Colombia arrests 286 suspected drug traffickers

BOGOTA - Colombia has arrested 286 suspected drug traffickers at major airports throughout the country so far this year, a police report said Wednesday.

Of those arrested, 113 were foreign citizens, including 26 from Spain, 18 from Mexico and 10 from Venezuela.

Anti-narcotics agents have seized 586 kg of cocaine, 129 kg of marijuana and 43 kg of heroin at 11 different airports, said Gen. Ricardo Restrepo, the chief anti-narcotics officer.

Drug traffickers attempted to ship the drugs to the United States and Europe, the world's principal markets for drugs.

"The objective is to stop psychotropic substances of any kind from leaving the country, cutting the finances and logistics of the criminal networks that profit from drug sales abroad," said the general.