CUBAN ROLE IN DRUG TRADE IS SUBJECT OF INVESTIGATION

Suspected cocaine trafficking routes lightly patrolled

WASHINGTON-- The State Department and the CIA are looking into a possible
Cuban connection in the U.S. drug trade, with water and airspace lightly
patrolled by Fidel Castro's government offering a tempting route for
Colombian drugs.

Hours after the Senate voted earlier this month to ease restrictions on the
sale of food and medicine to Cuba, anti-Castro Republicans scored a victory
in their quest to focus a spotlight on use of Cuban waters by drug barons.

They convinced the Clinton administration to look into an abortive cocaine
shipment intended to go through Cuban waters last December. There is no
suggestion the Cuban government itself was involved with the shipment.

Cuba has vowed to pursue the drug war vigorously. Three weeks ago, Castro
even invited the United States to join him in an anti-drug campaign so the
two countries could become "one of the greatest alliances against drug
trafficking."

Gen. Barry McCaffrey, director of the Office of National Drug Control
Policy, acknowledges that traffickers have been making increased use of
Cuban airspace and territorial waters. But, he notes, Cuba maintains it does
not have the resources to patrol these large areas, especially territorial
waters.

"There is no conclusive evidence to indicate that Cuban leadership is
currently involved in this criminal activity," McCaffrey says.

Castro's detractors object even to the limited U.S.-Cuban anti-drug
cooperation now in place, saying the evidence suggests an official Cuban
role in supporting drug trafficking.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said it is preposterous for the administration to
give Castro credibility on the drug issue, contending the Cuban leader is
notorious for helping drug traffickers. Similar objections were raised by
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who, like Ros-Lehtinen, is a Cuban-born South
Florida Republican.

Impetus for the inquiry into a Cuban drug connection came with a House
committee report on the seizure of a 7.5-ton cocaine shipment by Colombia's
narcotics police.

According to the report, a senior Drug Enforcement Administration official
told investigators that "in all likelihood the Dec. 3 shipment of cocaine to
Cuba was eventually meant to transit through Mexico and on to the U.S."

Cuba says the shipment was earmarked for Spain. The State Department
initially agreed but now is not so sure.

Earlier in August, on the day after the Senate vote on easing the embargo,
the State Department asked the CIA to "conduct an all-source review of
intelligence community and law enforcement community data to shed further
light on the ultimate destination of this shipment."

A CIA finding that the shipment was intended to reach U.S. markets after
passing through Cuban waters could lead to Cuba's placement on the so-called
"Major's List" of drug trafficking countries.

Castro's opponents in Congress are pushing for the State Department to apply
that designation to Cuba. That would subject Cuba, like Colombia and Mexico,
to a State Department evaluation of its anti-drug performance each year.

Countries found to have lax counter-drug programs can be subject to
sanctions. Such a finding would have no impact on Cuba, which is already
under comprehensive sanctions.