Anthony Albanese and Angus Taylor are finalizing a deal to limit gambling inducements and strengthen anti-gambling legislation in Australia, following recent controversies and parliamentary negotiations.
Staff at Penal Colony No. 17 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, intercepted a cat attempting to smuggle banned substances in two fabric collars for inmates. The Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) confirmed the cat was caught, its collars removed, and the narcotics verified by a sniffer dog before the animal was released unharmed.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that Assam is a crucial transit point for illegal drugs originating from Myanmar, often transported by women and children. He highlighted improved intelligence sharing among northeastern states and West Bengal, with the Union Home Ministry supporting drug destruction efforts.
US and China authorities announced the arrest in China of alleged drug smuggler Wei Gong, wanted in the US for importing drugs into Georgia. The cooperation highlights growing ties post-Trump-Xi summit.
A BBC undercover investigation has revealed that mini-marts across four West Midlands towns are openly selling cocaine, cannabis, nitrous oxide and prescription drugs. Researchers were able to purchase illegal substances from shops in Cradley Heath, Dudley, Lye and Brierley Hill, with one law enforcement source describing one street as 'lawless'. The NCA and Trading Standards Institute confirm organised criminal gangs are exploiting shopfronts nationwide, with drugs found in over 70 shops across the UK.
South Korea's customs authorities seized 657 kg of illegal drugs from Cambodia and Thailand in Q1 2025 during joint crackdown operations. The narcotics, including methamphetamine, marijuana and etomidate, could supply approximately 1.8 million people. The operation with Thai authorities, dubbed TRIDENT, resulted in the highest seizure for a single crackdown since 2022.
