
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 6, 1990                   TAG: 9003062214
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A4   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Short

SMUGGLING BY SOLDIERS REPORTED

U.S. soldiers took payoffs of up to $10,000 from Colombian drug suppliers to smuggle cocaine in their duffel bags aboard military flights to the United States, CBS reported.

The smuggling ring was broken up recently in Panama, the network said Monday. Citing unidentified military sources, CBS said at least seven Colombians and two Americans were arrested.

One serviceman confessed that he recruited soldiers to smuggle cocaine aboard the flights home, CBS said.

The Pentagon referred questions about the report to the U.S. Southern Command in Panama City, where spokeswoman Marjorie Boggs said, "We are coordinating with investigative agencies to see if there is anything to" the report.

Military officials checked for drugs in the baggage of the 13,000 soldiers returning from the invasion, but the deployment was so large it was almost impossible to conduct thorough searches, officers told CBS.

-Associated Press

by CNB