What’s in a name? Mexican drug traffickers sport flashy, sometimes goofy, nicknames

MEXICO CITY — Edgar Valdez Villarreal is believed to be the chief hit man for one of Mexico’s most brutal drug cartels. His nickname? “Barbie.”

LA police, DEA raid Michael Jackson doctor’s clinic in Houston

HOUSTON — Los Angeles police and federal drug agents searched the Houston clinic of Michael Jackson’s doctor Wednesday, while investigators in California sought more information from him.

Mexican authorities arrest 4 men accused of slaying 12 federal agents in drug-plagued state

MEXICO CITY — Police have captured four men accused of slaying 12 federal agents and dumping their bloodied bodies along a highway in President Felipe Calderon’s home state of Michoacan, federal authorities said Wednesday.

Federal drug agents raid Michael Jackson doctor’s clinic in Houston

HOUSTON — Los Angeles police and federal drug agents searched the Houston clinic of Michael Jackson’s doctor Wednesday, even as investigators in California sought more information from him.

Report: DEA raids Jackson doctor’s Houston clinic

HOUSTON — Federal drug agents searched the Houston clinic of Michael Jackson’s doctor Wednesday, according to a news report, even as investigators in California sought more information from the man.

AP sources: US mulls payoffs to wean Afghan farmers off poppy crop

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is considering whether to pay off Afghan farmers to stop them from growing heroin poppies on contract for the Taliban, senior officials said Tuesday.

Venezuela: US claim that drug trafficking on rise another blow to normalizing relations

CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez’s government criticized a U.S. congressional report on drug trafficking in Venezuela, saying Tuesday that relations cannot be normalized as long as Washington keeps passing judgment on the nation’s internal affairs.

AP IMPACT: From Andes to Argentina, Mexican drug cartels expand, operate in 47 countries

GUATEMALA CITY — Guatemalan drug boss Juan Jose “Juancho” Leon was summoned by Mexican traffickers for what he was told was business. Instead, dozens of attackers ambushed his entourage with grenades and assault rifles, killing Leon and 10 others in a brazen demonstration of power.

Witness claims DC mother accused of killing daughters let kids, ages 3 and 4, smoke marijuana

WASHINGTON — A witness in the trial of a woman accused of killing her four daughters says the parents allowed two of the girls to smoke marijuana at the ages of 3 and 4.

Colorado health board nixes change to medical marijuana use

DENVER — Colorado’s state health board has rejected a move to limit suppliers of medical marijuana to helping only five patients at a time.

Mexican police arrest alleged drug trafficker carrying drugs, jewelry and $3.6M in cash

TIJUANA, Mexico — Mexican soldiers have arrested a suspected drug trafficker in the border city of Tijuana who was carrying jewelry, narcotics and $3.6 million in cash.

US congressional report charges corruption in Venezuela allows drug trafficking to flourish

CARACAS, Venezuela — A U.S. congressional report on drug trafficking in Venezuela charges that corruption within the government and military has led to a permissive environment that allows smuggling to flourish.

US files new charges in drug war, offers $50M in rewards for capture of Mexican cartel leaders

NEW YORK — The Department of State offered up to $50 million Monday for information leading to the arrests of 10 top Mexican drug suspects accused of key roles in a violent organization estimated to have sold more than $1 billion worth of drugs in the United States.

US files new charges _ and offers rewards _ for Mexican cartel leaders

WASHINGTON — The US government has filed new charges against top Mexican drug suspects and offered a total of $50 million in rewards for their capture.

Mexico detains 10 police officers in federal agents’ killings, charges ex-mayor with drug ties

MEXICO CITY — Mexican investigators have detained 10 police officers in the torture and killings of 12 federal agents whose bodies were found dumped along a highway in western Michoacan state.

California sprouts marijuana ‘green rush’ amid calls for legalization, taxation

SAN FRANCISCO — A drug deal plays out, California-style:

Far from Mexico, investigators fight major cocaine operation in the heartland

WATERTOWN, Wis. — In this Midwestern town 1,500 miles from Mexico, in a place that proudly proclaims itself the birthplace of kindergarten, Coco the cocaine kingpin flourished.

Mexico pours federal police, army into western state after 20 killed in cartel attacks

MEXICO CITY — Mexico on Thursday ordered 5,500 federal police, soldiers and navy personnel to move into a gang-plagued western state following a cartel’s slaying of 20 officers and troops in one of the boldest revenge attacks ever mounted against the government.

Colombia extradites to US rebel jailer of 3 Americans, Betancourt

BOGOTA — Colombian authorities extradited to the United States on Thursday a rebel “jailer” captured in last year’s storybook rescue of three U.S. military contractors and ex-presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt.

Police: Woman warned not to disturb ‘alligator’ instead finds marijuana lab in Pa. home

DARBY, Pa. — Police said a woman defied a warning not to venture onto the second floor of a Philadelphia-area house because an alligator was kept there, and uncovered an operating marijuana lab. She tipped police, who searched the house in Darby, just west of Philadelphia.

Mexico boosts federal police in western state after drug cartel kills 20 federal forces

MEXICO CITY — Mexico on Thursday quadrupled the number of federal police in a gang-plagued western state following a cartel’s slaying of 20 officers and troops in one of the boldest revenge attacks ever mounted against the government.

Mexico says no deal with cartels after man calling himself drug lord calls TV show

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican government is vowing never to cut deals with drug traffickers after a man claiming to be the leader of a violent cartel called a television station to suggest a pact.

Mexian drug cartel seeks vengeance against federal forces, escalating violent drug war

MEXICO CITY — It was the boldest, most widespread coordinated offensive ever mounted by drug traffickers against the Mexican government.

California tax officials estimate marijuana legalization would bring in nearly $1.4 billion

SAN FRANCISCO — A bill to tax and regulate marijuana in California like alcohol would generate nearly $1.4 billion in revenue for the cash-strapped state, according to an official analysis released Wednesday by tax officials.

Ex-NFL running back Travis Henry gets 3 years in federal prison for cocaine trafficking

BILLINGS, Mont. — A federal judge Wednesday sentenced former NFL player Travis Henry to three years in prison for financing a drug ring that moved cocaine between Colorado and Montana.

Mexican governor asks brother accused of drug links to turn himself in

MEXICO CITY — The governor of the western Mexican state of Michoacan is asking his half brother to turn himself in to authorities investigating him for alleged links to drug traffickers.

Merck, Schering to pay $5.4M to resolve probes by 35 states into cholesterol drug studies

NEW YORK — Drugmakers Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp. said Wednesday they will pay $5.4 million to settle a multistate investigation that the companies delayed the release of test results casting doubt on the effectiveness of two blockbuster cholesterol drugs.

State officials seek change in federal law to control growing cell phone use by prison immates

WASHINGTON — State officials appealed to members of Congress on Wednesday to give states a new tool to control illegal cell phone use by prison inmates and quickly ran into protests from the phone industry.

Indianapolis Arby’s employee alerts police to alleged pot smokers in drive-through line

INDIANAPOLIS — Police have arrested a couple allegedly caught smoking marijuana while waiting in the drive-through line at an Arby’s restaurant with their 1-year-old in the back seat. A restaurant employee noticed the aroma late Friday and called 911, then had the couple wait for their order of chicken as police sped to the scene.

Official identifies 12 slain in Western Mexico as off-duty federal agents

MORELIA, Mexico — Twelve people tortured and killed in a cartel-plagued Mexican state were federal agents investigating organized crime, the government said Tuesday, marking one of the boldest attacks on federal forces since President Felipe Calderon launched his war on drugs.