Wife of top US anti-drug official in Colombia on drug charge Agence France-Presse 6 August 1999 This Month's News | CSN Home | Letter from Col. Hiett | New York Times story | Washington Post story

NEW YORK -- The wife of a US official in charge of anti-drug efforts in Colombia was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the United States, officials said Friday.

The woman, Laurie Anne Hiett, surrendered to US authorities in New York on Thursday, and was released on bail, according to court officials in Brooklyn, New York.

Hiett's husband is US army Colonel James Hiett, who until a recent request for a transfer, was in charge of the US military unit that advises Colombian authorities on fighting the drug war.

The probe was earlier reported US media, which said Colonel Hiett had not been implicated in any wrongdoing.

Hiett's wife, however, was handed an arrest warrant in late June after US postal officials came upon 1.2 kilos (2.7 pounds) of cocaine that had been mailed from the US military base in Bogota with her name on the return address label, CNN reported, quoting the affidavit.

According to the New York weekly Village Voice, which reported the news earlier, a similar package containing cocaine was found at a post office in New York a few days later.

That package had the name of a wife of another military officer based in Bogota, but when questioned that woman said she sent the item for Laurie Hiett, the Village Voice said.

The recipient of the packages, Hernan Arcila, was questioned by police on May 25, telling them that he had received five or six similar shipments containing cocaine and was paid 1,500 dollars for each one, the paper said.

Arcila, 53, is being held in police custody and will appear before a judge August 25.

Village Voice said that Laurie Anne Hiett admitted sending six packages to her husband's chauffeur, but said she did not know the contents of the shipments.

Her husband commanded some 200 soldiers who advised the Colombian government on measures to counter drug trafficking.

US aid to Colombia -- the world's largest producer of cocaine -- to thwart drug trafficking has increased since President Andres Pastrana came to power a year ago.

Donated US planes and helicopters help Colombian officials eradicate clandestine fields of coca and poppy, the primary ingredients used in the production of cocaine and heroin, respectively.

Their efforts in 1998 helped destroy some 65,000 hectares (160,618 acres) of the 100,000 hectares (247,105 acres) of coca fields scattered across the country, a 50 percent increase over the prior year.