PROBE: DOCUMENTARY DEALT IN LIES

LONDON -- 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 newspaper reports inspired the formation of the panel of lawyers and
independent television producers who investigated 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 probably report on them on Sunday's show.

The film showed a drug courier, or 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.

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 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. The panel, though, 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 blamed his researcher, Adriana
Quintana, for the "alleged fakery."

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson