HONDURAS SEIZES 1,460 MORE KILOS OF COCAINE;

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001355

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/LP AND WHA/CEN

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM KJUS SOCI PHUM HO
SUBJECT: HONDURAS SEIZES 1,460 MORE KILOS OF COCAINE;
2004 TOTAL UP TO APPROXIMATELY 3,694 KILOS

REF: TEGUCIGALPA 751


1. (SBU) With DEA assistance, on June 9, 2004, Honduran
authorities seized approximately 1,460 kilos of cocaine
and arrested four suspects near Puerto Cortes on
Honduras' Caribbean coast. The cocaine which
originated in Colombia was seized at a property in a
zone known as La Laguna de Alegria Wednesday afternoon
after DEA agents alerted Honduran authorities to the
movement June 6.


2. (U) The following suspects were arrested by Honduran
authorities: Faustino Ramos Colon (57); Francisco
Rivera Guzman (44) and Melvin Francisco Amaya (22).
Ramos Colon purportedly owned the property where the
shipment was found. Later in the day, authorities
apprehended Jorge Rodriguez Lozano (36),after a chase
from his property involving a helicopter and land
vehicles, which reportedly involved exchange of
gunfire. Rodriquez Lozano, the proprietor of the
George de Omoa hotel in the area, allegedly
commissioned the shipment and contracted the three
other men to guard it.


3. (SBU) This seizure, combined with past seizures this
year (reftel),brings the total amount of cocaine
seized in Honduras in 2004 to approximately 3,694
kilos. An INL-funded unit carried out this seizure
without any assistance from any other GOH police unit.

PALMER