IN YET ANOTHER DRUG BUST, HONDURAN POLICE SEIZE

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002333 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR INL/LP, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/PPC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM KJUS PHUM ECON HO SUBJECT: IN YET ANOTHER DRUG BUST, HONDURAN POLICE SEIZE 201 KILOS OF COCAINE: 4,949 KILOS SO FAR IN 2003 REF: TEGUCIGALPA 2289 ¶1. (U) On September 30 in the Department of Colon on the Caribbean coast, Honduran Frontier Police seized another 201 kilos of cocaine. This time, the drugs were hidden aboard a truck in multiple secret compartments. Police were alerted to the drug's presence by a local source of information who reported the truck contained drugs. ¶2. (U) As the vehicle approached a makeshift police checkpoint, Honduran authorities motioned the truck to stop. The driver refused and continued onward. Police then pursued the vehicle on foot and opened fire, knocking out a tire. The driver then stopped and fled on foot with another passenger. Police gave chase but were unable to apprehend the suspects. The police then searched the vehicle and found the hidden cocaine. ¶3. (SBU) Honduran press has reported the seized cocaine is packaged with similar markings to the approximately 1,026 kilos police confiscated in Roatan on September 24 (reftel), although Post does not believe the shipments to be related. This brings the total amount of cocaine seized this year in Honduras to 4,949 kilos, more than the last five years combined. Palmer