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Bolivia Police Seize $1 Million in Drug Loot Tossed from Plane

Suspected drug traffickers tossed a bag containing more than a million dollars from a low-flying airplane, but the loot missed its mark and was seized by police, officials said Wednesday.

"A white bag containing, it later became evident, 26 bundles of cash, was thrown from the aircraft" Tuesday as it made a low pass over a clandestine airstrip in Bolivia's Santa Cruz province, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Anti-drug police raided the airstrip, seizing the money along with an automatic rifle and other weapons, cell phones and two vehicles.

Police said the money, all in U.S. currency, was in denominations of from $20 dollars to $1,000, and probably was proceeds from drug trafficking.

Police believe that it was delivered from Paraguay, because it was wrapped with a seal from an unidentified bank in that country.

Bolivia is a drug trafficking hub in Latin America and is now the world's third biggest manufacturer of cocaine, after Peru and Colombia.

Officials said several Bolivians have been arrested in the ongoing investigation.

Source: Agence France Presse


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