DATE=6/24/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234478
TITLE=CONGRESS - COLOMBIA DRUGS (L)
BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  COLOMBIA -- LONG KNOWN FOR ITS COCAINE CARTELS -- HAS 
SURPASSED SOUTHEAST ASIA AS THE NUMBER-ONE EXPORTER OF HEROIN TO 
THE UNITED STATES.  CORRESPONDENT PAULA WOLFSON REPORTS U-S LAW 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAY IT IS THE RESULT OF AN ALL-OUT CAMPAIGN
BY COLOMBIAN DRUG RINGS TO DOMINATE THE AMERICAN MARKET.

TEXT:  IN THE 1980'S, MOST OF THE HEROIN ENTERING THE UNITED  
STATES CAME FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA.  THESE DAYS, IT IS COMING FROM 
COLOMBIA.

A TOP OFFICIAL WITH THE U-S FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION -- 
THOMAS KNEIR -- SAYS COLOMBIAN DRUG CARTELS ARE SELLING PURER 
HEROIN AT A CHEAPER PRICE.  HE SAYS ITS NO SURPRISE HEROIN USE 
AMONG AMERICAN TEENAGERS IS AT RECORD LEVELS.

                        /// KNEIR ACT ///

         // OPT //  OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT IS 
         THE COMBINATION OF HIGH PURITY AND LOW PRICES 
         CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCREASED HEROIN USE.  // END OPT //
         THE MAJORITY OF HEROIN USERS ARE IN THEIR THIRTIES AND 
         INJECT HEROIN. THE HIGH PURITY LEVELS ALLOW YOUNGER 
         USERS TO BEGIN BY INHALING THE DRUGS.

                         /// END ACT ///

COLOMBIA ACCOUNTS FOR ONLY THREE-PERCENT OF WORLD HEROIN 
PRODUCTION, BUT ACCORDING TO THE U-S DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, 
MORE THAN HALF THE HEROIN SEIZED IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1996 WAS
COLOMBIAN.

THE D-E-A'S DONNIE MARSHALL SAYS WHEN AMERICAN AND THAI AGENTS 
SUCCEEDED IN WEAKENING SOUTHEAST ASIAN DRUG RINGS IN 1994, 
COLOMBIA MOVED IN.

                      /// MARSHALL ACT ///

         I BELIEVE THE DISRUPTIVE EFFECT THAT OPERATION HAD ON 
         THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS CREATED 
         REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COLOMBIANS TO MOVE INTO 
         IT, AND THEY HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT BY VERY 
         AGGRESSIVELY MARKETING THEIR PRODUCT.

                         /// END ACT ///

CONGRESS IS KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON ALL THIS.  NEW YORK 
REPUBLICAN BENJAMIN GILMAN IS CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS COMMITTEE.

                       /// GILMAN ACT ///

         OUR STATE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH.  AND
         THE GEARS FOR CHANGING TO MEET THE NEW THREAT FROM THE 
         OPIUM POPPY IN THE COLOMBIAN ANDES HAVE BEEN STALLED.

                         /// END ACT ///

DURING A HEARING ON THE COLOMBIAN HEROIN CRISIS, MR. GILMAN 
PROMISED HIS COMMITTEE WOULD SUPPORT MORE FUNDING FOR 
COUNTER-NARCOTICS OPERATIONS IN COLOMBIA.  HE ALSO HELD OUT THE 
HOPE THE ELECTION OF A NEW COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT WILL LEAD TO MORE
COOPERATION BETWEEN BOGOTA AND WASHINGTON.

                       /// GILMAN ACT ///

         // OPT //  THE ELECTION HERALDS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR 
         COLOMBIA AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO ABANDON THEIR OLD 
         EXCUSES AND FINGER POINTING. // END OPT // 
         BOTH MUST EXERCISE THE POLITICAL WILL, AND COMMIT THE 
         RESOURCES AND EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH THE 
         DEADLY CHALLENGE THAT ILLICIT DRUGS POSES TO OUR 
         NATIONS.

                         /// END ACT ///

MR. GILMAN SAID HE RECENTLY MET WITH U-S ANTI-NARCOTICS AGENTS 
WORKING AT THE PORT OF MIAMI.  HE SAID THEY USED TERMS LIKE 
"ALARMING" AND "FRIGHTENING" TO DESCRIBE THE THREAT POSED TO THE 
UNITED STATES BY THE GROWING PROBLEM OF COLOMBIAN HEROIN.   
(SIGNED)

NEB/RAE

24-Jun-98 1:30 PM EDT (1730 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.