Operation Snowcap

Operation Snowcap (1987–1994) was a counter-narcotics operation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and military/police forces in nine Latin American countries. At an annual cost to the DEA of $8 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 leased 6 UH-1 Huey helicopters, and provided flight training to Bolivian air force pilots and Special Forces training for UMOPAR and DEA agents. Operation Snowcap actively recruited U.S. Army Infantry Officers attending the Army Infantry Officer's Advanced Course in the late 1980s. Senior Lieutenants and Captains attending the course were given classified briefings attempting to recruit them from the Army to participate for operations in Bolivia and Peru.

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. In one incident in a remote jungle location, DEA Operatives White and Snyder, and Navy Seals R.Gonzales and Red Hernandez were cornered by several dozen local campasinos wielding machetes and the team barely escaped harm by boarding a air transport provided by DEAs Addison Air Wing. In a 1988 memo, White, as new head of SNOWCAP, charged that agents were not being given adequate to 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." Fortunately DEA brass supported his request for increase U.S. Military special forces assistance to field DEA agents deployed under SNOWCAP, with the additional deployment of Navy SEALS/medics. However, Frank White never thought the level of support was adequate to protect deployed DEA agents in such remote jungle locations, but trudged forward.

...
Wikipedia