Transnational Organized Crime

What? The State Department designated Chone Killers — a splinter faction of the already-designated Los Choneros that has carried out assassinations of Ecuadorian officials and law-enforcement officers — as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist on July 1. The move, part of a broader Trump administration campaign against Latin American organized crime, was welcomed by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa's government.

What? Northern Greece's organized-crime unit intercepted a shipment of 50 serial-number-free semi-automatic pistols and 49 magazines, vacuum-sealed in luggage, in a Wednesday-evening sting on freight corridors through the Evros border region. Two Turkish nationals were arrested; authorities say the weapons were destined for Turkish organized-crime networks operating in Greece — the third such ghost-gun interception in the area since October 2025.

What? Ireland's Criminal Assets Bureau, working with Europol's European Cybercrime Centre, confirmed July 2 it recovered a third 500-BTC batch (~$30–90M, depending on valuation) tied to convicted cannabis trafficker Clifton Collins, whose 6,000-BTC drug-proceeds stash — split across a dozen wallets — was long thought unrecoverable. Nine of twelve original wallets, worth well over $275M at current prices, remain untouched.

What? Border Patrol agents near Presidio, Texas were warned of a Sinaloa Cartel faction using drones to ferry explosives across the border for use against rival cartels inside Mexico, an escalation from the reconnaissance-only drone use previously documented in the area. The warning followed the arrest of two Mexican nationals carrying rifles who described themselves as cartel scouts. Single-source reporting.

What? Liberian National Police interdicted the shipment at the country's main international gateway.

What? Thai Prime Minister Anutin ordered an urgent crackdown on drug trafficking through Thai airports after a string of cases linked smugglers to Australia-bound routes, including heroin concealed in impregnated cotton seat covers staged for export from Phrae province.

What? Australian Border Force found the cocaine hidden in a frozen-berry consignment imported from Chile.

What? Bangladesh Customs recovered the bars at the country's main international airport.

What? On June 30 the U.S. Treasury sanctioned a fuel-smuggling network tied to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) — described as the cartel's biggest income source after drugs. Fuel moves via tanker trucks, railcars, and "shadow fleets of maritime vessels," using front companies, false invoices, and misclassified customs documentation to evade Mexican import taxes.

What? Hong Kong authorities recovered the haul in a raid on a yacht in the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter — believed to be part of one trafficking syndicate's batch — and arrested the vessel's registered owner.