EU and the world

A record batch of cocaine was discovered in the Dominican Republic

A record batch of drugs was seized in the Dominican Republic — 9.5 tons of cocaine hidden in a shipment of bananas that arrived at the port of Santo Domingo. About this informs Reuters.

The National Drug Enforcement Administration found 320 bags containing approximately 9,528 kilograms of cocaine, valued at $250 million.

“Initial investigations show that the container with bananas came from Guatemala. Many unknowns tried to transfer the drugs to another container that was supposed to be sent on a ship to Belgium”, – said Carlos Danvers, head of communications for the National Drug Enforcement Administration.

Organized crime think tank InSight Crime warned that this year’s record seizures signaled the re-emergence of the Caribbean as a key route for drug smuggling from Colombia to Europe.

“As demand grows, traffickers are stepping up efforts to meet it, turning to the Caribbean as an ideal conduit for smuggling cocaine into Europe“, – says InSight Crime.

 

See also  From next year, Ukrainian teachers will receive an additional UAH 1,000 per month to their basic salary. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmygal, summarising the results of the government meeting. From September 2025 the size of this additional payment will be increased to 2000 UAH. "From 1 January 2025 we introduce a monthly “teacher's supplement” to the salary of teachers in the amount of 1000 UAH “per hand”, - said Shmygal. From 1 September next year, this amount will increase to 2000 UAH for each teacher. The decision was made in fulfilment of the President's instruction to support teachers who shape the future of Ukraine. The Ministry of Education specified that from 1 January teachers will receive an additional 1000 UAH ‘on hand’ (1300 UAH before taxation), and from September - 2000 UAH (2600 UAH before taxation). The additional payment will be received by teachers of state and municipal schools, and it will be valid until the end of martial law, with the possibility of extension for the whole year, when it will be cancelled. In order to implement the law ‘On Education’ to increase the salaries of teachers to the level of three minimum wages, we need additional funding of more than 300 billion UAH. The MES recalled that due to budget constraints and the need for international loans, the introduction of this norm is postponed from 2019. On 25 October, President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the government to start a support programme for the population, which provides for a payment of 1000 UAH per person. The programme is planned to be launched from 1 December. On 29 October, Prime Minister Shmygal said that the programme is part of a wider winter support package. Additional measures include winter subsidies matching last year's amounts and an expanded Affordable Medicines Programme. Households heating their homes with wood, coal or other solid fuels will receive a lump-sum allowance of up to UAH 21,000, covering about 500,000 families.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Articles

Back to top button