05/09/2003

Police seize $6bn in suspect bonds and drugs

It has emerged that police have seized suspect US bonds worth £4.4 billion ($6 billion) as part of a major investigation into a Colombian drug trafficking cartel.

The bonds, intercepted during raids organised by the national Crime Squad in London and southern England, are currently being examined to see if they are authentic.

Colombian authorities in Bogota, who released some details of the operation, said that the bonds had been seized along with money and drugs.

It is understood that officers found the bonds as a raid was conducted on a house in conjunction with Customs and Excise officials in July this year. In the operation goods, including cars and a quantity of jewellery, worth around £7 million were also seized.

It is reported that nine people have so far been charged in connection with drugs offences in the UK.

Colombian authorities have arrested two people in the course of their investigations and have hailed the operation as a substantial blow to a cartel engaged in organised international drug trafficking and money laundering.

Details of the operation in July were kept under wraps as a subsequent follow-up operation was mounted in August and ongoing investigations by Colombian authorities could also have been jeopardised.

(SP)

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