- Title: PERU: Almost five tons of cocaine and other drugs go up in smoke
- Date: 9th January 2010
- Summary: LIMA, PERU (JANUARY 8, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NARCOTICS POLICE TRANSPORTING 4.5 TONNES (4.9 TONS) OF COCAINE TO BE INCINERATED NARCOTICS POLICE GUARDING DRUGS MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, OCTAVIO SALAZAR, OVERSEEING TEST OF COCAINE'S PURITY CLOSE-UP OF DRUG PURITY TEST SALAZAR ANALYZING THE DRUG THE COCAINE BEING WEIGHED CLOSE-UP OF THE WEIGHT ON THE SCALE THE DRUG
- Embargoed: 24th January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Peru
- Country: Peru
- Reuters ID: LVAA1YKGDI3LETT3LU5O9QGAQ4EF
- Story Text: Peruvian National Police incinerated almost 5 tons of cocaine and other drugs in Lima on Friday (January 8) as the Peruvian government struggles to contain a growing drug trade in the Andean country.
The majority of the narcotics destroyed -- nearly 4.4 tons -- was cocaine and Interior Minister Octavio Salazar was on hand to oversee testing of the cocaine's purity as narcotics police gathered bags of the illicit drug to be reduced to ashes.
Peru is the world's number two producer of cocaine and the government of President Alan Garcia has stepped up efforts to root out the drug trade over fears that producers are growing more powerful and influential in remote areas of the country.
"Today, four tonnes, 507 kilograms [4.97 tons] of drugs will be incinerated, which added to the past incinerations bring us to a total of 25 tonnes, 910 grams [28.56 tons] for the year 2009," said Salazar.
The drugs were confiscated by police during the final months of last year in different anti-narcotic operations.
In addition to the cocaine police also set to blaze bags of marihuana, morphine, heroine and other types of drugs and coca derivatives.
In comparison, police seized some 38.5 tons of illegal drugs in 2008. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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