Bolivia Convicts Belgian Miner for Illicit Import and Possession of Drug Precursor Chemicals

On July 18, 2003 a La Paz court convicted Belgian miner Guillaume Roelants and several of his employees for illicit import and possession of sulphuric acid. Officials allege that the acid was being used in the manufacture of cocaine. Roelants used sulphuric acid in his borax mine in the Bolivian Andes, and he claims that the amount imported did not exceed his commercial needs.