Corruption Hurts Hunt for Drug Lords, Experts Say; Most Believed in Colombia

U.S. drug experts said here Friday that it will take weeks or months to capture the leaders of Colombia’s drug gangs and that the search has been frustrated by widespread corruption in the country’s security services.

Contrary to speculation and some published reports overseas, the American specialists said that none of the most-hunted traffickers has fled from Colombia to avoid the current crackdown and that most have remained at or near their headquarters in the Medellin and Cali areas of this country.

Speaking to reporters two weeks after Colombia began its latest drive to destroy the drug cartels, the experts described this country’s efforts as “very significant.”

But a ranking U.S. drug expert here said that “unfortunately up to now, the top suspects have not been arrested,” something he predicted will “take weeks, even months” and cost a “great deal of bloodshed” as the drug lords try to short-circuit the government’s drive through tactics of intimidation and bribery.

Corruption Plays Role

“Corruption has to play a role,” one of the experts said when he was asked if it didn’t seem unusual that not a single one of the most-wanted drug chieftains has been jailed so far.

And when he was asked if the corruption takes the form of bribes and tip-offs and even failures to carry out assigned raids, he responded: “What you are saying is a very realistic assessment of the situation; it is very frustrating.”

He also spoke of penetration of the police and military services by agents of the drug cartels.

“The infiltration factor is a very serious factor” in the cartels’ ability to hold the authorities at bay. “I am sure there are people inside (the government) working for these people (the drug barons) or recruiting for them,” the official said.

Still, he predicted that Colombia’s current drive against the traffickers will continue, ultimately depriving the gang leaders of haven and resulting in their arrests.

U.S. Aid a Key Element

A key element in the campaign’s potential success will be a $65-million U.S. emergency assistance program to provide police here with new equipment and training. That sum is in addition to an earlier $5 million, U.S.-funded program to train judges and other court workers in self-protection methods.

The first 10 U.S. Air Force “support personnel” landed here from Panama on Friday to begin logistical preparations for the unloading of equipment that is expected to begin arriving Sunday under the emergency assistance program.

The Pentagon has announced that as many as 100 military technicians will assemble the new equipment and teach Colombians its use. American officials here, citing concerns for the security of the technicians, would not discuss the matter in detail but said the men are not battlefield advisers and will not be staying in Colombia.

The presence of American military personnel is a sensitive issue here, with Bogota newspapers running banner headlines saying, “Here Come the Marines.”

Oppose U.S. Intervention

American diplomats and drug experts here say that any direct military intervention by the United States “would be a big mistake.”

Instead, officials have stressed, “The United States must support the Colombians in all other possible ways.”

This principally involves money. One American official here said Friday that he had recommended an average of $100 million to $150 million a year--”maybe more.”

Another U.S. official said an effective program would last into the 21st Century and might cost billions of dollars. “It’s not going to be a one- or two-month war,” said a drug expert.

In dealing with military and police corruption, the drug experts refused to say how high the problem reaches but indicated that it extends from top to bottom.

Tips on Planned Raids

One specialist spoke of tips to the cartels when raids are ordered and action by police commanders to delay or even misdirect moves against the cartels.

According to the expert, some military leaders want a settlement with the drug cartels because the traffickers have promised to help the army defeat a leftist guerrilla movement that has plagued Colombia for decades.

Gen. Oscar Botero, Colombia’s defense minister, has told reporters that “there have been incidents where members of the military and the government have violated government norms and were linked to the drug mafia.” But, he said, those caught were punished.

Aside from the security services, the U.S. specialists noted that drug traffickers have bribed government officials and aides, particularly judges and members of the judiciary.

Courts ‘Critical Element’

They said there is great danger that traffickers will try to influence judges, even the Supreme Court, at a time when the courts are “the critical element” in carrying out the battle to destroy the narcotics trade.

In 1987, the Colombian Supreme Court overturned an extradition treaty with the United States on a technicality. That same year, drug chieftain Jorge Luis Ochoa, was allowed to leave jail after his arrest and has never been rearrested. Drug officials suspect that corruption or threats were involved in both cases.

Concern now comes from expected challenges to recent presidential decrees restoring the extradition treaty and allowing the police to confiscate the property of drug cartel members.

Given the repeated statements by the drug leaders that their greatest fear is extradition to the United States, efforts to frighten or bribe judges and other officials will continue and increase, a drug expert said, adding that it is of particular concern, since the acts to corrupt officials go hand in glove with intimidation by violence.

“Times are going to get a lot worse,” he said. “They are going to try to intimidate officials directly involved” and to create a general climate of fear and violence throughout the country through terrorism.