[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 16 (Monday, February 10, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               MAKING PROGRESS ON THE WAR ON DRUGS ABROAD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 10, 1997

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, late last month, the dedicated and 
courageous Colombian National Police elite antidrug unit DANTI raided a 
major cocaine processing laboratory in southeast Colombia. They made a 
startling find on that raid by uncovering a cocaine processing 
laboratory capable of producing more than 1 ton a day of deadly 
cocaine. Not many years ago, we used to talk in terms of kilos of 
cocaine seized, now we are talking in terms of tons per day. The drug 
threat grows more serious and challenging for all of us, both here and 
abroad.
  Nearly 8 tons of cocaine already processed and ready to be shipped to 
our streets and communities was also seized that day. The destruction 
of the lab was a major blow to the drug cartels and their narco 
guerrilla allies in Colombia. Now, fewer American kids will be exposed 
to these drugs, due to high prices and less available cocaine from this 
police action in southeast Colombia last month. We all owe them a debt 
of gratitude.
  On January 31, 1997, the Miami Herald reported the commanding 
Colombian National Police General's account of this impressive and 
historymaking major counternarcotics raid that, ``Police swooping into 
the complex aboard six helicopters and an aircraft overheard drug 
traffickers frantically calling via two-way radios for leftist 
guerrillas to shoot down the mosquitos.''
  Those mosquitos the guerrillas wanted shot down were excess U.S. Army 
Huey helicopters, several of which had recently been delivered by the 
United States Government to Colombia. The helicopters were provided to 
the police only after endless prodding and requests by myself and 
Representative Dan Burton. We have long been concerned that the 
administration was neglecting our allies like the DANTI in the war on 
drugs in Colombia.
  I was extremely proud to have one of these helicopters named Big Ben 
by the Colombian police. I am sure Mr. Burton is also equally as proud 
of the chopper named Dangerous Dan by the Colombian National Police for 
his efforts in helping the DANTI take the law enforcement fight to the 
drug traffickers at its very source, before this scourge hits our 
streets and helps destroy our youth and communities.
  These courageous police officers who dealt a severe blow to the drug 
trade in that raid not long ago in southeast Colombia, and their many 
other operations and eradication efforts, are constantly under fire 
from better armed traffickers on these missions. They have lost 3,500 
police officers in the last 10 years in our common struggle against 
drugs and the drug trade.
  We must continue our efforts to support these dedicated, courageous 
police officers with our helicopters, miniguns, spare parts and other 
necessary equipment to do the job. Together, we must rid both of our 
nations of those who would traffick in illicit drugs, which poison not 
only our youth, but our democratic institutions and very way of life.

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