SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican narcotics (DNCD) agents said yesterday they dismantled a network which dealt with large amounts of cocaine, and which allegedly has "deep" links with the FARC rebels of Colombia, country where on Monday were the group’s ringleaders were captured.

The operation was possible by the cooperation between the DNCD, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the antinarcotics authorities of Colombia and Surinam, from the exchange of information began September 18, with regard to the seizure of 191 kilograms of cocaine in Ocoa Bay, in the country’s southwest, which was dropped from a small plane.

DNCD president Rafael Ramirez said arrested in Colombia were Josue Cuesta Leon, alias El Viejo or Don Julio; Jose Fernando Romero Mejía, known like Morocho La Negra, both together with eleven accomplices. He said they were charge with drug trafficking and terrorism in a special court of Colombia.

He said the international drug trafficking network "is part of or associated with the FARC in the first and third units of that guerrilla organization, based in the zone of Villavicencio" and the Colombian capital.

Ramirez said this organization sent hundreds of kilos of cocaine to Dominican Republic and Surinam in small planes weekly, which returned with one million dollars and up to 20 AK-47 rifles.

In Colombia and another South American country, the money was laundered to finance FARC’s activities, he said.

The investigations continue, because "we have the impression that there are other people," said the DNCD chief, although the official didn’t want to comment on whether if arrests had been made in the country.