U.S. CUSTOMS SMASHES COLOMBIAN HEROIN SMUGGLING RING

Original Source: Washington Post

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Customs Service broke up a Colombian heroin
smuggling ring Wednesday that was described as the largest ever detected in
the Caribbean, arresting 25 people and seizing $20 million from banks in
nine countries.

The arrests were carried out without incident at about 2 a.m. Wednesday in
Puerto Rico after a yearlong undercover operation, according to customs
officials. Five fugitives from the operation remain at large. About 400
pounds of heroin were seized.

U.S. officials have grown increasingly concerned about the spread of
Colombian heroin because of its unusually high purity. The high purity
makes it more addictive and easier to use than the more adulterated heroin
trafficked by other nations' cartels. It also means it can be smoked or
inhaled, which authorities and public health officials fear will make it
more attractive to would-be users who were repulsed by the necessity of
injecting heroin intravenously.

In 1997, the Drug Enforcement Administration found that more than 60
percent of the heroin seized in the United States originated in Colombia, a
relatively new development that shows how Colombian drug organizations,
traditionally the primary suppliers of cocaine to the United States and
Europe, have diversified. Colombian criminal organizations provide about 80
percent of the world's cocaine.

Customs Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the organization used an elaborate
network of people carrying small amounts of heroin -- either hidden on
their body or swallowing in condoms -- to move the drug to Puerto Rico.
From there, larger loads were assembled and shipped to distributors along
the East Coast.

Law enforcement officials said the Colombian distributors are operating in
conjunction with gangs from the Dominican Republic to distribute heroin and
cocaine in major East Coast cities.

In addition to the arrests and seizures, bank accounts belonging to the
suspected drug traffickers were frozen in Canada, Italy, Spain, Japan,
Korea, Britain and Argentina, customs officials said. Much of the money
generated by the sales was also shipped in bulk back to Puerto Rico, then
moved back to Colombia by wire transfers.

Customs officials identified the leader of the organization as Jesus Saenz
Blanco, 33, a Miami resident and native of Colombia. The person suspected
of being in charge of the money-laundering operation, Roberto Angelo Pozzo,
remained at large and is the owner of Multipix Inc., a Puerto Rican wire
remitting service.

c Copyright 1998 Washington Post. All rights reserved.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski