# Operation Snowcap

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1987–1995 American counter-narcotics operation

Operation Snowcap Part of the war on drugs Date 1987–1995 Location Primarily Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador Also Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico. Belligerents United States DEA DOD 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (Delta Force) 7th Special Forces Group Navy SEALs Special Boat Teams Coast Guard DIAT USBP BORTAC State Department ISM State Department Air Wing Bolivia UMOPAR Bolivian Navy Bolivian Air Force Peru Civil Guard Police Peruvian National Police Colombia Colombian National Police Cali cartel Shining Path guerrillas Illicit cocaine manufacturers Commanders and leaders DEA SAS Frank White Unknown Strength 140 DEA Agents Military. (Unknown) Unknown Casualties and losses 6 DEA Agents 5 State Department contractors 12 Peruvians killed in two plane crashes Hundreds of tons of cocaine seized Thousands of suspected traffickers arrested Several hundred thousand gallons of precursor chemicals seized Hundreds of precursor facilities destroyed, Dozens of aircraft and vehicles seized

v t e Operations in the war on drugs 1969–1999 Intercept Stopgap Miami drug war Jackpot Snowcap Wipeout Green Sweep Green Merchant Nift Package 2000–2009 Panama Express Pipe Dreams TKO Web Tryp Xcellator Sudden Fall True Test Solare 2010–2019 Lowrider Martillo Anvil Kruz Control Black Swan Diablo Express Narcosobrinos affair Rio Grande 2020–present Mongoose Azteca Southern Spear Strikes against alleged drug traffickers US Caribbean military buildup Related topics Plan Colombia Plan Mexico

**Operation Snowcap** (1987–1995), launched in the spring of 1987, was a [counter-narcotics](/source/War_on_drugs) operation conducted by the [Drug Enforcement Administration](/source/Drug_Enforcement_Administration) (DEA), BORTAC (U.S. Border Patrol Tactical Unit) and military/police forces in nine [Latin American](/source/Latin_American) countries. Operation Snowcap followed Operation Blast Furnace, a four-month operation that started in July 1986, which deployed 160 Army personnel and six Blackhawk helicopters to assist Bolivia in operations against cocaine laboratories in the Beni and Santa Cruz regions of Bolivia.[1] At an annual cost to the DEA of $80 million, and involving approximately 140 agents at its onset, Snowcap was the largest counter-narcotics operation that had been launched in Latin America. The [U.S. Department of Defense](/source/U.S._Department_of_Defense) leased 6 [UH-1 Huey](/source/UH-1_Huey) helicopters, and provided flight training to Bolivian air force pilots and [Special Forces](/source/United_States_Army_Special_Forces) training for [UMOPAR](/source/UMOPAR) and DEA agents.[2]

## History

Operation Snowcap recruited several special operations units across U.S. federal agencies and military forces to conduct "[Black operations](/source/Black_operation)". Leadership was selected by high-level U.S. military personnel in the late 1980s. Senior lieutenants and captains attending advanced courses were given classified briefings, attempting to recruit them from the Army to participate in operations in Bolivia and Peru.[3]

In late 1987, Clandestine Laboratory and Chemical Program Czar, Gene R. Haislip, Deputy Assistant Administrator of DEA and Douglas A. Snyder, frequent Snowcap operative, convinced high level DEA officials that change was needed in the Snowcap program. They successfully lobbied DEA brass, David Westrate, Terry Burke and Chuck Guttenson, for Frank E. White, Chief of DEA Special Training, to become the new head of Snowcap because of his breadth of military experience and no-nonsense law enforcement perspective. The top brass accepted their recommendations.[4]

In a 1988 memo, White, as new head of Snowcap, charged that agents were not being given adequate support for their mission, warning that without immediate changes, "DEA agents are going to agonize along through an excruciating death on an isolated jungle floor." DEA brass supported his request for more U.S. Military special forces assistance to field DEA agents deployed under Snowcap, with the additional deployments of [Navy SEALS & Special Boat Teams](/source/United_States_Naval_Special_Warfare_Command#structure) and [Coast Guard special operation](/source/Deployable_Specialized_Forces) elements.[5] However, Frank White never thought the level of support was adequate to protect deployed DEA agents in such remote jungle locations, but trudged forward.[6]

On May 20, 1989, tragedy struck when a US or Peruvian-owned [Cessna 208 Caravan](/source/Cessna_208_Caravan) that had left [Tingo María](/source/Tingo_Mar%C3%ADa), in the Peruvian Amazonian highlands, on a DEA [coca](/source/Coca) eradication mission taking place in the context of Operation Snowcap,[7] crashed into Mount Huacranacro, 100 km (62.5 mls) east of [Huaral](/source/Huaral). The nine occupants, six Americans and three Peruvians, were killed.[8][9] The plane may have suffered an engine failure.[10] After Operation Just Cause U.S. Army added an additional element of soldiers from an Airborne Unit in Panama to assist in helping with this mission. A small group of soldiers were sent to areas in Colombia and Peru to recon and help target drug facilities. They also acted in supporting roles as security for agents when engaging in their narcotic stings. This unit provided this additional support until mid-1990 when it was deemed that their engagement was overtaxing the unit's other mission in the region.

By the end of 1990, [Colombian National Police](/source/Colombian_National_Police) participating in Operation Snowcap had seized 53 metric tons of [cocaine](/source/Cocaine), arrested about 7,000 suspected [traffickers](/source/Drug_trafficking), destroyed over 300 processing facilities, and seized over 700,000 gallons of [precursor](/source/Precursor_(chemistry)) chemicals.[11] Snowcap was successful in temporarily reducing the amount of [Colombian cocaine](/source/Colombian_cocaine) entering the United States, however, it ended up handing control of [narco-trafficking](/source/Narco-trafficking) from the powerful [Medellín](/source/Medell%C3%ADn_Cartel) and [Cali](/source/Cali_Cartel) [cartels](/source/Drug_cartel) over to the smaller Mexican cartels. According to the SAC who was in charge of Operation Snowcap, Tony Laza, the DEA's "success with Medellín and Cali essentially set the Mexicans up in business, at a time when they were already cash-rich thanks to the budding [methamphetamine](/source/Methamphetamine) trade in Southern California."[12]

On 27 August 1994, tragedy struck again when a DEA [CASA 212](/source/CASA_212) Aviocar light transport aircraft (reg. N119CA) crashed into a mountain (or at the end of a [box canyon](/source/Box_canyon)) north of Puerto Pizana, in the [Amazonian jungle](/source/Amazonian_rainforest) department of [San Martín](/source/Department_of_San_Mart%C3%ADn), [Peru](/source/Peru). The crash reportedly happened while on a flight from Santa Lucia to [Pucallpa](/source/Pucallpa), in the [Huallaga River](/source/Huallaga_River) Valley region, and apparently owed to bad weather and low visibility (rainy and foggy) conditions during a reconnaissance operation. The plane's five occupants, DEA Special Agents Frank S. Wallace, Jay W. Seale, Juan C. Vars, [Meredith Thompson](/source/Meredith_Thompson), and Frank Fernandez Jr., were killed.[13][14][15][16][17]

This crash, plus a new focus in the Andean counter-narcotics strategy by the newly inaugurated [Clinton administration](/source/Clinton_administration) (supported by [Congress](/source/United_States_Congress)), and reduced funding by the new DEA administration of [Thomas A. Constantine](/source/Thomas_A._Constantine), eventually led to the end of Operation Snowcap in 1995.[18][19][20][21]

Late 1995-1996 during a counter drug operations in Colombia, a support element of special boat teams came under attack in the Antioquia Valley region while conducting reconnaissance operations by members of Colombian insurgents believed to be part of Colombia's counter revolutionary movement (FARC). The boat team members held off a force of roughly 150 rebels. Throughout the three days and nights of fighting, the special boat crew was repeatedly surrounded and cut off from escape. Short of ammunition and water, the team held on until first light on day three, regrouped and counter-attacked, punching a hole in the insurgents defense line and linking up with Navy SEAL support and Colombian special forces sent there to assist them.[22]

During the rescue portion in a remote jungle, DEA Operatives White and Snyder, and Navy Seals R. Gonzales and R. Hernandez were injured after being cornered by several dozen local campesinos wielding machetes and the teams barely escaped harm by boarding an air transport provided by DEAs Addison Air Wing. Members of the teams were cited for their heroism and bravery. The U.S. soon withdrew afterwards and ended all operations.[23]

## See also

- [Colombian conflict (1964–present)](/source/Colombian_conflict_(1964%E2%80%93present))

- [Mexican drug war](/source/Mexican_drug_war)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-UPI_1-0)** Gross, Richard C. (September 17, 1986). ["Bolivia agrees to keep U.S. troops in drug war"](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/09/17/Bolivia-agrees-to-keep-US-troops-in-drug-war/1404527313600/). UPO.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** See also: Ledebur, Kathryn (2005). ["Bolivia: Clear Consequences"](https://books.google.com/books?id=jAzNQGZ0AV4C&pg=PA150). In Youngers, Coletta; Rosin, Eileen (eds.). *Drugs and democracy in Latin America: the impact of U.S. policy*. Lynne Rienner Publishers. p. 150. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-58826-254-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-58826-254-7).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** See also Menzel, Sewall H. (1997). [*Fire in the Andes: U.S. Foreign Policy and Cocaine Politics in Bolivia and Peru*](https://books.google.com/books?id=-jPscPbFKk0C&pg=PA44). University Press of America. p. 44. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7618-1001-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7618-1001-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Bewley-Taylor, David R. (2001). [*The United States and international drug control, 1909-1997*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ESxOHZZwQXoC&pg=PA189). Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 189. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8264-5813-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8264-5813-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Jose_Luis_“Joe”_Rodriguez_5-0)** Mclay, James (January 17, 2025). ["Jose Luis "Joe" Rodriguez"](https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/4033103/jose-luis-joe-rodriguez/). uscg.mil.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-chepesiuk-177_6-0)** Chepesiuk, Ronald (March 7, 1999). ["The war on drugs : an international encyclopedia"](http://archive.org/details/warondrugsintern0000chep). Santa Barbara, CA. : ABC-CLIO – via Internet Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Isikoff, Michael (May 23, 1989). ["DRUG AGENTS' BODIES FOUND IN PERU CRASH"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1989/05/23/drug-agents-bodies-found-in-peru-crash/a61fe494-5123-4f3a-bb10-45e65667021b/). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Ranter, Harro. ["ASN Aircraft accident Cessna 208 Caravan I PNP-021 Huaral"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220307143526/https://www.asndata.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19890520-0). *www.asndata.aviation-safety.net*. Archived from [the original](https://www.asndata.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19890520-0) on 2022-03-07. Retrieved 2022-03-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Air Crash Impairs Drug War in Peru"](https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-05-23-8902030488-story.html). *[Chicago Tribune](/source/Chicago_Tribune)*. 23 May 1989.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Detroit DEA agent among Peruvian crash victims"](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/05/22/Detroit-DEA-agent-among-Peruvian-crash-victims/5014611812800/).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Menzel, Sewall H. (2000). [*Cocaine Quagmire: Implementing the U.S. Anti-Drug Policy in the North Andes-Colombia*](https://books.google.com/books?id=6poIQNLKIe0C&pg=PA88). University Press of America. p. 88. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7618-1643-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7618-1643-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [Reding, Nick](/source/Nick_Reding_(journalist)) (2010). [*Methland*](https://books.google.com/books?id=qYOFM6aXSyEC&pg=PA157). Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 157. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-60819-207-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-60819-207-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Frank S. Wallace Jr"](https://www.dea.gov/wall-of-honor/1994/1994-08/frank-s-wallace-jr).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Jay W. Seale"](https://www.dea.gov/wall-of-honor/1994/1994-08/jay-w-seale).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Juan C. Vars"](https://www.dea.gov/wall-of-honor/1994/1994-08/juan-c-vars).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Meredith Thompson"](https://www.dea.gov/wall-of-honor/1994/1994-08/meredith-thompson).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Frank Fernandez Jr"](https://www.dea.gov/wall-of-honor/1994/1994-08/frank-fernandez-jr).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Inside Operation Snowcap, p. 83-84

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Crash of a Casa 212 Aviocar 200 near Puerto Pizana: 5 killed | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives"](https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-casa-212-aviocar-200-near-puerto-pizana-5-killed). *www.baaa-acro.com*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** Ranter, Harro. ["Descripción del Accidente ASN 27 AUG 1994 CASA C-212 Aviocar 200 N119CA - Puerto Pisana"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19940827-0). *aviation-safety.net*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Hartman, Bob (March 7, 2011). [*Inside Dea: Operation Snowcap*](https://books.google.com/books?id=-9Oii_7JzscC&q=operation+snowcap+1994+casa+212+peruInside&pg=PA83). Xlibris Corporation. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781426972881](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781426972881) – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** Though the U.S. government expected the number of agents to increase to 180. ([Chepesiuk, 1999: p. 177](https://archive.org/details/warondrugsintern0000chep/page/177))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-War_in_Columbia:_Guerilla_Warfare_23-0)** Evans, Michael (March 7, 1999). ["War in Columbia: The Andean Strategy"](https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB69/part1.html). National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book – via National Security Archive.

## Bibliography

- Chepesiuk, Ron (1999). "Operation Snowcap". [*The war on drugs: an international encyclopedia*](https://archive.org/details/warondrugsintern0000chep). ABC-CLIO. p. [177](https://archive.org/details/warondrugsintern0000chep/page/177). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-87436-985-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-87436-985-4).

v t e Colombian conflict (1964–present) Participants Timeline Key aspects La Violencia (1948–1958) Marquetalia Republic The National Front Dominican Embassy siege (1980) Palace of Justice siege (1985) DAS Building bombing (1989) Patriotic Union Party extermination Humanitarian exchange Mapiripán Massacre (1997) El Caguán DMZ Failed peace process (1999–2002) Bojayá massacre (2002) Valle del Cauca Deputies hostage crisis (2002–2009) El Nogal Club bombing (2003) Neiva bombing (2003) Parapolitics scandal (2006–2007) Operation Emmanuel "False positives" scandal Andean diplomatic crisis (2008) Operation Jaque (2008) Operation Fenix (2008) Nariño massacres (2009) 2013 Colombian clashes Renewed peace process (2012–present) Peace agreement referendum (2016) 2022 Huila attack Total Peace concept Catatumbo campaign 2025 Catatumbo clashes August 2025 FARC dissidents clashes Government aspects Democratic security Plan Colombia Plan Patriota Colombia–United States relations Human rights in Colombia Politics of Colombia Illegal drug trade Illegal drug trade in Colombia War on drugs Operation Snowcap Narcoterrorism Catatumbo campaign Kidnappings Kidnappings in Colombia FARC political hostages Lawsuits Sinaltrainal v. Coca-Cola (2001) Rodriquez v. Drummond (2003) Doe v. Chiquita (2007) Guerrillas Government of Colombia Paramilitaries ELN EPL FARC dissidents Former guerrillas FARC-EP List of FARC attacks M19 MOEC CGSB ERP MAQL FARIP Linked to PCCC São Paulo Forum PC de C (M-L) Cuban revolutionaries Provisional IRA Colombia Three ETA ANNCOL Fighters+Lovers Colombian drug cartels Some Colombian politicians Military Forces of Colombia: National Army Air Force Navy Colombian Naval Infantry National Police Other: Migración Colombia Attorney General units Former government program CONVIVIR Linked to DynCorp International United Nations Mission in Colombia European Union United States Canada Águilas Negras Los Rastrojos Clan del Golfo Former paramilitaries AUC AAA Linked to Spearhead Ltd CONVIVIR Colombian drug cartels Mexican drug cartels Some Colombian military personnel Some Colombian politicians

v t e Internal conflict in Peru (1980–present) Participants Timeline Key aspects 1968 Peruvian coup d'état Revolutionary Government Founding of the Shining Path Limazo Tacnazo Chuschi ballot burning incident Deng Xiaoping's dogs incident Assault of Ayacucho prison 1983 Lucanamarca massacre Putis massacre Accomarca massacre Peruvian prison massacres 1986 Soviet embassy attack in Lima Aucayacu massacre Assassination of Juan Carlos Vega Llona 1987 North Korean embassy attack in Lima 1989 Callao bombing Three Martyrs of Chimbote Barrios Altos massacre 1992 Peruvian self-coup 1992 Bolivian embassy attack in Lima 1992 Peruvian embassy attack in Stockholm Santa massacre Frecuencia Latina bombing Tarata bombing La Cantuta massacre Japanese embassy hostage crisis Operation Chavín de Huántar Locumba uprising 2001 Peru Cessna 185 shootdown 2002 Lima bombing Andahuaylazo Hatun Asha ambush Llochegua Clashes Founding of the MPCP San Miguel del Ene attack Operation Patriot Government policies and actions Peruvian Agrarian Reform Judiciary reform in Peru under Alberto Fujimori Economic policy of the Alberto Fujimori administration National Population Program Forced sterilization in Peru Truth and Reconciliation Commission Arrest and trial of Alberto Fujimori Illegal drug trade Illegal drug trade in Peru War on drugs Narcoterrorism Coca eradication Operation Snowcap Related Cold War Terruqueo San Cristóbal of Huamanga University VRAEM Huallaga River Women in the internal conflict in Peru Shining Path and remnants Government of Peru MRTA Communist Party of Peru – Shining Path Militarized Communist Party of Peru Huallaga Faction (until 2012) Red Mantaro Base Committee FARC-EP Linked to Libya (until 2011) Hezbollah MOVADEF FUDEPP Ethnocacerist movement Plurinational Association of Tawantinsuyo Reservists Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (until 2012) FARC dissidents United Democratic Andean Revolutionary Front of Peru Peruvian drug traffickers Peruvian Armed Forces: Army Air Force Navy Peruvian Marines National Police Sinchis National Intelligence Service Special Intelligence Group Other: Rondas campesinas Sole National Central of Peasant Rounds of Peru Grupo Colina Rodrigo Franco Command Linked to United States DEA China Colombia Cuba North Korea Russia Spain Soviet Union (until 1991) Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (until 1997) Linked to Cuba Libya Nicaragua Sandinista National Liberation Front Soviet Union (until 1991) 19th of April Movement Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Operation Snowcap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snowcap) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snowcap?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.