Colombian army destroys three drug labs in western region

Colombia's army had discovered and later destroyed three drug processing laboratories in the country's western Narino department, Colombian military authority said Monday.

"The army's Pegasus Task Force discovered and destroyed three laboratories nearby the municipalities of Tumaco and Policarpa in Narino, in which illegal groups processed coca paste," an official statement said.

Authorities seized from the places 437 kg of coca leaves, 451 gallons (1707 liters) of processed coca paste, among others, all of which were destroyed in a controlled manner to prevent damaging the environment.

Other 35 tons of solid chemicals used for the drug production were also destroyed by the army, who remarked it "represents a major blow against illegal drug trafficking organizations."

Colombian army announced on Saturday that it had destroyed 36 hectares of coca crops in the country's central and eastern departments of Meta, Vaupes and Guaviare, allegedly belonging to the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Endi