Criminology and Psychology

Six hours, 297 police officers, two provinces and 16 arrests - a mighty blow has been dealt to an international drug smuggling syndicate using South Africa to channel cocaine. And, aside from the haul of drugs, cash, cars, cellphones and pocket diamond scales, the pre-dawn raids netted an unexpected catch: a rogue police sergeant who allegedly used a state vehicle to hide narcotics worth half-a-million rands. Police revealed the spoils of Operation Dintwa (war) - which began at 3am on Friday and lasted six hours - at a press conference yesterday morning.Later in the day, some of those arrested, including the suspected kingpin of the syndicate, began making appearances at court and were due to continue their battle for bail this morning. The recently formed Hawks unit made the announcement, claiming that investigations into the syndicate began in 2007 in the wake of a flood of drugs in Klerksdorp, North West. The community grew impatient after the drugs began finding their way into the

Bruneian man apprehended earlier this year while trying to smuggle nearly a kilogramme of heroin into China has been sentenced to life imprisonment, according to a statement issued by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) yesterdayThe man, whose name the NCB did not disclose, was tried by the Second Intermediate People’s Court of Tianjin.He was detained by Chinese authorities at Binhai International Airport on June 23 after being caught with 995.72 grammes of heroin hidden in the lining of his suitcase. He had arrived from Kuala Lumpur aboard AirAsia flight D72612.The Bruneian is believed to have been enticed into smuggling the drugs by an African man who heads an international drug syndicate, said the NCB.The African man reportedly lures people into becoming “drug mules” by chatting online and sets up meetings in Malaysia between his “contact” and the potential mules.The statement also said that the Australian authorities are continuing their investigation following the arrest of a Brune

Sandra Gregory, a convicted drug smuggler in Thailand, was arrested again after attempting to enter the kingdom through Bangkok Airport. She was first arrested in 1993 when she was caught with 86.9 grammes over heroin inside of her body. She had swallowed a condom full of the drug, but was detected by eagle officials. Gregory was then sentenced later that year to death for drug trafficking, but this was quickly commuted to 25-years in prison because she had admitted the charge. She spent a grueling four and a half years inside a Thai jail before being allowed back to Britain to carry out the rest of her sentence. The king of Thailand then gave her a royal pardon and she was free.This time round Gregory was not arrested for drug smuggling, but for being persona non grata in Thailand. She had spent time in jail for attempting to import drugs into a country that still hands out the death penalty for drug dealers and was then released. She had told friends that she had a valid visa for Tha

Carol Andrea Gilmore, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty to importing more than 200 grams of cannabis resin on November 5. She also admitted possessing the drug with intent to supply. "I would just like to apologise for my actions," the 41-year-old mother-of-two told Magistrates' Court. "I'm deeply sorry. For the sake of my children and my mom, have mercy on me please." According to Crown counsel Maria Sofianos, Gilmore entered the Island on a commercial flight from Toronto, Ontario around 12.10 p.m. She took one piece of luggage off the conveyor belt at LF Wade International Airport, and left. At 2.10 p.m. that day, the Police Drug Unit Office received information in relation to Gilmore, who was staying at the Clear View Suites & Villas in Hamilton Parish. Officers arrived at the guest cottages where they found the defendant at the front desk, asking for calling cards. She proceeded to leave the front desk, at which time officers approached

"family" cross-country trip to visit a sick relative was really a cover for a million-dollar drug-trafficking operation, deputies allege.When the group of four adults and three children were pulled over on I-15 about 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Iron County Sheriff's Deputy Wade Lee thought the driver was intoxicated or tired as he weaved back and forth across a lane. A noticeable smell of marijuana put Lee on alert, especially as all four adults started lighting cigarettes, possibly to mask the smell of drugs, he said."The woman in the passenger seat, she was acting pretty nervous," Lee said. "She mentioned her 2-year-old was sick. It didn't make sense she was lighting up."With consent to search, Lee checked the back of the Chevy sports utility vehicle where he found almost empty saran wrap and tin foil, but the real treasure trove was discovered in the center console.Lee pulled out a kilo of cocaine — more than 2 pounds worth — in the form of a solid b

$30,000 worth of heroin from a vehicle en route to Roanoke from New York City, the Botetourt County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.A sheriff's deputy stopped the vehicle for speeding on Interstate 81 south near mile marker 160, the sheriff said in the release.A state police drug dog was called in and found the heroin stuffed in a spare tire.Chauvin Dwight Bailey, 31, and Sandy Marie Ball, 28, both of Roanoke, are charged with possession of heroin with the intent to distribute and transporting heroin into Virginia with intent to distribute. They are also charged with child endangerment because a 10-year-old was in the car, the news release said. Sheriff's Office Maj. Delbert Dudding did not know what happened to the child in the vehicle, but said that the sheriff's office usually tries to get in touch with family. If family cannot be reached, or cannot take the child, social services is called.Bailey was arrested in Roanoke last month on a charge of possession o

29-year-old Malaysian woman has been charged with importing heroin into Australia by concealing it within buttons.Customs and Border Protection officers stopped the woman at Perth International Airport on Tuesday.Officers became suspicious the woman may have been concealing drugs in her suitcase.They broke open a button from an item of clothing and found white powder, which was confirmed to be heroin.Police say the woman hid half a kilogram of the drug inside 574 buttons which were sewed onto dresses.The maximum penalty for importing this quantity of drugs is 25 year in jail or a $550,000 fine.