> > << =============================================== > AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE > > Friday, 6 August 1999 > > Wife of top US anti-drug official > in Colombia on drug charge > --------------------------------- > > NEW YORK -- The wife of a US official in charge of anti-drug efforts in > Colombia was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the United > States, officials said Friday. > > The woman, Laurie Anne Hiett, surrendered to US authorities in New York on > Thursday, and was released on bail, according to court officials in > Brooklyn, New York. > > Hiett's husband is US army Colonel James Hiett, who until a recent request > for a transfer, was in charge of the US military unit that advises > Colombian authorities on fighting the drug war. > > The probe was earlier reported US media, which said Colonel Hiett had not > been implicated in any wrongdoing. > > Hiett's wife, however, was handed an arrest warrant in late June after US > postal officials came upon 1.2 kilos (2.7 pounds) of cocaine that had been > mailed from the US military base in Bogota with her name on the return > address label, CNN reported, quoting the affidavit. > > According to the New York weekly Village Voice, which reported the news > earlier, a similar package containing cocaine was found at a post office > in New York a few days later. > > That package had the name of a wife of another military officer based in > Bogota, but when questioned that woman said she sent the item for Laurie > Hiett, the Village Voice said. > > The recipient of the packages, Hernan Arcila, was questioned by police on > May 25, telling them that he had received five or six similar shipments > containing cocaine and was paid 1,500 dollars for each one, the paper > said. > > Arcila, 53, is being held in police custody and will appear before a judge > August 25. > > Village Voice said that Laurie Anne Hiett admitted sending six packages to > her husband's chauffeur, but said she did not know the contents of the > shipments. > > Her husband commanded some 200 soldiers who advised the Colombian > government on measures to counter drug trafficking. > > US aid to Colombia -- the world's largest producer of cocaine -- to thwart > drug trafficking has increased since President Andres Pastrana came to > power a year ago. > > Donated US planes and helicopters help Colombian officials eradicate > clandestine fields of coca and poppy, the primary ingredients used in the > production of cocaine and heroin, respectively. > > Their efforts in 1998 helped destroy some 65,000 hectares (160,618 acres) > of the 100,000 hectares (247,105 acres) of coca fields scattered across > the country, a 50 percent increase over the prior year. > > Copyright 1999 Agence France Presse > _______________________ >> >
