FBIS4-21171 "jptdd017__l94014"
JPRS-TDD-94-017-L JPRS Narcotics 21 April 1994
LATIN AMERICA REGIONAL AFFAIRS

Narcotics Roundup for 14 April

Narcotics Roundup for 14 April PY1404195794 PY1404195794 BFN [Editorial Report] The following is a compilation of reports on drug seizures and arrests related to drug trafficking monitored through 14 April. Argentina Police personnel on 7 April seized 12 kg of very pure cocaine and arrested Carlos Alberto Olariaga, 40, Angela Moreno, 35, and Beatriz Gomez, 25 in the township of San Lorenzo, Santa Fe Province. (Buenos Aires NOTICIAS ARGENTINAS in Spanish 2217 GMT 8 Apr 94) Federal Police agents seized 5 kg of very pure cocaine and arrested a man at the border checkpoint of the Bolivian township of Pocitos. He is at the disposal of the Salta Province federal judge. (Buenos Aires NOTICIAS ARGENTINAS in Spanish 1949 GMT 11 Apr 94) The Buenos Aires Police arrested four drug traffickers and seized 1.3 kg of very pure cocaine over the past few hours in Villa Pineral and Pablo Nogues Villages in General San Martin Department. The detainees are Jorge Rojas, 30, Ricardo Santillan, 31, Ines Chavez, 63, and Gustavo Souco, 27. (Buenos Aires NOTICIAS ARGENTINAS in Spanish 1314 GMT 12 Apr 94) Bolivia The Special Antinarcotics Force arrested Adela Beatriz Pena Calero and Dardo Moncarda Pardo at Viru Viru airport as they boarded a plane for Buenos Aires. They had 80 and 25 cocaine capsules respectively in their stomachs. (Santa Cruz EL MUNDO in Spanish 25 Mar 94 p 14) The Social Defense Secretariat on 28 March reported that an operation to evaluate all goods seized from drug traffickers has begun in Santa Cruz Department. The operation will continue in Cochabamba, La Paz, and other departments. (Cochabamba LOS TIEMPOS in Spanish 29 Mar 94 p A6) Brazil Within the framework of the Blockade Operation, Amazonas Federal Police agents have arrested a 25-year-old Dutch drug trafficker with 4 kg of cocaine taped to his body. The cocaine had been purchased in Leticia, Colombia. It is worth about 15.7 million real cruzeiros and was being taken to Amsterdam. (Brasilia Voz do Brasil Network in Portuguese 2200 GMT 8 Apr 94) The Nigerian drug trafficking connection is one of the main route to send cocaine from Latin America to Europe and the United States. So far this year 18 Nigerians carrying cocaine were arrested at Cumbica international airport as they boarded the weekly flight to Nigeria. Federal Police Delegate Roberto Precioso Junior said Nigerian organized crime has expanded and is also using other airports. (Rio de Janeiro O GLOBO in Portuguese 11 Apr 94 p 5) The police have learned that drug traffickers are training gangs to assault bullion shipments. The police invaded Jacari slum in Rio de Janeiro. They confiscated an arsenal of submachine guns and grenades, and seized 7 kg of cocaine and 10 kg of marijuana. They arrested 40 individuals, 5 of whom confessed to bullion robbery. The police say the bullion thieves are financed by drug trafficker Jorge Luiz, who controls drug trafficking in Acari, and Robertinho de Lucas, from the Parada de Lucas slum. Traffickers supply the weapons for the thieves, and even lend them trained thieves from the Red Command, most of whom are under 18 years of age. After a robbing, the traffickers hide the thieves inside the slum for 30 percent of the haul. (Rio de Janeiro Rede Globo Television in Portuguese 2300 GMT 13 Apr 94) Paraguay Personnel from the Special Force Command, National Narcotics Directorate, and Capitan Bado-based Border Unit No. 2 destroyed more than 127 metric tonnes of marijuana and arrested seven people during Operation Via Crucis in Amambay Department. (Asuncion NOTICIAS in Spanish 8 Apr 94 p 49) The Antidrug Police have reported that the Ecuadoran Police have offered a 50-million guaranies ransom to anyone reporting the whereabouts of three Ecuadoran drug kingpins who reportedly sought refugee in Paraguay. They are Victor Raul Torres Reyes, Omar A. Hidrovo Velez and Genia Piedad Torres Cuevas. (Asuncion ABC COLOR in Spanish 9 Apr 94 p 71) Peru The Inka Front Army Command has installed an antinarcotics base near the Inapari airport, Tahuamanu Province. The towns of Inapari and Santa Rosa de Fatima are the new drug centers for Peruvian and foreign ``firms'' that send washed cocaine paste to Colombia. (Lima EL COMERCIO in Spanish 30 Mar 94 p A13) Army personnel on 30 Mar destroyed a clandestine airstrip near the township of Quempire in Satipo Province. It was used by Colombian drug traffickers to transport cocaine bought in this zone to Colombia. (Lima EL PERUANO in Spanish 31 Mar 94 p A3) Antidrug Division personnel on 26 March seized sophisticated equipment and more than 150 kg of cocaine paste, and destroyed two cocaine processing laboratories and chemicals in Tingo Maria, Huallaga Province, San Martin Department. (Lima EXPRESO in Spanish 31 Mar 94 p A14) Antidrug Police personnel on 30 March arrested former National Police Captain Luis Arce Santillan, retired, and Iris Mendoza Porras, and seized 3.6 kg of very pure cocaine paste during a raid in Chilca District, Huancayo Province. (Lima LA REPUBLICA in Spanish 1 Apr 94 p 12) Army personnel have arrested nine drug traffickers and destroyed a clandestine airstrip and two cocaine processing laboratories in the townships of Cajonari and Lorencillo, in the jungle province of Oxapampa. (Madrid EFE in Spanish 2147 GMT 10 Apr 94)