Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Bacchus4.0

(6,837 posts)
Sun Jan 5, 2014, 10:30 PM Jan 2014

FARC controls 60 percent of drug trade - Colombia's police chief

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/04/22/uk-colombia-rebels-police-idUKBRE93L18Y20130422


(Reuters) - Colombia's FARC rebels control more than 60 percent of the Andean nation's drug trade, including cocaine trafficking overseas, an activity the armed group has denied during peace talks in Cuba, Colombia's police chief said on Monday.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia earns as much as $1 billion (654 million pounds) a year from the production and sale of cocaine in Colombia and "undoubtedly" is involved in trafficking of the narcotic to international markets, General Jose Roberto Leon, head of the national police force, told Reuters.

"We have information found on computers after operations that have captured or killed FARC leaders, and it's involvement in drug trafficking is evident," Leon, 52, said in an interview at his Bogota office.

The FARC, as the group is known, has acknowledged funding its war against the government with the cultivation of coca - the raw material that goes to make cocaine - but has vehemently rejected accusations it trades with overseas buyers or arranges shipment of cocaine to the United States and Europe.

-----------------
So the government says that the FARC is responsible for most of the drug trafficking and not paramilitaries.

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Latin America»FARC controls 60 percent ...