Journalist Eligio Rojas published in Últimas Noticias a report of anti-narcotics operations carried out by Venezuelan authorities in the first five months of 2021, with figures obtained from the National Anti-Drug Superintendence (SNA).
According to the report, the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) carried out 23 military operations against drug trafficking groups so far this year. The report is directly quoted here:
- In anti-drug operations during January-May, eight clandestine airstrips and 29 laboratories were destroyed, and two heads of organizations dedicated to illicit drug trafficking were captured. In addition, 41,923,650 kilos of chemicals used in drug processing were seized.
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- Between January and May, the FANB seized 18,198,299 kilos of assorted drugs, representing an increase of 80.74% over the same period last year. To seize this amount of illegal substances, security agencies carried out 2,005 operations in which 2,821 people were detained. Moreover, four aircraft were recovered, five were immobilized, five were disabled and six more were damaged.
- Among the assets seized in anti-narcotics operations are an aircraft, four boats, four buildings, and 80 vehicles, according to SNA figures.
- Of the 18.1 tons of seized drugs, 9,887 kilos have been incinerated. The drug that was seized in the highest amount was cocaine, with 14,747.329 kilos (81.04%), followed by marijuana, 3,448.303 kilos (18.95%) of which was confiscated.
- The Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) is the component of the FANB that seized the largest amount of drugs in these five months, having recovered 12,999.371 kilos (71.43%) in 779 operations during which 1,187 people were detained. The Bolivarian Navy carried out a single operation in these five months in which it confiscated 4,284 kilos of drugs (23.34%) and detained eight people.
- The Bolivarian National Police (PNB) carried out 341 anti-narcotics operations in which it seized 705 kilos and 163 grams (3.87%) of drugs and detained 452 people. Other security agencies such as the police forces of the states and municipalities and the CICPC managed to seize 245 kilos and 765 grams (1.35%) of drugs in 884 operations and detained 1,174 people.
- The state in which the largest quantity of drugs was seized is Zulia. From January to May this year, a total of 6,422,386 kilos (35.29%) were confiscated in the state. In operations carried out in international waters, 4,248,000 kilos (23.34%) of drugs were captured. In the state of Falcón, 2,031,873 kilos (11.19%) of drugs were seized. The largest single stash was confiscated in that western province on April 24 in the Agua Sala sector of Sucre municipality (La Cruz de Taratara) where 2,204 marijuana bricks, weighing 1,198 kilos and 923 grams in total, were found.
Featured image: In anti-narcotics operations, Venezuelan authorities destroyed 8 clandestine runways and 29 laboratories, and captured 2 drug traffickers. Photo courtesy of Últimas Noticias.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/GMS/SC
