Pubdate: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 Source: San Antonio Express-News (TX) Copyright: 2002 San Antonio Express-News Contact: http://www.mysanantonio.com/expressnews/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/384 Author: Jeannine Aversa, Associated Press U.S. PUTS SQUEEZE ON DRUG LORDS WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration, trying to topple drug kingpins, moved Friday to block the financial assets of two leaders of the violent North Valle drug cartel in Colombia, which has smuggled tons of cocaine into the United States. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control added Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez and Luis Hernando Gomez Bustamante to the U.S. government's list of specially designated narcotics traffickers. The action means any assets belonging to the two men found in the United States or within its jurisdiction would be frozen and that Americans are forbidden from doing business with them. The action goes to "further exposing, isolating and incapacitating Colombian drug cartels and their agents," the Treasury Department said. The Colombian drug kingpins named Friday "smuggle multi-ton quantities of cocaine into the United States," the department said. In addition, the department added 21 individuals and 13 businesses in Colombia that it believes are acting as fronts for leaders of the North Valle drug cartel. Treasury officials said it would take time to determine whether any of the individuals and businesses added to the list Friday has assets in the United States. A 1995 executive order gives the department the authority to try to financially paralyze suspected drug cartels and kingpins targeted by the United States. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk