DATE=4/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-229398
TITLE=LATAM DRUGS (S&L)
BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   POLICE IN THE UNITED STATES AND FOUR LATIN AMERICAN 
COUNTRIES HAVE BROKEN UP A MULTINATIONAL NETWORK THAT SOLD 
COCAINE AND HEROIN THROUGH NEW YORK.  V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT 
GEORGE MEEK IN OUR SOUTH AMERICA BUREAU REPORTS THAT MOST OF THE 
24 ARRESTS WERE IN COLOMBIA.

TEXT:  COLOMBIA'S NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF, GENERAL ROSSO JOSE 
SERRANO, CALLS "OPERATION PELICAN" ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT 
STRIKES AGAINST NARCOTICS SMUGGLING IN RECENT YEARS. HE ANNOUNCED
WEDNESDAY THAT POLICE ARRESTED 17 COLOMBIANS ON MONDAY IN THE 
SOUTHWESTERN CITY OF CALI, WHILE TWO SUSPECTS WERE ARRESTED IN 
NEW YORK, TWO IN CHILE, AND THREE IN MEXICO. POLICE IN GUATEMALA 
COOPERATED IN BREAKING UP THE RING.

GENERAL SERRANO SAYS THE CARTEL HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HE
SAYS THE COLOMBIANS WHO WERE ARRESTED ARE LIKELY TO BE EXTRADITED
TO THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT LAST YEAR
ENDED THE BAN ON EXTRADITION OF COLOMBIAN CITIZENS.

                 /// REST OPTIONAL FOR LONG VERSION ///

AUTHORITIES SAY THE CARTEL WAS LED BY TWO BROTHERS -- JULIO CESAR
AND MARCO ANTONIO RAMIREZ VEZ -- WHO MASTERMINDED SHIPMENTS OF 
DRUGS TO NEW YORK BY EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS THROUGH CHILE, CENTRAL 
AMERICA, AND MEXICO.

IN THE RAID ON THE CARTEL'S HEADQUARTERS IN CALI, POLICE SEIZED 
WEAPONS, COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, JEWELRY, CURRENCY, AND GOLD 
BARS.

AT THE END OF FEBRUARY THE UNITED STATES SAID IN ITS ANNUAL 
CERTIFICATION PROCESS THAT COLOMBIA IS STILL  NOT  COOPERATING 
FULLY IN THE DRUG WAR. HOWEVER, THE UNITED STATES GRANTED 
COLOMBIA A WAIVER IN THE U-S NATIONAL INTEREST, WHICH AVERTED 
APPLICATION OF SANCTIONS.  THE U-S REPORT PRAISED COLOMBIA'S 
ANTI-DRUG POLICE, BUT CRITICIZED THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT 
ERNESTO SAMPER FOR NOT DOING MORE. THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT 
REJECTED THIS CRITICISM.

THE LEADERS OF PRESIDENT SAMPER'S 1994 ELECTION CAMPAIGN ARE 
SERVING PRISON SENTENCES FOR RECEIVING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE 
CALI COCAINE CARTEL, BUT CONGRESS CLEARED THE PRESIDENT. HIS TERM
ENDS IN AUGUST.(SIGNED)



NEB/GM/WDC/PT

08-Apr-98 5:04 PM EDT (2104 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.