SUSPECTED DRUGLORD IS SLAIN, POLICE SAY

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO -- Rafael Munoz Talavera, who fought for control of a
drug cartel after he was freed from charges of being the master smuggler
behind the largest cocaine seizure in history, was believed to have been
shot to death Thursday in Ciudad Juarez, authorities said.

Authorities said they would investigate further to be sure of the corpse's
identity. U.S. officials have accused Munoz, 45, of trying to take control
of the Juarez drug cartel after the death of its leader, Amado Carrillo
Fuentes, during plastic surgery in July 1997. In 1989, authorities seized
21 tons of cocaine in Sylmar, Calif., and several traffickers arrested said
Munoz was their leader.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson