Bolivia, Peru Seize Two Planes, Arrest Pilots On Drugs Charges
Bolivia, Peru Seize Two Planes, Arrest Pilots On Drugs Charges
LA PAZ, Nov 28 (BERNAMA-NNN- EFE) --The Bolivian drug enforcement agency FELCN seized two small planes in northern Bolivia and arrested the pilots on drug charges in a joint operation with Peruvian authorities, media reports said Thursday.
Bolivia and Peru recently renewed an agreement covering the sharing of intelligence on the illegal drug trade, FELCN director Mario Centellas told the press.
The planes were at two ranches in the Amazonian province of Beni and were awaiting a shipment of 356 kilos of cocaine from Peru, but the drugs never arrived because the plane carrying them crashed on Nov. 22.
The cocaine was bound for other countries in the region, officials said.
The suspects were identified by Centellas only as Peruvian national Raul R. and Brazilian citizen Sebastao B.
One of the Cessna 210s is registered in Paraguay and the other in Brazil.
Bolivian authorities have seized 27 small planes used in drug smuggling this year, the FELCN said.
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