US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA1355

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