Drug Lords Threaten Japanese Authorities

TOKYO — Colombia’s cocaine traffickers have threatened to kill Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu and other top officials if Tokyo refuses to free three Colombians held here on drugs charges, Japanese police said Monday.

A senior National Police Agency official said the Medellin drug cartel sent three letters to Japan’s police demanding the release of three Colombians arrested in Japan in the past year. Japanese media quoted one of the letters as saying, “This is not a mere threat. The Japanese police are no match for us.”