Laurie Hiett, wife of Colonel James Hiett, was charged in June with conspiracy to distribute drugs after the US Customs Service found parcels containing cocaine, including one with her name on the return address, the officials said.

Mrs Hiett said she did not know what the contents were.

She surrendered to US authorities in New York on Thursday, and was released on bail.

Colonel Hiett was in charge of a 200-strong US military unit that advises Colombian authorities on fighting drug trafficking.

He recently requested a transfer, but is not reported to have been implicated in any wrongdoing.

Colombian connection

Two months ago, US postal officials in Miami uncovered 2.7lb (1.2kg) of cocaine that had been mailed from the US military base in Bogota with Mrs Hiett's name on it, CNN reported.

According to the New York weekly Village Voice, a similar package containing cocaine was found at a post office in New York a few days later.

That package identified the wife of another military officer based in Bogota, but when questioned she said she sent the item for Mrs Hiett, the paper said.

The recipient of the packages, Hernan Arcila, was Colonel Hiett's chauffeur. Mr Arcila told police that he had received five or six similar shipments containing cocaine and was paid $1,500 for each one, the paper added.

Mr Arcila, 53, is being held in police custody and will appear before a judge on 25 August.