BOGOTA -- The tentacles of the Cali drug cartel reach deep into Colombian society, with thousands of politicians, police and journalists on the gang's payroll, new documents indicate.


The documents, uncovered during a raid on an apartment where fugitive cartel leader Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela had been hiding, seem to confirm what U.S. drug agents long suspected -- the world's most powerful drug gang had penetrated Colombia's political system, security forces and many levels of society.


The drug kingpin is believed to have escaped the raid on his luxury apartment by crouching in a hiding place behind a bathroom wall. But what police did find was a list of 2,800 names.


The discovery was first reported by the news program "TV Hoy" on Saturday. "TV Hoy" did not release the names on the list, but said they included judges, members of congress, mayors, governors, military personnel, police, journalists and athletes.


Prosecutor General Alfonso Valdivieso told reporters Saturday night that "important evidentiary material" had been found, but he would not give any details.


Valdivieso, who heads several investigations into Cali corruption in government, said the trail may lead all the way to President Ernesto Samper.