Coca fumigation in Colombia increases by 84 percent

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2004

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The fumigation of Colombian coca fields picked up considerably in the first two months of this year, registering an 84 percent increase over the same period of last year, a State Department official said.

"This year, as of February 29, 2004, we have sprayed over 29,000 hectares (71,660 acres) of coca and 691 hectares (1,700 acres) of poppy," said Robert Charles, assistant secretary of the State Department's Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

"This exceeds by 84 percent the amount of coca eradicated during the same timeframe in 2003," he said.

The fumigation missions are "getting more dangerous," Charles added, noting that four fumigation airplanes were lost last year in Colombia.

"Three hostages...