PARAGUAY'S 2005 SECOND QUARTER INL REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ASUNCION 000870 SIPDIS STATE FOR INL ABBY SMITH STATE FOR WHA/BSC AND EB/IFD/OIA NSC FOR KIM BREIER AND SUE CRONIN SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PA KCRM SUBJECT: PARAGUAY'S 2005 SECOND QUARTER INL REPORT ¶1. (U) Summary: - Quarterly activities - Program discussion - Quarterly SENAD statistics Quarterly Activities- Counternarcotics -------------- ¶2. On April 14, two agents from SENAD's Operations Unit arrested three police officers and two employees of the Public Ministry's Judicial Investigative Center (CIJ) on charges of extortion. The gang allegedly kidnapped the two-year old son of a woman whom they blackmailed for USD ¶1000. They also threatened to bring drug trafficking charges against the woman who admitted to the DOA agents she had traveled to Spain transporting cocaine. The employees of the CIJ had identified themselves as DOA agents in telephone calls to the woman demanding the ransom. The case broke however, when the woman lodged a complaint with the Attorney General's office, implicating police and CIJ officials leading to their arrest. ¶3. According to press reporting, on April 17 Brazilian authorities conducting a counterdrug operation shot down a twin-engine Piper Aztec as the pilot attempted to take off and escape after refueling in Brazilian territory. The pilot was killed and the co-pilot wounded. The men were Brazilian nationals and reportedly have prior convictions for trafficking-related offenses. The authorities estimate they were transporting 500 kg of marijuana and 30 kg of cocaine, which they dropped from the plane over Uruguayan territory. Authorities recovered over 100 kg of the marijuana, which they believe to be of Paraguayan origin. Flight records show the plane flew through Paraguay and Colombia. ¶4. On April 28, an INL-funded SENAD canine unit detected 32 kilograms of marijuana during a routine check of a Sao Paulo-bound bus near the Friendship Bridge connecting Ciudad del Este to Foz do Iguacu, Brazil. The bus originated from Asuncion. Kilo, one of SENAD's drug dogs, discovered the marijuana in two backpacks and one large bag belonging to two young men from Caaguazu, Paraguay. SENAD agents arrested the individuals and placed them in a local jail until their trail date was set. ¶5. On May 9, SENAD agents captured 50-year old Brazilian pilot Joao Freitas de Carvalho in Pedro Juan Caballero. Freitas is wanted in Brazil for trafficking cocaine for Fernandinho Biera Mar, Claudaire Lopes de Faria, and Ivan Mendes Mesquita. SENAD believes Freitas was involved in a plot to help Mendes Mesquita escape from a detention center prior to his extradition to the United States. There are no charges pending against Freitas in Paraguay. GOP officials are processing Brazil's request for Freitas extradition. ¶6. A SENAD drug dog, Bonita, detected 995 grams of cocaine concealed in a shipment of backpacks from Ciudad del Este enroute to Cameroon. The drugs were concealed inside metal backpack frames, each backpack containing around 90 grams of cocaine. SENAD along with two prosecutors thoroughly searched the shipments and took photographs of the backpacks, showing improved investigation abilities and aggressiveness. In mid-May, authorities arrested one individual in Ciudad del Este suspected of mailing the package and SENAD continues to search for another suspect. On May 19, SENAD agents in CDE seized five kilograms of cocaine and arrested a Nigerian national also involved in this case. ¶7. According to local press, Brazil deployed Army, Air Force, and Navy units to its border with Paraguay to control strategic points through which contraband, arms, and drugs could enter. The military operation named "Jaura II" covered the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and the northeastern region of Parana. There was little public Paraguayan reaction to these exercises. ¶8. On June 14, SENAD drug dog, Bonita, detected 31 kilograms of marijuana hidden in a piece of luggage during a routine check of a bus traveling to Ciudad del Este. The drugs were concealed in 50 paper packets wrapped around a porcelain tea set. ¶9. On June 22, the Cassation Tribunal of the Supreme Court rejected Carlos Ivan Mendes Mesquita's appeal, clearing the way for his extradition to the United States. Mendes Mesquita's turnover to US authorities took place on June 27, after several final judicial and administrative steps were completed. The GOP took extraordinary security precautions against possible bribes or violence to free Mendes Mesquita. Mendes Mesquita is the first major trafficker turned over to the U.S. by Paraguay and his extradition is a dramatic step against the FARC-linked trafficking organization. Trafficking in Persons (TIP) -------------- ¶10. Paraguay's Ambassador to Argentina Orlando Fiorotto, Argentina's Ambassador to Paraguay Rafael Edgardo Roma, and Paraguay's Director of the Repatriation Office, Nicasia Maldonado met in Asuncion to discuss proceedings in the case of 29 Paraguayan females--of which two are minors--who had been tricked into prostitution and were discovered in early May in Cordoba, Argentina during a roundup of brothels. Maldonado later traveled to Cordoba with the Minister of Women, Maria Jose Argana Mateu, to prepare for the return of these women. Ambassador Fiorotto stressed to the press the importance that Paraguay attaches to the investigation of this case and the prosecution of those involved. ¶11. In April, an Appeals Court overturned a conviction of two defendants from Villarica in a TIP case on grounds Spanish authorities have jurisdiction since the crime was concluded there. The case has gone to the Supreme Court for review. Ministry of Women representatives have stressed the importance of reinstating the conviction. We are raising the case as well with the Supreme Court. ¶12. On June 8, the Ministry of Women inaugurated a new center for the rehabilitation of victims of trafficking in persons (TIP). The Center is funded in part through the memorandum of understanding, signed last September, which granted USD 155,000 to assist the GOP in combating TIP. The center will be staffed with psychologists, sociologists, and attorneys to assist victims who have been recently repatriated to Paraguay. The Ministry will also sponsor training seminars for local authorities to raise awareness about TIP issues and how the Center can assist victims, including the filing of criminal charges. The Minister of Women, Maria Jose Argana Mateu, and the Ambassador both spoke at the event highlighting the importance of combating Trafficking in Persons in Paraguay. The Center opened in late June. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) -------------- ¶13. The Specialized Technical Unit (UTE) of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce conducted 12 raids over the last quarter, six were conducted in Ciudad del Este, three in the country's interior, and three in Asuncion respectively. UTE seized goods during each operation, including thousands of falsified compact discs, DVDs, cell phone batteries, cell phone covers, and ink and toner cartridges. The operations were not limited to these specific products, as authorities also seized falsified products ranging from Coca-Cola bottles to sporting equipment. The largest raid took place on May 27-28 in Asuncion, where UTE officials seized over 147,000 pirated compact discs from 16 businesses, the attorney general's office is investigating three individuals arrested in the operation. ¶14. Program Discussion: a. Demand Reduction This quarter the SENAD demand reduction team conducted 525 information sessions reaching over 16,000 students at 80 educational institutions in the Central Department (where Asuncion is located). In addition, the team conducted 14 formal training sessions to 460 primary school teachers. On June 23, SENAD commemorated the "International Battle Against the Use and Trafficking of Illicit Drugs Day" with a ceremony attended by Vice-President Castiglioni, SENAD Minister Ibarra, and Ambassador Keane. b. Narcotics Detection Canine Program SENAD's canine unit assisted in the seizure of marijuana and cocaine in three different operations. The dogs discovered over 63 kilograms of marijuana and 6 kilograms of cocaine. c. Eradication Operations This quarter SENAD focused its eradication operations in the Departments of Amambay and Canindeyu. In two separate operations, SENAD agents destroyed 219 hectares (657,000 kilos) of marijuana and seized an additional 1,270 kilograms of cut marijuana. Authorities also destroyed 57 workers' campsites and equipment. d. Law Enforcement ¶1. Counter Narcotics In addition to the above operations, on April 1, Paraguay successfully extradited Brazilian traffickers Odacir Antonio Dametto, Mario Alberto Parra Espindola, and Carlos Alberto da Silva Duro, who are wanted in Brazil on drug charges. ¶2. Money Laundering and Financial Crime Prosecutors filed two new charges against Hatem Barakat, a brother of money launderer and suspected terrorist financier Assad Barakat, who in 2003 was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to six years in prison. The new charges against Hatem involve the falsification of his children's birthplace for purposes of obtaining Paraguayan citizenship. Ironically, these seemingly less serious charges carry a greater maximum penalty than the tax evasion charges, subjecting Hatem to the possibility of eight years in prison if convicted. ¶15. Training This quarter INL funded an Oracle software training course for analysts working for the Anti-Money Laundering Secretariat (SEPRELAD). SIPDIS ¶16. Miscellaneous Issues Quarterly SENAD statistics 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Cocaine 105.9 kg 12.39 kg Seized (kg) Marijuana Seized (kg) 25,601 kg 26,737 kg Marijuana Crops 761 hectares 219 hectares Destroyed Arrests 17 45 (total) - Cocaine 10 11 - Marijuana (cultivation) 0 1 - Marijuana 6 32 - Counterfeit Currency 0 0 - Int'l Trafficking Firearms 1 0 - Trafficking Narcotics 0 1 - Illegal Entry 0 0 - Money Laundering 0 0 - Result of Investigation 0 0 KEANE