GT NAVY BRINGS IN 102 STRANDED ILLEGAL ALIENS

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 002387 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MOPS GT SUBJECT: GT NAVY BRINGS IN 102 STRANDED ILLEGAL ALIENS ¶1. The Guatemalan Navy launched patrol boats in response to information from the Embassy's Tactical Analysis Team indicating an Ecuadorian vessel, possibly transporting narcotics, was stalled 40 nautical miles southwest of Guatemala's Puerto Quetzal. The vessel "Matheus Tollet" was intercepted at 0330 local time on September 11, and was found to be carrying 102 illegal aliens but no narcotics. The vessel, which has accomodations for a crew of 12, departed Ecuardor 13 days earlier and had run out of food and water by the time it was intercepted. The Navy towed the disabled vessel to Puerto Quetzal where it was met by Immigration Officials, a prosecutor, and Embassy DHS personnel. The illegal aliens are being held at a hotel/shelter in the capital for interviews and processing before being repatriated. Some of the aliens may be expelled via the U.S. as alien smugglers or material witnesses. A similar incident last year resulted in convictions in Washington, DC against four crewmembers. ¶2. Comment: This is an encouraging demonstration of political will on the part of the Government of Guatemala to combat smuggling at sea. As the implementation of our new Maritime counternarcotics agreement gets underway, more such incidents are likely and the GOG's handling of this one, which required no high-level communications to secure GOG cooperation, sets a positive precedent. HAMILTON