Five American soldiers were under investigation for allegedly using a military plane to smuggle 16 kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia, U.S. Southern Command said. Investigators waited until the plane arrived in Miami before arresting the soldiers, Southern Command, which is responsible for U.S. military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, said Thursday. According to the Miami Herald, U.S. and Colombian investigators have been observing the soldiers for a period of time before closing in on them. The United States has 800 soldiers stationed in Colombia to assist in anti-narcotics operations. Colombia is the world's main cocaine producer and an important supplier of heroin, according to U.S. drug-enforcement authorities. --SP 2140 Local Time 1840 GMT
