Samper's crew questioned over heroin

Sunday 22 September 1996 23:02 BST

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Eleven crew-members from the Colombian President's jet were being detained and questioned yesterday in an effort to determine who put 3.7kg (8.2lb) of heroin aboard the aircraft.

The heroin was discovered on Friday after an anonymous telephone tip, and President Ernesto Samper opted to fly by commercial jet on Saturday to New York, where he is to deliver an anti-drug speech to the United Nations General Assembly today. The government suggested the drug was planted aboard the Boeing 707 to embarrass Mr Samper, who won election in 1994 with $6m (pounds 4m) in drug contributions but was cleared by Congress in June of corruption charges. AP - Bogota

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Samper's crew questioned over heroin

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