicknamed "Alcatraz of the Rockies" after the San Francisco prison whose inmates included the gangsters Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert Franklin Stroud, known as the Birdman of Alcatraz.

ADX Florence's current roster of about 376 inmates reads like a who's who of notorious criminals.

Among those calling the prison home are "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski, 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, Terry Nichols from the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, "Shoe Bomber" Richard Reid, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Ramzi Yousef from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York.

Prisoners are typically confined for around 23 hours a day to solitary cells, each with a narrow window about 42 inches (107 cm) high and angled upward so only the sky is visible.

They can watch TV in their cells, and have access to religious services, educational programs and a commissary.

But special restrictions are used to ensure that inmates cannot exert influence or make threats beyond the prison walls. Prisoners cannot move around without being escorted. Head counts are done at least six times a day.

Guzman's first escape came in 2001, purportedly in a laundry cart and with the help of prison officials he had corrupted. His second escape, through the tunnel, came 14 years later.

Horn said ADX Florence "is literally built into the side of a mountain, with a robust security infrastructure."

Could Guzman penetrate that? "I would never say never," he said, "but it's highly unlikely."

Joaquin Guzman, the convicted Mexican drug lord known as "El Chapo", has escaped twice from maximum-security prisons in Mexico, once by digging a mile-long tunnel from his cell.

Joaquin Guzman, the convicted Mexican drug lord known as "El Chapo", has escaped twice from maximum-security prisons in Mexico, once by digging a mile-long tunnel from his cell. But on Wednesday, US authorities made sure that a third escape for Guzman never happens. A federal judge in Brooklyn, while giving life sentence to "El Chapo", sent him to the US Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, the cumbersome name for what is better known as ADX Florence, the nation's most secure "Supermax" prison. No one has escaped from the prison since it opened in 1994, and Guzman would join a long list of the most infamous of criminals who call it home. "It's very well designed for its purpose, to hold the most dangerous offenders in the federal prison system," said Martin Horn, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction. Watch Video: "In his previous two escapes, Guzman has demonstrated that he may be a greater risk of escaping than pretty much anyone else. That makes ADX Florence an appropriate place for him." Guzman, 62, was convicted on February 12 of trafficking tons of cocaine, heroin and other drugs into the United States as the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, where prosecutors said he amassed power through murders and wars with rival cartels. Alcatraz of the Rockies Located about 115 miles (185 km) south of Denver, ADX Florence is nicknamed "Alcatraz of the Rockies" after the San Francisco prison whose inmates included the gangsters Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert Franklin Stroud, known as the Birdman of Alcatraz. ADX Florence's current roster of about 376 inmates reads like a who's who of notorious criminals. Among those calling the prison home are "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski, 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, Terry Nichols from the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, "Shoe Bomber" Richard Reid, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Ramzi Yousef from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York. Prisoners are typically confined for around 23 hours a day to solitary cells, each with a narrow window about 42 inches (107 cm) high and angled upward so only the sky is visible. They can watch TV in their cells, and have access to religious services, educational programs and a commissary. But special restrictions are used to ensure that inmates cannot exert influence or make threats beyond the prison walls. Prisoners cannot move around without being escorted. Head counts are done at least six times a day. Guzman's first escape came in 2001, purportedly in a laundry cart and with the help of prison officials he had corrupted. His second escape, through the tunnel, came 14 years later. Horn said ADX Florence "is literally built into the side of a mountain, with a robust security infrastructure." Could Guzman penetrate that? "I would never say never," he said, "but it's highly unlikely."

'El Chapo' sent to tough Supermax prison where 9/11 conspirator, Boston bomber are lodged

After a run as one of the world's most powerful and notorious criminals, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/factbox-el-chapos-winding-road-from-mountain-village-to-drug-lord-to-us-prison-236674">Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman</a> was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/el-chapo-sent-to-tough-supermax-prison-where-911-conspirator-boston-bomber-are-lodged-236729">sentenced to life in prison</a>&nbsp;by a US judge on Wednesday.

Guzman, the 62-year-old former leader of the powerful <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/el-chapos-trial-gives-rare-glimpse-inside-the-drug-world-236736">Sinaloa drug cartel</a>, was convicted in February of crimes spanning a quarter of a century, including trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana to the United States.

The charges, which also include money laundering and weapons-related offenses, carried a mandatory life sentence.

Last week, prosecutors asked US federal judge Brian Cogan to tack on a symbolic extra 30 years in prison for the use of firearms in his business, portraying Guzman as "ruthless and bloodthirsty."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-rise-and-fall-of-el-chapo-mexicos-most-wanted-kingpin-236726">The rise and fall of 'El Chapo', Mexico's most wanted kingpin</a>

They also want Guzman to turn over $12.7 billion, based on a conservative estimate of revenues from his cartel's drug sales in the United States. So far, US authorities have not recovered a dime.

Guzman is considered to be the most powerful drug lord since Colombia's Pablo Escobar, killed in a police shootout in 1993.

"El Chapo" ("Shorty") was the co-leader of the still-powerful Sinaloa organisation.

During the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/el-chapo-dramatic-escapes-and-arrests-236735">three-month trial in New York</a>, jurors heard evidence of Guzman's misdeeds. Witnesses described the cartel boss beating, shooting and even burying alive those who got in his way, including informants and rival gang members.

'Alcatraz of the Rockies'

Guzman launched his career working in the cannabis fields of his home state of Sinaloa. Now, he is likely to spend the rest of his days at the "Alcatraz of the Rockies" - the supermax federal prison in Florence, Colorado.

Current inmates include convicted "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski, Oklahoma City bomber Terry Nichols, the British "shoe bomber" Richard Reid and the Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who is awaiting execution.

Since his extradition from Mexico in 2017, Guzman has been held in solitary confinement at a high-security prison in Lower Manhattan.

He has repeatedly complained about the conditions of his detention via his attorneys - notably that his windowless cell is constantly lit.

Wednesday was perhaps the last time when Guzman - who famously escaped Mexican prisons in 2001 and again in 2015 - saw his wife Emma Coronel and their two daughters.

New York's special narcotics prosecutor Bridget Brennan acknowledged that taking El Chapo out of the equation did not diminish the Sinaloa cartel's influence.

After a run as one of the world's most powerful and notorious criminals, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was sentenced to life in prison by a US judge on Wednesday. Guzman, the 62-year-old former leader of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, was convicted in February of crimes spanning a quarter of a century, including trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana to the United States.

After a run as one of the world's most powerful and notorious criminals, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was sentenced to life in prison by a US judge on Wednesday. Guzman, the 62-year-old former leader of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, was convicted in February of crimes spanning a quarter of a century, including trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana to the United States. The charges, which also include money laundering and weapons-related offenses, carried a mandatory life sentence. Last week, prosecutors asked US federal judge Brian Cogan to tack on a symbolic extra 30 years in prison for the use of firearms in his business, portraying Guzman as "ruthless and bloodthirsty." Also read: The rise and fall of 'El Chapo', Mexico's most wanted kingpin They also want Guzman to turn over $12.7 billion, based on a conservative estimate of revenues from his cartel's drug sales in the United States. So far, US authorities have not recovered a dime. Guzman is considered to be the most powerful drug lord since Colombia's Pablo Escobar, killed in a police shootout in 1993. "El Chapo" ("Shorty") was the co-leader of the still-powerful Sinaloa organisation. During the three-month trial in New York, jurors heard evidence of Guzman's misdeeds. Witnesses described the cartel boss beating, shooting and even burying alive those who got in his way, including informants and rival gang members. 'Alcatraz of the Rockies' Guzman launched his career working in the cannabis fields of his home state of Sinaloa. Now, he is likely to spend the rest of his days at the "Alcatraz of the Rockies" - the supermax federal prison in Florence, Colorado. Current inmates include convicted "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski, Oklahoma City bomber Terry Nichols, the British "shoe bomber" Richard Reid and the Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who is awaiting execution. Since his extradition from Mexico in 2017, Guzman has been held in solitary confinement at a high-security prison in Lower Manhattan. He has repeatedly complained about the conditions of his detention via his attorneys - notably that his windowless cell is constantly lit. Wednesday was perhaps the last time when Guzman - who famously escaped Mexican prisons in 2001 and again in 2015 - saw his wife Emma Coronel and their two daughters. New York's special narcotics prosecutor Bridget Brennan acknowledged that taking El Chapo out of the equation did not diminish the Sinaloa cartel's influence.

Drug lord 'El Chapo' given life sentence by US judge

Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was captured in 2016, for a third time, leading to his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/el-chapo-sent-to-tough-supermax-prison-where-911-conspirator-boston-bomber-are-lodged-236729">conviction by a US court</a> over trafficking hundreds of tons of drugs.

Here is a recap of the dramatic captures and escapes of the notorious crime boss as he was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drug-lord-el-chapo-given-life-sentence-by-us-judge-236721">sentenced in New York on Wednesday</a>:

1993: First arrest

Head of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-rise-and-fall-of-el-chapo-mexicos-most-wanted-kingpin-236726">powerful Sinaloa drugs cartel, Guzman</a> was in his mid-30s when he was arrested for the first time in June 1993 just across the border in Guatemala.

He had fled Mexico following the high-profile assassination of a Roman Catholic cardinal who had apparently been mistaken for Guzman.

Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo died in a hail of bullets in May 1993 as he was leaving an airport in a car identical to the one used by Guzman.

The hit was blamed on the rival Tijuana cartel.

2001: Laundry escape

Guzman was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder and drug trafficking but continued to be active from behind bars.

In January 2001 he was secreted out of his maximum-security prison in a cart of dirty laundry with the help of bribed accomplices, including the prison director and guards.

He was a fugitive for 13 years during which his drug empire grew to control a full quarter of the traffic of illicit narcotics headed to the United States.

In 2013, the city of Chicago - a popular destination for Sinaloa drugs - named him its Public Enemy No. 1, the first since the gangster Al Capone in the 1920s.

2014: Tracked down

In February 2014, Mexican authorities tracked Guzman down to a condo in the beach town of Mazatlan, in his native state of Sinaloa, where he was with his wife and their twin daughters.

Arrested in a pre-dawn raid, he was publicly hauled away in handcuffs by masked marines and bundled into a police helicopter, and later paraded in front of television cameras.

2015: Tunnel to freedom

Seventeen months later, the drug baron was free again, fleeing his cell in Mexico's high-security Altiplano prison in June 2015 via a 1.5-kilometre (one-mile) tunnel dug out by his henchmen.

From a hole under the shower in his cell, the tunnel opened in an under-construction building. Lit and ventilated, it contained a modified bike mounted on rails on which Guzman zoomed to freedom.

His cell had been under 24-hour video surveillance but he disappeared in a blind spot at the shower intended to protect inmate privacy.

2016: 'We got him'

After just six months, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto was able to announce in January 2016, "Mission accomplished: We got him."

Authorities had located Guzman in a house in Los Mochis, a seaside city in Sinaloa. When security forces swooped in Guzman fled through the city's drainage system.

He came out of a manhole and stole a car, but was captured by marines who had anticipated the move.

Authorities said Guzman was betrayed by his desire to have a biographical film made, for which he made contact with a leading Mexican actress and producers.

The previous October he had held a clandestine jungle meeting with US actor Sean Penn.

Guzman was returned to the Altiplano prison, this time forced to regularly change rooms and with metal rods installed to prevent more digging.

2017: Extradition

The fallen kingpin was extradited to the United States in January 2017 and held in a windowless cell at a maximum-security prison in New York.

His trial opened in November 2018 with Guzman accused of co-directing the Sinaloa cartel for over 25 years and smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana into the United States.

He was found guilty in February 2019. Now 62 years old, prosecutors are calling for Guzman to spend life plus 30 years in jail.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was captured in 2016, for a third time, leading to his conviction by a US court over trafficking hundreds of tons of drugs.

Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was captured in 2016, for a third time, leading to his conviction by a US court over trafficking hundreds of tons of drugs. Here is a recap of the dramatic captures and escapes of the notorious crime boss as he was sentenced in New York on Wednesday: 1993: First arrest Head of the powerful Sinaloa drugs cartel, Guzman was in his mid-30s when he was arrested for the first time in June 1993 just across the border in Guatemala. He had fled Mexico following the high-profile assassination of a Roman Catholic cardinal who had apparently been mistaken for Guzman. Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo died in a hail of bullets in May 1993 as he was leaving an airport in a car identical to the one used by Guzman. The hit was blamed on the rival Tijuana cartel. 2001: Laundry escape Guzman was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder and drug trafficking but continued to be active from behind bars. In January 2001 he was secreted out of his maximum-security prison in a cart of dirty laundry with the help of bribed accomplices, including the prison director and guards. He was a fugitive for 13 years during which his drug empire grew to control a full quarter of the traffic of illicit narcotics headed to the United States. In 2013, the city of Chicago - a popular destination for Sinaloa drugs - named him its Public Enemy No. 1, the first since the gangster Al Capone in the 1920s. 2014: Tracked down In February 2014, Mexican authorities tracked Guzman down to a condo in the beach town of Mazatlan, in his native state of Sinaloa, where he was with his wife and their twin daughters. Arrested in a pre-dawn raid, he was publicly hauled away in handcuffs by masked marines and bundled into a police helicopter, and later paraded in front of television cameras. 2015: Tunnel to freedom Seventeen months later, the drug baron was free again, fleeing his cell in Mexico's high-security Altiplano prison in June 2015 via a 1.5-kilometre (one-mile) tunnel dug out by his henchmen. From a hole under the shower in his cell, the tunnel opened in an under-construction building. Lit and ventilated, it contained a modified bike mounted on rails on which Guzman zoomed to freedom. His cell had been under 24-hour video surveillance but he disappeared in a blind spot at the shower intended to protect inmate privacy. 2016: 'We got him' After just six months, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto was able to announce in January 2016, "Mission accomplished: We got him." Authorities had located Guzman in a house in Los Mochis, a seaside city in Sinaloa. When security forces swooped in Guzman fled through the city's drainage system. He came out of a manhole and stole a car, but was captured by marines who had anticipated the move. Authorities said Guzman was betrayed by his desire to have a biographical film made, for which he made contact with a leading Mexican actress and producers. The previous October he had held a clandestine jungle meeting with US actor Sean Penn. Guzman was returned to the Altiplano prison, this time forced to regularly change rooms and with metal rods installed to prevent more digging. 2017: Extradition The fallen kingpin was extradited to the United States in January 2017 and held in a windowless cell at a maximum-security prison in New York. His trial opened in November 2018 with Guzman accused of co-directing the Sinaloa cartel for over 25 years and smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana into the United States. He was found guilty in February 2019. Now 62 years old, prosecutors are calling for Guzman to spend life plus 30 years in jail.

'El Chapo': Dramatic escapes and arrests

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drug-lord-el-chapo-given-life-sentence-by-us-judge-236721">Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman</a> is Mexico's most notorious kingpin who shipped tonnes of drugs around the world, escaped two maximum-security jails and became one of the world's most-wanted fugitives.

He was given a life sentence by a US judge on Wednesday.

Guzman, 62, was found guilty by a jury in February of trafficking tons of cocaine, heroin and marijuana and engaging in multiple murder conspiracies as a top leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, long known as one of Mexico's largest and most violent drug trafficking organisations.

The audacious exploits of El Chapo, or Shorty, captured the world's imagination and turned him into a folk hero for some in Mexico, despite the thousands of people killed by his brutal Sinaloa cartel.

Beyond putting Guzman's personal life and drug dealings on public display, the case has also highlighted Mexico's long-time fight to bring down its chief adversary in the bloody war on drug trafficking.

In January 2016, after some three decades running drugs, Guzman was caught in his native northwestern state of Sinaloa.

Six months earlier, he had humiliated Mexico's then-president, Enrique Pena Nieto, by escaping from prison through a mile-long tunnel dug straight into his cell - his second time escaping a Mexican jail.

Just days after his 2016 capture, Guzman's larger-than-life reputation was sealed when US movie star Sean Penn published a lengthy account of an interview he conducted with the drug lord, which the Mexican government said was "essential" to his capture a few months later.

"I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world. I have a fleet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats," Penn said Guzman told him at the drug lord's mountain hideout.

Mexico's government extradited Guzman in January 2017, a day before Donald Trump took office as US president on vows to tighten border security to halt immigration and drug smuggling.

Guzman's legendary reputation in the Mexican underworld began to take shape when he staged his first jailbreak in 2001 by bribing prison guards, before going on to dominate drug trafficking along much of the Rio Grande.

However, many in towns across Mexico remember Guzman better for his squads of hitmen who committed thousands of murders, kidnappings and decapitations.

Violence began to surge in 2006 as the government launched a war on drug trafficking that caused criminal groups to splinter and killings to spiral.

Guzman's Sinaloa Cartel went on smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine, marijuana, and crystal meth across Mexico's border with the United States. 
In February 2013, the Chicago Crime Commission dubbed him the city's first Public Enemy Number 1 since Al Capone.

Elusive Kingpin 
&nbsp; 
Security experts concede the 5 foot 6 inch gangster was exceptional at what he did - managing to outmaneuver, outfight or outbribe his rivals to stay at the top of the drug trade for over a decade.

&nbsp;Rising through the ranks of the drug world, Guzman carefully observed his mentors' tactics and mistakes, forging alliances that kept him one step ahead of the law for years.

Mexican soldiers and US agents came close to Guzman on several occasions but his layers of body guards and spies always tipped him off before they stormed his safe houses.

Sinaloa Roots

Guzman was born in La Tuna, a village in the Sierra Madre mountains in Sinaloa state where smugglers have been growing opium and marijuana since the early twentieth century.

He ascended in the 1980s working with Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, alias "The Boss of Bosses", who pioneered cocaine smuggling routes into the United States.

The aspiring capo came to prominence in 1993 when assassins who shot dead Roman Catholic Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas claimed they had actually been aiming at Guzman.

Two weeks later, police arrested him in Guatemala and extradited him to Mexico. During his eight-year prison stay, Guzman smuggled in lovers, prostitutes and Viagra, according to accounts published in the Mexican media.

After escaping, Guzman expanded his turf by sending in assassin squads with names such as "The Ghosts" and "The Zeta Killers", in reference to the rival Zetas gang.

Guzman hid near his childhood home, agents said, but rumours abounded of him visiting expensive restaurants and paying for all the diners.

In 2007, Guzman married an 18-year-old beauty queen in an ostentatious ceremony in a village in Durango state.

The state's archbishop subsequently caused a media storm when he said that "everyone, except the authorities", knew Guzman was living there. Guzman's bride, Emma Coronel, gave birth to twins in Los Angeles in 2011. She attended nearly every day of her husband's trial, at one point donning a red blazer that matched his own.

Waging war 
&nbsp; 
Between 2004 and 2013, Guzman's gangs fought in all major Mexican cities on the US border, turning Ciudad Juarez and Nuevo Laredo into some of the world's most dangerous places.

In one such attack, 14 bodies were left mutilated under a note that read, "Don't forget that I am your real daddy", signed by "El Chapo".

Guzman's Sinaloa cartel often clashed with the Zetas, a gang founded by former Mexican soldiers, arming its crew with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns.

In 2008, hitmen working for a rival murdered Guzman's son Edgar, a 22-year-old student. Guzman reportedly left 50,000 flowers at his son's grave.

In the 1990s, Guzman became infamous for hiding seven tons of cocaine in cans of chili peppers. In the following decade, his crew took drugs in tractor trailers to major US cities including Phoenix, Los Angeles and Chicago, indictments say.

Forbes magazine put the kingpin's wealth at $1 billion, though investigators say it is impossible to know exactly how much he was worth.

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is Mexico's most notorious kingpin who shipped tonnes of drugs around the world, escaped two maximum-security jails and became one of the world's most-wanted fugitives.

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is Mexico's most notorious kingpin who shipped tonnes of drugs around the world, escaped two maximum-security jails and became one of the world's most-wanted fugitives. He was given a life sentence by a US judge on Wednesday. Guzman, 62, was found guilty by a jury in February of trafficking tons of cocaine, heroin and marijuana and engaging in multiple murder conspiracies as a top leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, long known as one of Mexico's largest and most violent drug trafficking organisations. The audacious exploits of El Chapo, or Shorty, captured the world's imagination and turned him into a folk hero for some in Mexico, despite the thousands of people killed by his brutal Sinaloa cartel. Beyond putting Guzman's personal life and drug dealings on public display, the case has also highlighted Mexico's long-time fight to bring down its chief adversary in the bloody war on drug trafficking. In January 2016, after some three decades running drugs, Guzman was caught in his native northwestern state of Sinaloa. Six months earlier, he had humiliated Mexico's then-president, Enrique Pena Nieto, by escaping from prison through a mile-long tunnel dug straight into his cell - his second time escaping a Mexican jail. Just days after his 2016 capture, Guzman's larger-than-life reputation was sealed when US movie star Sean Penn published a lengthy account of an interview he conducted with the drug lord, which the Mexican government said was "essential" to his capture a few months later. "I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world. I have a fleet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats," Penn said Guzman told him at the drug lord's mountain hideout. Mexico's government extradited Guzman in January 2017, a day before Donald Trump took office as US president on vows to tighten border security to halt immigration and drug smuggling. Guzman's legendary reputation in the Mexican underworld began to take shape when he staged his first jailbreak in 2001 by bribing prison guards, before going on to dominate drug trafficking along much of the Rio Grande. However, many in towns across Mexico remember Guzman better for his squads of hitmen who committed thousands of murders, kidnappings and decapitations. Violence began to surge in 2006 as the government launched a war on drug trafficking that caused criminal groups to splinter and killings to spiral. Guzman's Sinaloa Cartel went on smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine, marijuana, and crystal meth across Mexico's border with the United States. In February 2013, the Chicago Crime Commission dubbed him the city's first Public Enemy Number 1 since Al Capone. Elusive Kingpin Security experts concede the 5 foot 6 inch gangster was exceptional at what he did - managing to outmaneuver, outfight or outbribe his rivals to stay at the top of the drug trade for over a decade. Rising through the ranks of the drug world, Guzman carefully observed his mentors' tactics and mistakes, forging alliances that kept him one step ahead of the law for years. Mexican soldiers and US agents came close to Guzman on several occasions but his layers of body guards and spies always tipped him off before they stormed his safe houses. Sinaloa Roots Guzman was born in La Tuna, a village in the Sierra Madre mountains in Sinaloa state where smugglers have been growing opium and marijuana since the early twentieth century. He ascended in the 1980s working with Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, alias "The Boss of Bosses", who pioneered cocaine smuggling routes into the United States. The aspiring capo came to prominence in 1993 when assassins who shot dead Roman Catholic Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas claimed they had actually been aiming at Guzman. Two weeks later, police arrested him in Guatemala and extradited him to Mexico. During his eight-year prison stay, Guzman smuggled in lovers, prostitutes and Viagra, according to accounts published in the Mexican media. After escaping, Guzman expanded his turf by sending in assassin squads with names such as "The Ghosts" and "The Zeta Killers", in reference to the rival Zetas gang. Guzman hid near his childhood home, agents said, but rumours abounded of him visiting expensive restaurants and paying for all the diners. In 2007, Guzman married an 18-year-old beauty queen in an ostentatious ceremony in a village in Durango state. The state's archbishop subsequently caused a media storm when he said that "everyone, except the authorities", knew Guzman was living there. Guzman's bride, Emma Coronel, gave birth to twins in Los Angeles in 2011. She attended nearly every day of her husband's trial, at one point donning a red blazer that matched his own. Waging war Between 2004 and 2013, Guzman's gangs fought in all major Mexican cities on the US border, turning Ciudad Juarez and Nuevo Laredo into some of the world's most dangerous places. In one such attack, 14 bodies were left mutilated under a note that read, "Don't forget that I am your real daddy", signed by "El Chapo". Guzman's Sinaloa cartel often clashed with the Zetas, a gang founded by former Mexican soldiers, arming its crew with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns. In 2008, hitmen working for a rival murdered Guzman's son Edgar, a 22-year-old student. Guzman reportedly left 50,000 flowers at his son's grave. In the 1990s, Guzman became infamous for hiding seven tons of cocaine in cans of chili peppers. In the following decade, his crew took drugs in tractor trailers to major US cities including Phoenix, Los Angeles and Chicago, indictments say. Forbes magazine put the kingpin's wealth at $1 billion, though investigators say it is impossible to know exactly how much he was worth.

The rise and fall of 'El Chapo', Mexico's most wanted kingpin

With Canada on the verge of becoming the world's second nation to legalise recreational marijuana, the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that countries should think twice before opening that door.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was in the Philippines for a regional meeting, told AFP the organisation supports availability of drugs like marijuana for medical reasons.

"Of course we believe that people who need it, especially for pain management, should have it. There should be access," he said.

That access should be clearly regulated, he added, and throwing open the doors to full legalisation carries its own health risks.

"I think any addictive substance is not good for human health," he said. "We wouldn't encourage countries to follow those who are actually... legalising it."

As he spoke, Canada was a week away from allowing for adults to buy, grow and consume cannabis, the second nation in the world to do so after Uruguay's move five years ago.

'Understand impact'&nbsp;

Canadian officials have justified legalisation on the grounds that it would take traffickers and dealers out of the equation and protect young people.

Nine American states have also given the greenlight to recreational use, and many more allow it for medical purposes.&nbsp;

But Tedros said, similar to alcohol and tobacco, drugs like marijuana needed to be controlled because of the risk they posed outside medical settings.

He pointed to the strides nations around the world have made in curbing tobacco smoking, which the WHO considers to be the substance that causes the most damage to health globally.

While use is levelling off or even decreasing in some countries, WHO estimates there are still over a billion smokers globally.

As cannabis legalisation grows, the United Nations figures point to a much smaller number of users, with 2013 numbers showing nearly 182 million non-medical users.

For countries that do proceed with recreational legalisation, Tedros said it is key that they closely monitor the impact on their citizens' health.

Legalisation has already prompted a range of questions on public safety that Canadian authorities have had to broach.

They have reminded motorists that driving while high is still illegal, while soldiers are to be banned from smoking or otherwise consuming the drug up to eight hours before reporting for duty.

"We are encouraging them to understand its impact and do assessments from the start," Tedros added.&nbsp;

"Legalising it we hope will not mean that they are really not to be encouraged to study its impact."

 
&nbsp;

With Canada on the verge of becoming the world's second nation to legalise recreational marijuana, the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that countries should think twice before opening that door.

With Canada on the verge of becoming the world's second nation to legalise recreational marijuana, the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that countries should think twice before opening that door. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was in the Philippines for a regional meeting, told AFP the organisation supports availability of drugs like marijuana for medical reasons. "Of course we believe that people who need it, especially for pain management, should have it. There should be access," he said. That access should be clearly regulated, he added, and throwing open the doors to full legalisation carries its own health risks. "I think any addictive substance is not good for human health," he said. "We wouldn't encourage countries to follow those who are actually... legalising it." As he spoke, Canada was a week away from allowing for adults to buy, grow and consume cannabis, the second nation in the world to do so after Uruguay's move five years ago. 'Understand impact' Canadian officials have justified legalisation on the grounds that it would take traffickers and dealers out of the equation and protect young people. Nine American states have also given the greenlight to recreational use, and many more allow it for medical purposes. But Tedros said, similar to alcohol and tobacco, drugs like marijuana needed to be controlled because of the risk they posed outside medical settings. He pointed to the strides nations around the world have made in curbing tobacco smoking, which the WHO considers to be the substance that causes the most damage to health globally. While use is levelling off or even decreasing in some countries, WHO estimates there are still over a billion smokers globally. As cannabis legalisation grows, the United Nations figures point to a much smaller number of users, with 2013 numbers showing nearly 182 million non-medical users. For countries that do proceed with recreational legalisation, Tedros said it is key that they closely monitor the impact on their citizens' health. Legalisation has already prompted a range of questions on public safety that Canadian authorities have had to broach. They have reminded motorists that driving while high is still illegal, while soldiers are to be banned from smoking or otherwise consuming the drug up to eight hours before reporting for duty. "We are encouraging them to understand its impact and do assessments from the start," Tedros added. "Legalising it we hope will not mean that they are really not to be encouraged to study its impact."

'Just say no' to drug legalisation: WHO chief

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