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Dramatic video shows Mexico Navy seize 7.2 tons of suspected cocaine in high-speed chases in Pacific
Mexican authorities seized more than seven tons of suspected cocaine in two separate raids in the Pacific Ocean, the country’s navy said, and dramatic video captured the high-speed chases on the open sea.
In the first operation, footage from a Panther helicopter provided by the navy showed a boat chase southwest of the city of Manzanillo. Naval officers aboard a patrol vessel intercepted three speedboats, the navy said in a Friday news release. Authorities seized 126 packages containing 5.6 tons of suspected cocaine, marking the largest drug seizure of the current administration. The navy said 15 suspects were arrested and over 1,000 liters of fuel was confiscated.
In a second operation, naval patrol boats and a helicopter retrieved 32 packages floating in the water, which contained suspected cocaine weighing about 1.6 tons. A small speedboat with three outboard motors was also confiscated. That raid was carried out near the coastal city of Lazaro Cardenas in the Michoacan state, a region plagued by cartel violence.
The navy released several images after the raids on social media, showing dozens of wrapped packages laid out on a patrol vessel next to officers and a helicopter.
Officials said Monday that an attack that left seven community police members dead in Michoacan over the weekend was related to battles by cartels vying for control of the coastal area, which is a key landing spot for cocaine shipments delivered by sea.
The cocaine seizures in the Pacific Ocean come about a year after a semi-submersible vessel — or so-called narco sub — carrying more than 7,000 pounds of suspected cocaine was intercepted off the coast of Mexico after a dramatic high-speed chase. At the time, the Mexican Navy posted a video on Facebook showing an aerial view of the semi-submersible being chased by ships and a helicopter before finally being intercepted.
More than half of the cocaine found in the world is produced in Colombia.
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Tupperware files for bankruptcy amid slumping sales
Tupperware and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the once-iconic food container maker said in a statement late Tuesday.
The company has suffered from dwindling sales following a surprise surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, when legions of people stuck at home tried their hands at cooking, which increased demand for Tupperware’s colorful plastic containers with flexible airtight seals.
A post-pandemic rise in costs of raw materials and shipping, along with higher wages, also hurt Tupperware’s bottom line.
Last year, it warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating in light of its poor financial position.
“Over the last several years, the Company’s financial position has been severely impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment,” president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman said in a statement announcing the bankruptcy filing.
“As a result, we explored numerous strategic options and determined this is the best path forward,” Goldman said.
The company said it would seek court approval for a sale process for the business to protect its brand and “further advance Tupperware’s transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company.”
The Orlando, Florida-based firm said it would also seek approval to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and would continue to pay its employees and suppliers.
“We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process,” Goldman said.
The firm’s shares were trading at $0.5099 Monday, well down from $2.55 in December last year.
Tupperware said it had implemented a strategic plan to modernize its operations and drive efficiencies to ignite growth following the appointment of a new management team last year.
“The Company has made significant progress and intends to continue this important transformation work.”
In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Tupperware listed assets of between $500 million and $1 billion and liabilities of between $1 billion and $10 billion.
The filing also said it had between 50,000 and 100,000 creditors.
Tupperware lost popularity with consumers in recent years and an initiative to gain distribution through big-box chain Target failed to reverse its fortunes.
The company’s roots date to 1946, when chemist Earl Tupper “had a spark of inspiration while creating molds at a plastics factory shortly after the Great Depression,” according to Tupperware’s website.
“If he could design an airtight seal for plastic storage containers, like those on a paint can, he could help war-weary families save money on costly food waste.”
Over time, Tupper’s containers became popular that many people referred to any plastic food container as Tupperware. And people even threw “Tupperware parties” in their homes to sell the containers to friends and neighbors.
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JD Vance echoes Trump, blames Democrats for apparent assassination attempt
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