U.S. DRUG AGENT KIDNAPPED
CIA-STARGATE
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Summary: On February 11, a US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent named Enrique Camarena Salazar was kidnapped in Guadalajara, Mexico by drug traffickers. The kidnappers have not made any contact or ransom demands. The US embassy has offered a reward of $50,000 for information on his whereabouts. This incident is believed to be part of a pattern of increasing assaults on US targets by drug traffickers in Latin America. US law-enforcement officials are concerned about the attacks and are taking precautions.
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Body: Approved For Release 2003/09/10 : CIA-RDP96-00788R001900750003-8
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By RICHARD J, YIEISLIN
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.,1EYIC0 CITY, Feb. 11 --- The States Consulate in Guadalajara at
day that an agent of the Drug Enforce-
ment Adrmnistrat;cr. had been kid-
napped in t^? western Mexico city of
Guuadalaiara The kidnappers were be-
lieved tcoe involve?;d in drag tr affickoni
in Mexi-c
The idnappi..g was the f:rt f a
United States narcotics agent in Mex-
ico since the two countries began the
current phase of a joint anti-drug effort
in 1975.
But last October the car of a Drug
Enforcement Administration agent in
Guadalajara was riddled with bullets
by an unidentified person wielding a
machine gun outside his home. No in-
juries or arrests were reported in that
incident.
A spokesman said there had been no
ransom demand from or other contact
with the kidnappers. The United States
Ambassador, John Gavin, said in a
statement that neither the United
States nor _Mexico would be "intimi-
dated by mafia thugs" into reducing
the joint anti-drug effort.
Embassy Offers Reward
The embassy said it was offering a
reward of $50,000 for information lead-
ing to the whereabouts of the agent En-
rique Camarena. Salazar, who disap-
peared shortly after leaving the United
Ernbass, said oat a witness ray re-
paorted `:a'. ing seen Mr. Camarena
Salazar being forced into a car by four
armed men.
years oid, is a Mexican-born natural-
ized United States citizen. He her been
with the Drug Enforcement ACmi:.iis-
tration stare 1974 end has been sta-
tic ned in Guadala ara since 1950. He Is
married and has three children.
A spokesman for the '~ iexican Attor-
ney General's office, Francisco Fonse-
ca, said he could report only that "state
and federal judicial police are investi-
gating"_bIr. Camarena Salazar's dis-
appearance.
A high-ranking Mexican official said
the Mexican Government had become
increasingly concerned in recent
months over intelligence indicating a I
growth of drug-related activities in the
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Guadalajara area.e cy,excos second largest, is a short distance from
the western coastal state of Sinaloa,
one of the country's most active areas
in the production of illegal drugs.
The official added that the most un-
usual thing about the incident was,
"frankly, that he was kidnapped
they usually just kill them."
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From Inquirer wire Services
MEXICO CITY - A U.S. Drug En-
forcement Agency official was be-
lieved kidnapped in Guadalajara by
drug traffickers last week, and the
US. Embassy said yesterday that it
was offering a $50,000 reward for
information on his whereabouts.
"If the kidnappers hope to deter
cooperative efforts of the United
States and Mexico to rid our citizens
of drug trafficking, they are mistak-
en," U.S. Ambassador John Gavin
said. "Neither this mission nor our
governments will be intimidated by
Mafia thugs."
A U.S. Embassy spokeswoman said
the DEA official, Enrique Camarena
Salazar, 37, a natttralized American
citizen, was kidnapped Thursday af-
ternoon in Guadalajara, 300 miles
northwest of Mexico City.
Witnesses told authorities that
four armed men pulled up beside
Camarena, forced him into the back
of a car and sped off.
The embassy spokeswoman said
that the kidnappers had not made
contact with US. or Mexican govern-
ment officials and that no ransom
demands had been received.
In Washington, DEA spokesman
Robert Feldkamp said Camarena was
leaving his office to meet his wife,
Geneva, for lunch when he was ab-
ducted. The DEA believes that the
four kidnappers are drug traffickers
because Camarena was working as
TOO s ''" y
40
Approved For Release 2003/09/10 : CIA-RDP96 ,0 ,^li4
drugs into the United States, Feld- who demanded the anti-chu
have worked in close contact with ` During the trial, the chie
the Mexican government in a pro- prosecutor frequently digre
gram to end the growing of marijua- attack the church. At one p
na and opium poppies and to reduce attempted to equate Fathe]
heroin and cocaine traffic acoss the luszko's anti-government
1,900-mile border. with his murder, stating,
U.S. officials have been threatened tremism leads to a
in their work in Mexico, U.S. diplo- extremism."
mats in Mexico City said, but this Late Friday, in an intervi
appeared to be. the first kidnapping. three Western reporters, Pol
Camarena, a native of Mexico and ligious affairs minister, Ai
father of three, has been with the patka, warned that the gov
DEA since 1974. In 1980 he was as. would not hesitate to arrest
signed to the agency's office in Gua- priests engaged in what he
dalajara. "criminal activities."
Approved For Release 2003/09/10 : CIA-RDP96-00788R001900750003-8
iolence Increases
US. Agents Tar et of g Assaults
By Mary Thornton
Washington Post Staff Writer
U.S. law-enforcement officials have expressed
fear that last week's kidnaping of a Drug Enforce-
ment Administration agent in Guadalajara, Mexico,
may be part of a pattern of increasing assaults on
U.S. targets by drug traffickers throughout Latin
America.
Agent Enrique Camarena Salazar, 37, a Mexican-
born naturalized American with nearly 11 years'
experience at the DEA, was abducted in midafter-
noon last Thursday as he left his office to have lunch
with his wife. An eyewitness has told DEA investi-
gators that he was grabbed by four armed men and
thrown face down into the back of a car.
U.S. law-enforcement officials said that Ca-
marena, who had a broad working knowledge of
DEA operations and continuing investigations in
Latin America, may have been tortured and mur-
dered, but they offered no specifics.
The kidnaping was the most recent of several acts
of violence by Latin American drug traffickers
against U.S. enforcement efforts, which have been
sharply increased in the last three years. Law-en-
forcement officials said they are particularly con-
cerned about the attacks because of violence rou-
See DEA, A30, CoL 3
Approved For Release 2003/09/10 : CIA-RDP96-00788R001900750003-8
Approved For Release 2003/09/10 : CIA-RDP96-00788R001900750003-8
THE WASHINGTON POST
Latin America
Drug Violence
peen Rising
DEA, From Al
--inely used by the traffickers, in-
luding brutal murders of wives and
:hildren of targets. In February
1982, two DEA agents were kid-
naped by drug traffickers in Car-
:agena, Colombia, shot repeatedly
and left for dead. Both survived.
Last Oct. 10, a DEA agent's car
was machine-gunned in Guadala-
ara. At that time, DEA security in
Mexico was increased, and agents
.vere ordered to be especially vig-
lant.
On Nov. 26, one woman was
filled in a car bombing outside the
J.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia,
:hat authorities said they believed
.was carried out by drug traffickers.
Last December, the Colombian
government completed plans to ex-
:radite four alleged drug traffickers
=o the United States for trial under
a new treaty between the two gov-
~rnments.
About that time, DEA and other
ntelligence sources received re-
Dorts that a three-man hit team had
peen dispatched from Colombia and
was targeting federal narcotics
agents for kidnaping, torture and
-murder. The plans also included the
possible bombing of DEA offices,
:he reports said.
Federal law-enforcement sources
said that they see no link between
:he Camarena kidnaping and the al-
eged Colombian hit squad but that
the men who abducted Camarena in
Juadalajara are believed to be ma-
?or traffickers of marijuana and co-
mine. The sources said the men are
believed to be based in the Guadala-
.ara area but working with drug
:raffickers elsewhere in Latin
gmerica.
Authorities said the situation in
Guadalajara is. seen as so serious
:hat more than 40 agents are in that
DEA Administrator Francis Mullen speaking in U.S. Embassy in Mexico City as U.S. Ambassador John Gavin looks on.
area handling the investigation and
that DfI Administrator. Francis M.
(Bald) Mullen Jr. flew to Mexico last
Sunday to oversee the operation.
He returned last night, but nothing
further was announced.
Since December, DEA offices
and many other federal buildings,
including courthouses, have been
under extremely tight security
throughout the United States. In-
,telligence sources said the alleged
hit team left Colombia, but federal
sources said they do. not know
whether the team has entered this
country.
Federal law-enforcement sources
said the team is believed to consist
of three men, not drug traffickers
but hired by Carlos Lehder, a
Colombian citizen wanted on three
U.S. drug-trafficking indictments
and believed hiding in Colombia.
Lehder has claimed to be a mem-
ber of M19, a left-wing Colombian
terrorist group.
Deputy DEA Administrator John
C. Lawn said yesterday, "Acts of vi-
olence, threats of violence are a
clear indication that the pressure
we're bringing to bear on traffick-
ers is having an effect and that
they're responding the only way
they know how-by trying to pro-
voke fear and intimidation.
"We have taken precautions in all
overseas posts, we have established
special working guidelines for our
people," he said. "But the nature of
our work and the sometimes cor-
rupting environment makes abso-
lute security of personnel impossi-
ble. But if traffickers are using fear
and intimidation to test our mettle,
they're going to find we test well." ... DEA agent abducted in Mexico