Venezuela charges 3 men with drug trafficking, LT

[Judi Lynn]

Venezuela charges 3 men with drug trafficking, LT
4/1/2009, 10:15 p.m. EDT
The Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan prosecutors say they have charged two Mexicans and a member of Venezuela's National Guard with presumed involvement in drug trafficking.

Mexicans Carlos Irazabal Martinez and Roberto Avila Gomez were detained on March 28 in Venezuela's central Cojedes state, after landing an airplane on a clandestine runway presumably used to smuggle drugs.

Prosecutors said in a statement that Manuel Alfredo Corona, a lieutenant in Venezuela's National Guard, was also detained.

A local court upheld the detention of the three suspects on Wednesday.

Authorities confiscated the airplane, a vehicle, cellular telephones, $1,000 in cash and bank cards from the suspects. They also confiscated a book with information that is under investigation.

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/international/index.ssf?/base/international-0/123864065243530.xml&storylist=international

[Judi Lynn]

1. Anti-drug efforts are more efficient without the DEA, says Venezuelan VP

Anti-drug efforts are more efficient without the DEA, says Venezuelan VP

Venezuelan Vice-president Ramón Carrizález said Thursday that Venezuela's fight against drug trafficking has been more efficient when efforts have been made without the cooperation of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

"The efficiency of the agreements with the DEA is untrue. Our countries have performed better when their security corps fight hard against drug trafficking," said Carrizález, as quoted by AFP.

"When the DEA operated in Venezuela, they did anything but supporting drug trafficking," the official added.

Venezuela terminated a cooperation agreement with the DEA in 2006 after accusing the US agency of "meddling in internal affairs" and operating "in a criminal way in the Venezuelan territory."

Carrizález said on Thursday that Venezuelan officials have seized twice the amount of drugs since the suspension of the agreement. "Ever since we terminated cooperation with the DEA, between 2005 and 2008, we have seized 250 tons of drugs, that is, we doubled the amount," of drugs seized compared to the previous three years," Carrizález added.

http://english.eluniversal.com/2009/04/02/en_pol_esp_anti-drug-efforts-ar_02A2280971.shtml
opposition newspaper