ers ▁by ▁returning ▁to ▁them ▁the ▁large ▁drug ▁finds ▁and ▁turning ▁only ▁the ▁small ▁ones ▁in ▁to ▁the ▁authorities . ▁Ob ser vers ▁considered ▁Um op ar ▁forces ▁in ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁to ▁be ▁more ▁honest ▁and ▁dedicated . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁the ▁under secret ary ▁of ▁the ▁Social ▁Def ense ▁Secret ariat ▁re iter ated ▁that ▁drug ▁tra ff ick ers ▁had ▁obtained ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁important ▁se ctors ▁of ▁influence ▁in ▁Boliv ia , ▁including ▁some ▁military ▁members ▁and ▁ordinary ▁jud ges . ▁He ▁c ited ▁the ▁example ▁of ▁C och ab amba ' s ▁Se vent h ▁Division ▁commander ▁and ▁four ▁of ▁his ▁top ▁officers , ▁who ▁were ▁dis charg ed ▁d ish on or ably ▁after ▁they ▁were ▁found ▁to ▁be ▁protect ing ▁a ▁c land est ine ▁Chap are ▁a irst rip ▁used ▁by ▁drug ▁sm ug gl ers . ▁The ▁min istry ▁official ▁also ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁n avy ▁was ▁protect ing ▁drug - tra ff ick ing ▁activities ▁in ▁the ▁Puerto ▁Vill ar ro el ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Chap are . ▁For ▁that ▁reason , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁susp ended ▁assistance ▁to ▁the ▁n avy ▁tempor arily ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁until ▁its ▁commander ▁was ▁replaced . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁Boliv ia ' s ▁ant id rug ▁police ▁captured ▁no ▁less ▁a ▁drug ▁tra ff icker ▁than ▁Ar ce ▁Gó mez , ▁who ▁was ▁subsequently ▁extr ad ited ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States .