
Why illegal gold mining is overtaking cocaine as the drug of choice for traffickers in Latin America
CNN
Cocaine and gold: It’s a toxic combination that is enriching criminal gangs and corrupt officials across the region, as the price of gold touches new highs on world markets.

In Venezuela, daily routines seem undisturbed: children attending school, adults going to work, vendors opening their businesses. But beneath this facade lurks anxiety, fear, and frustration, with some even taking preventative measures against a possible attack amid the tension between the United States and Venezuela.

The alleged drug traffickers killed by the US military in a strike on September 2 were heading to link up with another, larger vessel that was bound for Suriname — a small South American country east of Venezuela – the admiral who oversaw the operation told lawmakers on Thursday according to two sources with direct knowledge of his remarks.











