MOSCOW, October 15 (RIA Novosti) - Colombian police shut down Monday a drug factory capable of producing eight metric tons (17,636 lbs) of cocaine per month, EFE news agency said citing police sources.
More than 50 drug officers and five police helicopters took part in the operation to track down the laboratory, located in the village of El Placer, which belongs to the Vichada department in eastern Colombia.
The laboratory contained 15 devices producing and packing drugs and at least 50 workers were detained. Experts estimate that the income from the drug factory could have reached around $27 million per month.
The laboratory and 1.5 metric tons (3,306 lbs) of cocaine were destroyed.
Colombia is the world's largest cocaine supplier with at least 600 metric tons (1.3 million lbs) of the drug produced annually, most of which finds its way to the U.S. and European markets.
