COLOMBIA: Authorities announce drug ring bust, arresting three with alleged ties to Hezbollah

Record ID: 402224

  • Title: COLOMBIA: Authorities announce drug ring bust, arresting three with alleged ties to Hezbollah
  • Date: 23rd October 2008
  • Summary: (W5) BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (OCTOBER 22, 2008) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF THE POLICE SECURITY ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT (DAS) BUILDING DAS SIGN MARIA DEL PILAR HURTADO, DAS SECURITY DIRECTOR, ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARIA DEL PILAR HURTADO, DAS SECURITY DIRECTOR, SAYING: "There were Middle East citizens involved with the Hezbollah and
  • Embargoed: 7th November 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Colombia
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVAUXLNY8Q3BHPSQ1WF77FKNFZ0
  • Story Text: Colombian authorities announced Wednesday (October 22) they had broken up a drug and money-laundering ring in an international operation that included the capture of three people suspected of shipping funds to Hezbollah guerrillas.
    More than 100 suspects were arrested in Colombia and overseas on charges they trafficked drugs and laundered cash for Colombia's Norte del Valle cartel and for outlawed paramilitaries in a network that stretched from South America to Asia.
    Among those arrested in Colombia were three people suspected of coordinating drug smuggling to send some of their profits to groups such as Hezbollah, said security director Maria del Pilar Hurtado.
    Those suspects -- Chekry Mahmoud Harb, Ali Mohamad Abdul Rahim and Zacaria Hussein Harb -- used front companies to send drug cash overseas, according to a Tuesday report from the attorney general's office.
    Political analyst Alfredo Rangel claimed it further proves a global network of terrorist groups funded by the drug trade.
    Colombia, a key U.S. ally, remains the world's No. 1 cocaine producer, although over the last seven years Washington has sent more than $5 billion in aid that has helped weaken the country's FARC rebels and reduce violence from its conflict.
    Washington has often complained that Iran-backed Hezbollah and other Islamic groups that it considers terrorist organizations are active in Arab communities in South American countries such as Brazil and Venezuela.
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