PROBE FINDS DRUG DOCUMENTARY A FAKE

LONDON (AP) A prize-winning British television documentary about drug
running from Colombia which was shown around the world, was a fake, an
investigation has concluded.

Makers of "The Connection," parts of which were aired on the CBS program "60
Minutes," paid actors to portray drugs 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 report by a panel of lawyers and independent TV producers was released
at the weekend.

The Independent Television Commission, the regulatory body for ITV, said the
report was "thorough."

In a statement, the commission said the report "points clearly to the fact
that the program was, in important respects, in breach of the ITC's Program
Code."

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

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

The film showed 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 "mule" 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 drug loader, the panel said.

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

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.

"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," de
Beaufort said in a statement.

He called the conclusion about the actors "untenable," and blamed his
researcher, Adriana Quintana, for the "alleged fakery."

Checked-by: Don Beck