President of Colombia asked the police to combat drug financing

The president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, said today that the brand new National Police Director José Roberto León must fight other forms of financing that have adopted the drug as illegal mining, warning that this is becoming a regional security issue.

During the ceremony in protest at the office of Leon, from tuesday relieved Gen. Oscar Naranjo, Colombia's President listed the tasks and challenges facing the new police chief in the performance of their duties.

In his brief speech at the headquarters of the National Police in Bogota, Santos referred in particular to other forms of financing sought by Colombian drug traffickers, to what he said was a successful fighter of the authorities.

"The success or relative success in our fight against drug trafficking, forced (these offenders) to use other sources of financing, illegal mining," explained the head of state.

He warned that this is not a concern unique to Colombia, but is a problem that has spread to South America.

Revealed that the presidents of Peru and Brazil have expressed their concerns about this practice, which in his opinion "is becoming a serious security problem" which must be countered as soon as possible and to great effect.

"His success, General León, is the success of Colombia," said Santos, who during the event also paid tribute to outgoing police chief Oscar Naranjo, who he said has been the best director of the corporation since its inception in the nineteenth century.

At the handover ceremony held at the central office of that institution in Bogotá, attended by President Juan Manuel Santos, Minister of Defense Juan Carlos Pinzon, and outgoing Police Director General Oscar Naranjo.

Also, Santos expressed support for the incoming police chief and stated that "the task is not easy, it's never easy to be chief of police. Crime and crime control and crime is as old as history."

In his speech to take charge of the police, Leon reaffirmed its commitment to the fight against drug trafficking and endorsed that will be in conjunction with the Army.

"We will fight all those who move freely trying to control drug trafficking routes and sowing violence," the brand new police chief.

León, who has over 34 years of service and who joined as deputy director since 2.011 Naranjo said that the police continue "conducting joint operations with military forces" against drug trafficking and other criminal groups.

"The combination of our capabilities, from the different roles and visions we have, is a strength for the state and a key element in the democratic path to prosperity," the senior officer at dozens of his subordinates.

In the course of the new Police Director highlighted his duties as commander of the Police of Cali, the third largest city in the country with high rates of violence, and served as an attache of the U.S. corporation.

The appointment of Leon, 51 years as police chief was known a few days after orange announced in mid-April his resignation, which became known as, was motivated by the desire of the now former director of renewed strength .

Naranjo was honored in 2.011 as "Best World Police", an honor that was largely because the planning and execution of operations against drug cartels and the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).