Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LIMA, Peru (AP) - Peru says special forces troops have destroyed 20 clandestine landing strips used to fly drugs out of the jungle to Bolivia and Brazil.
Military authorities said Wednesday that the landing strips were guarded by leftist Shining Path rebels, who finance their struggle by protecting drug traffickers.
Joint Command chief Adm. Jose Cueto and national police chief Gen. Jorge Flores say the operation in the valley of the Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro rivers was conducted by 224 security agents using five tons of explosives, 10 helicopters and five hovercrafts.
They say security forces also destroyed 24 wells used to process coca leaves, the base ingredient for making cocaine.
Peru's government says the destruction of the landing strips and wells will hurt the Shining Path's finances.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
