Pubdate: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 Source: New York Post (NY) Copyright: 2002 N.Y.P. Holdings, Inc. Contact: http://www.nypost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/296 Author: Devlin Barrett N.Y. HIGH ON FOREIGN DRUG BUSTS April 22, 2002 -- Manhattan U.S. Attorney James Comey has formed a new unit of prosecutors to take down top-level drug traffickers. The International Narcotics Traffickers unit is designed to take advantage of new extradition laws that have been passed recently in South and Central American countries. The INT, selected from veteran federal narcotics prosecutors and led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Sullivan, will focus on cutting down the biggest importers of heroin and cocaine, Comey said. Manhattan prosecutors have already corralled some of the top cartel leaders in Colombia and Mexico in recent years, and the feds clearly want to catch more of the powerful drug lords. The unit will focus almost exclusively on making cases against the top drug kingpins and convincing foreign governments to hand them over for trial. In a recent speech, Comey said his New York office had become a "pre-eminent" site for prosecuting smugglers - because so much of the contraband enters America through the city's ports and airports. The push comes as Colombian drug lords are increasingly relying on Argentinean routes to bring drugs into the country. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex