COLOMBIA: DOUBLE BLOW TO TRAFFICKING

The head of the Colombian Air Force, General Hector Fabio Velasco, has said
his forces have shot down a light aircraft from Brazil, on a suspected
arms-for-drugs run.

He said the plane was targeted after the pilot failed to respond to
radio-calls.

At the weekend the airforce also intercepted a plane from Guatemala and
forced it to an emergency landing at Cali airport.

The general said the country's air defence system monitored the plane
taking off, and flying to Guatemala where it dropped what appeared to be a
shipment of cocaine before returning to Colombia.