Bolivia arrests senior official accused of diverting coca

The head of Bolivia's coca control and industrialisation agency has been arrested over accusations of illegally selling seized coca and other crimes.

Prosecutors say Luis Cutipa diverted 45 tonnes of coca leaves and passed them on through his relatives to drug lords.

Mr Cutipa is also accused of falsifying documents to get his job and benefitting from an increase in the price of coca sellers' licences.

Bolivia arrests senior official accused of diverting coca

He denies any wrongdoing and says extra funds went to official bank accounts.

Just wow, I doubt this is uncommon. The corruption is discusting

Prosecutors say they will charge Luis Cutipa with neglect of duty, extortion, abuse of power and contravening laws and the Constitution.

A separate investigation is looking into the alleged fraud over documents he presented to obtain his job.

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So I wonder whats going to come out of all this, I don't think this kind of thing is isolated in Bolivia though

reply to post by hknudzkknexnt

Just wow, I doubt this is uncommon. The corruption is discusting

What disgusting is the need for corruption to begin with.

reply to post by hknudzkknexnt

Just wow, I doubt this is uncommon. The corruption is disgusting

I would just like to point out that, if all drugs were legalized, the Pablo Escobars of the world would disappear.

You can't really have drug lords or street gangs when you pull their funding.

But, that makes too much sense.

This type of smuggling is going to happen, and will continue happening, because drug laws are irrational and are contrary to simple economic ideologies. Not to mention the freedom of the individual to choose.

reply to post by LewsTherinThelamon


It's complicated though isn't it? Coca leaves are legal in Bolivia. In the US they sell of seized stuff everyday. Sure, they don't sell drugs in public but they don't burn all of it either. 45 Tonnes? WOW that's a lot of ether stomping.
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Sales of coca leaf amounted to approximately US$265 million in 2009, representing 14% of all agricultural sales and 2% of Bolivia's GDP.[3] Coca is legally sold in wholesale markets in Villa Fátima in La Paz and in Sacaba, Cochabamba.

en.wikipedia.org...