Massive cocaine bust in Colombia
- 13 years ago
Colombian authorities found a cocaine lab in the jungles of Meta province on Thursday.
They swooped in and seized an estimated $30 million U.S. dollars worth of cocaine and cocaine paste.
It is the biggest drug bust so far this year.
Intelligence officials said the lab belonged to rebel group, Colombia's Anti-Subversive Popular Revolutionary Army.
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GENERAL LUIS ALBERTO PEREZ, DIRECTOR OF THE COLOMBIAN ANTI-NARCOTICS POLICE, SAYING:
"What we have found here is the most complete structure for the processing of narcotics in the country this year. It had the capacity to produce between 500 and 800 kilograms (1100 to 1760 pounds) of cocaine chlorine hydrate per week. Among other things, we have found six tonnes of cocaine from which five were cocaine chlorine hydrate and one cocaine base. We have also found 120 tonnes of raw material good for the processing narcotics."
The area was well-stocked with food and police estimated it could sustain 40 men for a month.
Police guarded the cocaine and had to fire warning shots at one point when unidentified people approached.
Colombia remains the world's No. 1 cocaine producer, and authorities say multiple illegal armed groups are engaged in the drug trade.
Sophia Soo, Reuters.
They swooped in and seized an estimated $30 million U.S. dollars worth of cocaine and cocaine paste.
It is the biggest drug bust so far this year.
Intelligence officials said the lab belonged to rebel group, Colombia's Anti-Subversive Popular Revolutionary Army.
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GENERAL LUIS ALBERTO PEREZ, DIRECTOR OF THE COLOMBIAN ANTI-NARCOTICS POLICE, SAYING:
"What we have found here is the most complete structure for the processing of narcotics in the country this year. It had the capacity to produce between 500 and 800 kilograms (1100 to 1760 pounds) of cocaine chlorine hydrate per week. Among other things, we have found six tonnes of cocaine from which five were cocaine chlorine hydrate and one cocaine base. We have also found 120 tonnes of raw material good for the processing narcotics."
The area was well-stocked with food and police estimated it could sustain 40 men for a month.
Police guarded the cocaine and had to fire warning shots at one point when unidentified people approached.
Colombia remains the world's No. 1 cocaine producer, and authorities say multiple illegal armed groups are engaged in the drug trade.
Sophia Soo, Reuters.