MAJOR COCAINE SEIZURE IN GUATEMALAN HIGHLANDS

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001692

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV KJUS GT
SUBJECT: MAJOR COCAINE SEIZURE IN GUATEMALAN HIGHLANDS


1. At 09:45 local time on June 27 a Bell 212 helicopter
carrying 757 kilos of cocaine crashed near the town of San
Francisco el Alto, in Totonicapan Department, near the border
with Mexico. Its three crew members, injured in the crash,
escaped and remain at large. Local police immediately
arrived at the scene and informed the SAIA (Guatemalan
counter-drug police) and the Public Ministry, which came and
took charge of the drugs and the investigation. The cocaine
was transferred to the SAIA headquarters in Guatemala City
where it is being cataloged as evidence before being
destroyed. Minister of Government Reyes Calderon told
reporters that the SAIA had knowledge of and was
investigating this cocaine shipment, which was destined for
Mexico and had apparently been delayed by bad weather.


2. This seizure brings the GOG's total cocaine seizures for
the first six months of 2003 to 3,668 kilos (611 kilos a
month); up from a total of 2,400 kilos seized in all of 2002.
HAMILTON