OPERATION ANDES INCREASES SEIZURES OF DRUG PRECURSORS

OPERATION ANDES INCREASES SEIZURES OF DRUG PRECURSORS    South American police and customs agencies have increased their number of seizures of chemical precursors used for the manufacture of illegal drugs.
   In late 2002, the World Customs Organization and INTERPOL, formed Operation ANDES to help law enforcement agencies in Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Argentina and Peru to target vessels and trucks transporting chemical precursors.
   The agencies used the WCO’s Customs Enforcement Network as an online message platform to share information and intelligence about these shipments.
   Operation ANDES has so far resulted in the seizure of 130,000 liters and 133 tons of chemical precursors and nearly seven tons of cocaine. In addition, the agencies dismantled four laboratories.
   The WCO said it sees the success of Operation ANDES as “an example of successful cooperation at the national, regional and international level and hopes that it will provide a useful model for similar integrated operational activity in other regions of the world.”