Illegal drug trade in Venezuela
Encyclopedia
Illegal drug trade in Venezuela refers to the practice of illegal drug trade
in Venezuela
. Historically Venezuela has been a path to the United States
for illegal drugs originating in Colombia
, through Central America and Mexico
and Caribbean countries such as Haiti
and the Dominican Republic
. According to a 2009 US report, 90% of US cocaine is sourced from Colombia
, and Venezuela and the Caribbean account for around 10% of US-destined cocaine trans-shipments. Another significant route is directed to export cocaine, marijuana and other illegal drugs via direct sea shipments from Venezuela to Europe, with half of all direct shipments to Europe in 2006-8 originating in Venezuela. Venezuela ranks fourth in the world for cocaine seizures, behind Colombia, the United States, and Panama
. In 2010 Venezuela arrested and deported to the United States Jaime Alberto "Beto" Marin, the head of the Colombian Norte del Valle Cartel
.
In 2005 Venezuela severed ties with the US Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA), accusing its representatives of spying. In the period 2006-9 Venezuela arrested three times as many people for drug trafficking, and seized 10% more drugs, than it had in the 2002-5 period. In 2009 a report for the United States Congress said that from 2004 to 2007 the quantity of cocaine exported from Colombia via Venezuela had quadrupled, reaching 17% of world trade in cocaine in 2007. The report said that corruption in the Venezuelan armed forces
was facilitating Colombian FARC guerillas' drug trafficking.
, near the Colombian border. "Venezuela has its own Cosa Nostra family as if it is Sicilian territory," according to the Italian police. "The structure and hierarchy of the Mafia has been entirely reproduced in Venezuela." The Cuntrera-Caruana clan had direct links with the ruling Commission of the Sicilian Mafia, and are acknowledged by the American Cosa Nostra.
Pasquale, Paolo and Gaspare Cuntrera were expelled from Venezuela in 1992, "almost secretly smuggled out of the country, as if it concerned one of their own drug transports. It was
imperative they could not contact people on the outside who could have used their political connections to stop the expulsion." Their explusion was ordered by a commission of the Venezuelan Senate headed by Senator Cristobal Fernandez Dalo and his money laundering investigator, Thor Halvorssen Hellum
. They were arrested in September 1992 at Fiumicino airport (Rome), and in 1996 were sentence to 13–20 years.
. The CIA claimed to have done this as a way of gathering information about Colombian drug cartels. But the cocaine ended up being sold on the street.
In November 1996 a Miami jury indicted former Venezuelan anti-narcotics chief and longtime CIA asset, General Ramon Guillen Davila, who was smuggling many tons of cocaine into the United States from a Venezuelan warehouse owned by the CIA. In his trial defense, Guillen claimed that all of his drug smuggling operations were approved by the CIA.
(DEA), and the US presented Venezuelan anti-drug efforts in a positive light. In 2003 Venezuela was ranked fourth in global cocaine seizures, with 32,000kg, or 7% of global seizures. In 2005 Venezuela severed ties with the DEA, accusing its representatives of spying. A 2008 report by the United Nations
noted the increase in cocaine trafficking through Venezuela since 2002. In the period 2006-9 Venezuela arrested three times as many people for drug trafficking, and seized 10% more drugs, than it had in the 2002-5 period. In 2009 a report for the United States Congress said that from 2004 to 2007 the quantity of cocaine exported from Colombia via Venezuela had quadrupled, reaching 17% of world trade in cocaine in 2007. The report said that corruption in the Venezuelan armed forces was facilitating Colombian FARC guerillas' drug trafficking. In 2010 UN statistics showed seizures stable at around 33,000kg in 2008, or around 5% of global seizures, and Venezuela still ranked fourth in cocaine seizures.
In 2008 the leader of the Colombian Norte del Valle Cartel
, Wilber Varela
, was found murdered in a hotel in Mérida
in Venezuela. In 2010 Venezuela arrested and deported to the United States Jaime Alberto "Beto" Marin, then head of the Norte del Valle Cartel.
According to Colombian weekly Revista Semana
, the director of the Dirección General de Inteligencia Militar (Dgim), Venezuelan agency in charge of Military Intelligence, was involved in supporting FARC drug trafficking, comparing him with Peru's Vladimiro Montesinos
. Supporters of the Chavez administration have argued that the government had been combating the illegal drug trade, citing a UN report.
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. Historically Venezuela has been a path to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for illegal drugs originating in Colombia
Illegal drug trade in Colombia
Illegal drug trade in Colombia refers to the practice of producing and distributing illegal drugs with psychoactive effects in Colombia. Colombia has had four major drug trafficking cartels which eventually created a new social class and influenced several aspects of Colombian culture...
, through Central America and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Caribbean countries such as Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. According to a 2009 US report, 90% of US cocaine is sourced from Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, and Venezuela and the Caribbean account for around 10% of US-destined cocaine trans-shipments. Another significant route is directed to export cocaine, marijuana and other illegal drugs via direct sea shipments from Venezuela to Europe, with half of all direct shipments to Europe in 2006-8 originating in Venezuela. Venezuela ranks fourth in the world for cocaine seizures, behind Colombia, the United States, and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. In 2010 Venezuela arrested and deported to the United States Jaime Alberto "Beto" Marin, the head of the Colombian Norte del Valle Cartel
Norte del Valle Cartel
The Norte del Valle Cartel, or North Valley Cartel, is a drug cartel that operates principally in the north of the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia...
.
In 2005 Venezuela severed ties with the US Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
(DEA), accusing its representatives of spying. In the period 2006-9 Venezuela arrested three times as many people for drug trafficking, and seized 10% more drugs, than it had in the 2002-5 period. In 2009 a report for the United States Congress said that from 2004 to 2007 the quantity of cocaine exported from Colombia via Venezuela had quadrupled, reaching 17% of world trade in cocaine in 2007. The report said that corruption in the Venezuelan armed forces
Corruption in Venezuela
Corruption in Venezuela, as with its surrounding countries, is high by world standards. In the case of Venezuela, the discovery of oil in the early twentieth century had worsened political corruption, and by the late 1970s, the description of oil as "the Devil's excrement" had become a common...
was facilitating Colombian FARC guerillas' drug trafficking.
Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan
In the early 1970s parts of the Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan moved to Venezuela, which became an important hideout as the clan bought hotels and founded various businesses in Caracas and Valencia, as well as an extended ranch in BarinasBarinas
Barinas may refer to:*In Venezuela:**Barinas State*** Barinas Municipality**** Barinas, Barinas** Barinas Province * In Spain** Barinas * Barinas , a genus of harvestman ....
, near the Colombian border. "Venezuela has its own Cosa Nostra family as if it is Sicilian territory," according to the Italian police. "The structure and hierarchy of the Mafia has been entirely reproduced in Venezuela." The Cuntrera-Caruana clan had direct links with the ruling Commission of the Sicilian Mafia, and are acknowledged by the American Cosa Nostra.
Pasquale, Paolo and Gaspare Cuntrera were expelled from Venezuela in 1992, "almost secretly smuggled out of the country, as if it concerned one of their own drug transports. It was
imperative they could not contact people on the outside who could have used their political connections to stop the expulsion." Their explusion was ordered by a commission of the Venezuelan Senate headed by Senator Cristobal Fernandez Dalo and his money laundering investigator, Thor Halvorssen Hellum
Thor Halvorssen Hellum
Thor Halvorssen Hellum —commonly known as Thor Halvorssen—is a Venezuelan-Norwegian businessman who served as CEO and President of the Venezuelan state-owned telephone company, CANTV and later as Special Commissioner for International Narcotic Affairs in the administration of President Carlos...
. They were arrested in September 1992 at Fiumicino airport (Rome), and in 1996 were sentence to 13–20 years.
Venezuelan National Guard Affair
The CIA - in spite of objections from the Drug Enforcement Administration, in 1990 allowed at least one ton of nearly pure cocaine to be shipped into Miami International AirportMiami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
. The CIA claimed to have done this as a way of gathering information about Colombian drug cartels. But the cocaine ended up being sold on the street.
In November 1996 a Miami jury indicted former Venezuelan anti-narcotics chief and longtime CIA asset, General Ramon Guillen Davila, who was smuggling many tons of cocaine into the United States from a Venezuelan warehouse owned by the CIA. In his trial defense, Guillen claimed that all of his drug smuggling operations were approved by the CIA.
1999 to present
The government of Hugo Chavez created the "National Anti-Drug Office" or Oficina Nacional Antidrogas (ONA) to combat the illegal drug trade. In the early years, Venezuela cooperated with the US Drug Enforcement AdministrationDrug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
(DEA), and the US presented Venezuelan anti-drug efforts in a positive light. In 2003 Venezuela was ranked fourth in global cocaine seizures, with 32,000kg, or 7% of global seizures. In 2005 Venezuela severed ties with the DEA, accusing its representatives of spying. A 2008 report by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
noted the increase in cocaine trafficking through Venezuela since 2002. In the period 2006-9 Venezuela arrested three times as many people for drug trafficking, and seized 10% more drugs, than it had in the 2002-5 period. In 2009 a report for the United States Congress said that from 2004 to 2007 the quantity of cocaine exported from Colombia via Venezuela had quadrupled, reaching 17% of world trade in cocaine in 2007. The report said that corruption in the Venezuelan armed forces was facilitating Colombian FARC guerillas' drug trafficking. In 2010 UN statistics showed seizures stable at around 33,000kg in 2008, or around 5% of global seizures, and Venezuela still ranked fourth in cocaine seizures.
In 2008 the leader of the Colombian Norte del Valle Cartel
Norte del Valle Cartel
The Norte del Valle Cartel, or North Valley Cartel, is a drug cartel that operates principally in the north of the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia...
, Wilber Varela
Wilber Varela
Wilber Alirio Varela Fajardo aka Jabón was a former Colombian Police agent who then became a drug dealer and member of the Norte del Valle Cartel...
, was found murdered in a hotel in Mérida
Mérida (state)
Mérida State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Mérida.Mérida State covers a total surface area of 11,300 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 843,800.- Climate and Vegetation :...
in Venezuela. In 2010 Venezuela arrested and deported to the United States Jaime Alberto "Beto" Marin, then head of the Norte del Valle Cartel.
According to Colombian weekly Revista Semana
Revista Semana
Semana or Revista Semana is a Colombian-based weekly magazine. It was founded in 1946 by Alberto Lleras Camargo , but was shut down after a controversial cover depicting Cuban leader Fidel Castro.In 1983, journalist Felipe López Caballero re-founded the magazine...
, the director of the Dirección General de Inteligencia Militar (Dgim), Venezuelan agency in charge of Military Intelligence, was involved in supporting FARC drug trafficking, comparing him with Peru's Vladimiro Montesinos
Vladimiro Montesinos
Vladimiro Ilyich Montesinos Torres was the long-standing head of Peru's intelligence service, Servicio de Inteligencia Nacional , under President Alberto Fujimori. In 2000, secret videos, which he had recorded, were televised that showed his bribing an elected congressman to leave the opposition...
. Supporters of the Chavez administration have argued that the government had been combating the illegal drug trade, citing a UN report.
Statistics
External links
- Oficina Nacional Anti-drogas (Venezuela Anti-drug Agency)