Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04TEGUCIGALPA943
2004-04-23 22:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Cable title:  

OPERATION CONTROLADO II RESULTS IN HONDURAS;

Tags:  HO NOTAG 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

232215Z Apr 04
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEGUCIGALPA 000943 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEA HQS PLS PASS TO SARI, OFC/MCMANUS, STEFFICK,
HUTCHINSON, BROWN; NTRM/BERGMANN, SOD/OSA FOR HIGGENS
DEA MEXICO FOR HOLIFIELD, ORTEGA, GARAY AND KEYS
DEA BOGOTA PLS PASS TO CARTAGENA RO FOR FISHER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS:
SUBJECT: OPERATION CONTROLADO II RESULTS IN HONDURAS;
GFTA-04-8003;
CCX:GFAL-99-8001/OPERATION LANDBRIDGE
CS-02-108780

REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA TWX 00987 DATED 252248ZAPR03


B. TEGUCIGALPA TWX 00227 DATED 301724ZJAN04

C. EMAIL BETWEEN DOMINGUE AND FISCHER ON 4/21/04

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEGUCIGALPA 000943

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEA HQS PLS PASS TO SARI, OFC/MCMANUS, STEFFICK,
HUTCHINSON, BROWN; NTRM/BERGMANN, SOD/OSA FOR HIGGENS
DEA MEXICO FOR HOLIFIELD, ORTEGA, GARAY AND KEYS
DEA BOGOTA PLS PASS TO CARTAGENA RO FOR FISHER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS:
SUBJECT: OPERATION CONTROLADO II RESULTS IN HONDURAS;
GFTA-04-8003;
CCX:GFAL-99-8001/OPERATION LANDBRIDGE
CS-02-108780

REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA TWX 00987 DATED 252248ZAPR03


B. TEGUCIGALPA TWX 00227 DATED 301724ZJAN04

C. EMAIL BETWEEN DOMINGUE AND FISCHER ON 4/21/04


1. During the period of April 1, 2004, to April 12, 2004,
Honduran law enforcement engaged in Operation Controlado II
which was an enforcement action against all types of criminal
activity. This operation concentrated on human and vehicle
movements at the borders and on all main transportation
arteries. This operation produced the following results in
Honduras:

FIRST EVENT


2. On April 1, 2004, a 1989 red Mazda pick-up truck bearing
Honduran license plate PBI-6497 was stopped at a police check
point near Progreso, Lancetilla, Tela, Atlantida, HD. Two
individuals were present in the vehicle as police began to
conduct an inspection. Police discovered 14 kilos of cocaine
secreted in the side panels of the vehicle. Both individuals

SIPDIS
were able to flee the scene and ultimately escaped
unidentified.


3. Honduran police records indicate that the vehicle is
registered to Amadeo ECHEVERRIA-Nataren who is identified in
the indexing section.

SECOND EVENT


4. On April 3, 2004, Honduran Frontier Police (FP)
conducting routine vehicle registration operations,
encountered a red Toyota pick-up truck bearing Honduran
license plate PAA-1331. The driver was identified as Rene
Sigfredo GALINDO-Mencia and was accompanied by Denis
PORTILLO. The FP found each subject in possession of
semi-automatic hand guns which were confiscated. A short
distance behind the Toyota approached a white Isuzu truck
with high green wooden rear paneling bearing Honduran license
plate PP-04322, and driven by Marco Tulio FRANCO-Carranza. A
third Toyota pick-up (white in color),bearing Honduran
license plate PAM-4416 was following closely behind the
truck. The two subjects occupying this vehicle were also
found to be in possession of two hand guns. All vehicles
were ordered to pull over for inspection.


5. The FP became extremely suspicious over four weapons
found in two vehicles within such close proximity, possibly
protecting the larger truck. FP then ordered all drivers of
the three vehicles to proceed slowly to the Police Station at

Bonito Oriental for further inspection. At that moment, the
vehicles under suspicion left the area at high velocity; the
FP conducted pursuit of the Isuzu truck and moments later
found it abandoned by its occupant. FP officers eventually
located and seized the white Toyota and arrested the driver,
Luis Armando JUAREZ-Pineda at a local residence in possession
of a cell phone assigned telephone number (504)968-7502. The
red Toyota was also located and seized, but GALINDO and
PORTILLO escaped and are at large.


6. A subsequent search of the Isuzu vehicle revealed the
truck's flatbed had a false floor containing a quantity of
108 kilos of cocaine. The drivers license of Marco Tulio
FRANCO-Carranza was also found in the cab of the truck.


7. A Qualcomm satelite phone was found in the possession of
Rene Sigfredo GALINDO-Mancia. Telephone numbers
(505)891-4870, 979-4255, and 977-2189 were found in the data
memory of the satellite phone.


8. A telephone analysis indicated that telephone
(504)968-7502 communicated twice with telephone number
(504)978-6526 belonging to Jose Ivan SANABRIA-Castaneda
(NADDIS 5666783). In addition, a review of the electronic
memory of (504)968-7502 revealed this number was in
communication with telephone number (504)963-3793 and was
assigned the name "Wilmer". A review through the TCO data
base revealed this number was in contact 18 times with
telephone number (504) 967-3753 between October 2002 and
January 2003. The (504)967-3753 number is another telephone
number associated with SANABRIA. SANABRIA is suspected of
receiving maritime drug shipments and transporting them
across western HD into Guatemala (per ref A and B).


9. SANABRIA is a landbased transportation specialist that
orchestrates the logistics of receiving maritime drug
shipments off the north coast of Honduras, and transports
them by land through western Honduras into Guatemala.
SANABRIA has been implicated as conspiring with a
Colombian-based maritime transportation specialist identified
as Jesus Antonio MURILLO-Lenis (NADDIS 5780682) who is a
suspect in the Cartegena RO's, ZU-03-0023 investigation.


10. Per ref C, SARI is requested to combine NADDIS records
5330343 and 5758500 into NADDIS 5780682.

THIRD EVENT


11. On April 6, 2004, Frontier and Honduran Police were
conducting a combined vehicle registration operation at the
Satuye checkpoint in Colon, HD. At 16:20 hours, a black
Toyota pick-up truck bearing Honduran license plate PBG-5241
was pulled over for inspection. Police noticed that the
screws of the gas tank door flap had been removed and that
the gas tank had been recently painted. The vehicle was
taken to the local police station (Jefatura Departamental No.
1) for closer inspection after the driver denied that the gas
tank had been recently painted. Thirty-three kilos of
cocaine were removed from a compartment within the gas tank
after officials dropped it from the chassis; twenty-two kilos
were wrapped in black plastic and 11 were wrapped in white
plastic.


12. The subjects arrested in this incident were Oscar Rene
ANDRADE and Italo Donaldo CHINCHILLA-Portillo who are further
identified in the indexing section. Honduran Police records
indicate the Toyota is registered to Jose Antonio
CHINCHILLA-Perez.


13. Pursuant to the DEA Agents Manual, section 6242.11, this
twx is submitted in lieu of a DEA-6.


14. Any questions concerning this cable can be directed to
A/CA Ivan Rios or I/A John Domingue at (301)985-9321.


INDEXING


1. JUAREZ-Pineda, Luis Armando - NADDIS NEGATIVE
POB: Honduras
DOB: October 12, 1958
Honduran ID# 0101-1958-01426
Address: Bo. Col. Satelite 1era etapa
Telephone Number: (504)968-7502
Weapons serial Number: BC350, CDB-03076865


2. GALINDO-Acosta, Jose Maria - NADDIS NEGATIVE
POB: Honduras
DOB: November 1, 1954
Address: Bo. Las Acacias, Bonito Oriental, Colon, HD
Telephone Number: (504) 438-9218


3. PORTILLO, Denis - NADDIS NEGATIVE
Weapons serial Number: BER-303581


4. GALINDO-Mencia, Rene Sigfrido - NADDIS NEGATIVE
DOB: January 3, 1979
Honduran ID# 1501-1979-00297
Address: Bo. Las Acacias, Bonito Oriental, Colon
Weapons serial Number: BER-248337
Telephone Number (505)891-4810


5. SANABRIA-Castaneda, Jose Ivan - NADDIS 5666783


6. MURILLO-Lenis, Jesus Antonio - NADDIS 5780682


7. FRANCO-Carranza, Marco Tulio - NADDIS NEGATIVE
DOB: November 8, 1966
Honduran ID# 1403-1966-00096
Address: Rio Chiquito Sur, Arizona, Atlantida


8. ECHEVERRIA-Nataren, Amadeo - NADDIS NEGATIVE
DOB: August 10, 1972
Honduran ID Number: 1306-1973-00022
Address: Los Olanchitos, Jutiapa, Atlantida, HD
VIN# JM2UF3136K07Q5409 - Red Mazda

9. ANDRADE, Oscar Rene - NADDIS NEGATIVE
DOB: August 17, 1977
Honduran ID# 0410-1977-00740
Address: Municipio de Jutiapa, Atlantida


10. CHINCHILLA-Portillo, Italo Donaldo - NADDIS NEGATIVE
DOB: March 28, 1975
Honduran ID# 0410-1975-00286
Address: Barrio Limon, Florida, Copan, HD


11. CHINCHILLA-Perez, Jose Antonio - NADDIS NEGATIVE
Honduran license plate: PBG-5241
PALMER