Article IV Border Patrol Stops Drug Smuggler, Seizes Meth on I-5

San Clemente, Calif. – Yesterday, U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a suspected smuggler and seized a significant amount of crystal methamphetamine being transported northbound on Interstate 5. At around 11:15 a.m., agents on patrol stopped a Dodge Durango truck near the Avenida Magdalena exit in San Clemente.

The agents interviewed the driver, a 27-year-old male Mexican citizen in possession of a permanent resident alien identification card, living in San Ysdiro, Calif. The agents requested to search the vehicle and were granted permission. A border Patrol K-9 team was summoned to the scene and conducted a cursory inspection of the vehicle.

The Border Patrol K-9 alerted on the vehicle, prompting agents to conduct a physical search. During the search, a total to 12 bundles of crystal methamphetamine were found inside a black duffel bag placed behind the driver’s seat. The driver was arrested for suspicion of drug smuggling. The crystal methamphetamine weighed nearly 15.4 pounds with an estimated street value of $356,000. The suspected smuggler and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration; the vehicle was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.

Task 1. Read the article.

Task 2. Answer the following questions:

1. Who arrested a suspected smuggler?

2. What was seized?

3. Who was the drug carrier?

4. What team was summoned to the scene?

5. Why was a physical search conducted?

6. Where was the drug found?

7. What was its estimated value?

8. Where were the smuggler and narcotics turned over to?

Task 3. Find the expressions in the article that mean:

1. someone who is thought to be guilty of a crime

2. to take legal possession of some illegal things

3. vehicle

4. not a legal citizen

5. done very quickly without much attention to details

6. warning about possible danger

Task 4. Describe the situation on behalf of the smuggler and the Border Patrol agents.

Article V Siemens Managers Admit Bribing Russian Officials

The Moscow Times

Representatives of German electronics and engineering group Siemens arrested in a bribe scandal have confessed to bribing Russian telecoms companies and authorities to win lucrative contracts, Vedomosti reported Monday, citing German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.

One of the two former executives questioned by prosecutors last week said he was personally involved in paying Russians for services disguised as consulting fees. The sums were bribes meant to ease winning orders, Vedomosti said.

The other suspect, who was for many years in charge of sales in the CIS, also gave “exhaustive evidence” to prosecutors, the newspaper said.

According to the suspects, Siemens spent close to 10 million euros ($13.4 million) per year on bribes and kickbacks in the CIS, adding that most of the money went to greasing the palms of officials and even members of the intelligence services.

Siemens’ Munich office confirmed that two current and former managers of the company had been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation, Vedomosti reported.

Employees at Siemens office in Moscow declined to comment Monday.

The German investigation started in November last year, when prosecutors raided the offices and homes of a number of Siemens employees amid suspicions of creating slush funds used in bribing to obtain contracts abroad. Siemens reported revenues of more than 1.6 billion euros ($2.1 billion) in Russia last year.

Task 1. Read the articles and answer the following questions.

1. Who was arrested in a bribe scandal?

2. What have they confessed?

3. How were bribes disguised?

4. How much money did the company spend on bribes in the CIS?

5. Who was the money usually paid to?

6. Where did the investigation start?

Task 2. Find the expressions in the article that mean:

1. to admit that you have done something wrong

2. money or gift illegally given to someone to persuade them to do something for you

3. to change something so that people cannot recognize it

4. an amount of money paid to a professional for the work done

5. to make a process go on smoothly

6. money paid secretly and dishonestly in return for someone’s help

7. to give someone money in a secret or dishonest way in order to persuade them to do something

8. a special fund kept for dishonest purposes

Task 3. Match 1-8 to a)-h) to form partnerships from the article.

1. bribe a) executives

2. lucrative b) evidence

3. former c) manager

4. consulting d) investigation

5. exhaustive e) fund

6. current f) scandal

7. ongoing g) fees

8) slush h) contracts

Task 4. Match each verb 1-6 to the expressions a) – f) from the article.

1. to confess a) winning orders

2. to win b) close to $13.4 million per year on bribes and kickbacks in the CIS

3. to ease c) to bribing Russian telecoms companies and authorities

4. to spend d) the offices and homes of Siemens employees

5. to raid e) lucrative contracts

6. to create f) slush funds

Task 5. Comment on the situation.