UK DRUG DOCUMENTARY FOUND FAKE

LONDON (AP) A prize-winning British documentary broadcast on the
CBS program "60 Minutes" about drug running from Colombia was a fake,
an investigation has concluded.

Makers of "The Connection" paid actors to portray drug dealers, faked
locations, and falsely claimed there was a new heroin route from
Colombia to Britain, the investigation found, London's Guardian
newspaper reported Saturday.

The documentary, made by a British production company, Carlton
Communications, for the British network Independent Television, was
investigated after The Guardian challenged its authenticity in a
series of articles in May.

The newpaper reports inspired Carlton to form an independent panel of
lawyers and TV producers to investigate the program. The panel's
report was released over the weekend.

The Guardian said Carlton Communications broadcasting director Nigel
Walmsley is returning eight national and international awards won by
the documentary.

"We are refunding overseas broadcasters who bought 'The Connection,"'
The Guardian quoted Walmsley as saying.

Steve Kroft anchored the "60 Minutes" report that aired parts of the
documentary in June 1997.

"60 Minutes" spokesman Kevin Tedesco said the program had made viewers
aware of the initial allegations in May. He said the program was
analyzing the latest claims, and would likely report on them during
the show on Dec. 13.

The film showed a courier, or a drug "mule," purportedly carrying
millions of dollars worth of heroin to London for Colombia's Cali
drug cartel.

The inquiry panel said there was no evidence the person was carrying
heroin "rather than sugar, flour or mints."

A man interviewed with his face covered and described as the financial
controller of the Cali Cartel was an actor as were the "mule" and
another key character, the panel said.

One interview that was purported to take place in a jungle hideout
with a drug baron actually took place in the hotel room of producer
Marc de Beaufort, the panel said.

The panel concluded that only de Beaufort, a cameraman and a
researcher could have known of most of the fakery.

But the panel said it could not determine whether de Beaufort knew of
all the false elements in the program.

De Beaufort issued a statement in which he called the conclusion about
the actors "untenable," and blamed his researcher, Adriana Quintana,
for the "alleged fakery."

"The inquiry is obviously entitled to its own conclusions, yet I find
it hard to believe the characters in the film were acting their
parts," he said.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry