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Colombia cuts drugs haul figure | Colombia cuts drugs haul figure |
(10 minutes later) | |
The authorities in Colombia have revised the total of drugs seized in a haul on Monday from around 25 tonnes of cocaine to just over 13 tonnes. | The authorities in Colombia have revised the total of drugs seized in a haul on Monday from around 25 tonnes of cocaine to just over 13 tonnes. |
It was found in 1,000 separate packages near the town of Pizarro, west of the capital, Bogota, buried in an estuary accessible only by sea. | |
Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos had said on Monday the haul was the "biggest in the history of Colombia". | Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos had said on Monday the haul was the "biggest in the history of Colombia". |
The confusion was blamed on errors made in the initial sight count of the drug. | |
The drugs were discovered when the Colombian navy intercepted several speedboats off the Pacific coast near the border with Panama. | The drugs were discovered when the Colombian navy intercepted several speedboats off the Pacific coast near the border with Panama. |
A navy statement said that traffickers usually carry the drugs in packages weighing 20kg-25kg. However, when weighed, the packages in Monday's haul were found to be considerably lighter. The final total was 13.2 tonnes. | |
The haul remains the largest drugs seizure in Colombia so far this year. But in May 2005, 15 tonnes of cocaine was found in jungle near the Pacific coast. | |
Although no-one was arrested after the seizure, the drugs are believed to belong to one of the country's largest drugs cartels, the Norte del Valle group. | Although no-one was arrested after the seizure, the drugs are believed to belong to one of the country's largest drugs cartels, the Norte del Valle group. |
Colombia is the world's largest producer of cocaine, supplying 90% of the drug consumed in the US alone. | Colombia is the world's largest producer of cocaine, supplying 90% of the drug consumed in the US alone. |
President Alvaro Uribe is in Washington for talks on the US-backed Plan Colombia, which provides American money for anti-narcotics and counter-insurgency operations in Colombia. |