MISSING U.S. FUNDS LEAD TO COLOMBIA SCANDAL

BOGOTA, Colombia - The head of the Colombian anti-narcotics police force
was reassigned Friday after a "significant amount" of millions of dollars
in U.S. funds earmarked to fight drugs vanished.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said about $2 million had
disappeared.

The widening corruption scandal already had led to the suspension of some
U.S. aid to Washington's key drug war ally and the dismissals of at least
12 police officers.

Gen. Gustavo Socha was reassigned to a police unit that provides security
to dignitaries, said Gen. Ernesto Gilibert, chief of the Colombian National
Police.

He said Socha has not been found personally involved in any wrongdoing,
calling him "an honest man," but said he had to go to lend "transparency"
to the investigation into the missing funds.

On Thursday, the U.S. Embassy said it had suspended some aid to the
counternarcotics police after discovering two months ago that a
"significant amount of money" was missing.

Boucher said the United States believed that action would be taken against
still more Colombian police officials.

"When that's happened, we can resume full administrative support for
Colombian counternarcotics police activities. There's about $2 million
involved," Boucher said.

A U.S. Embassy official said about 20 members of the police are believed to
have taken money "for personal ends."

The embassy official said the pilfered account covers police administrative
expenses and other items including fuel for vehicles.

It receives about $4 million in U.S. aid per year, part of Washington's
support to President Andres Pastrana's "Plan Colombia" drug-fighting
effort, the official said.

The Bogota newspaper El Tiempo also reported that about $2 million was
involved, and that the money apparently had been paid out to fake companies
for goods including fuel, water, gasoline, vehicles and parts.

The U.S. Embassy said Washington's confidence in the Colombian
anti-narcotics police remained "unshaken" despite the lost funds.

"This type of incident can happen in any organization," the embassy said in
a statement, adding that it expected aid would be resumed once action is
taken against officers who were involved. Gen. Jorge Linares, currently
National Police operations chief, will take Socha's place.