OPIUM SMUGGLER SEIZED FROM IRANIAN FERRY: AN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000564

SIPDIS

NOFORN

ROTTERDAM FOR BKETTNER
PARIS FOR TSA NLARBI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2015
TAGS: ELTN EWWT KU SNAR
SUBJECT: OPIUM SMUGGLER SEIZED FROM IRANIAN FERRY: AN
EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT


Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Matthew Tueller, Reasons
1.4 (a) and (d)


1. (C/NF) SUMMARY: During a February 2, 2005 visit to
observe the International Shipping and Port Facility Security
posture at the ferry vessel passenger terminal, Shuwaikh Port
in Kuwait City, Econoff and visiting US Coast Guard LCDR
Brenden Kettner were unexpected witnesses to a drug seizure
and detention of a possible smuggler by Kuwait Customs
officials. Over 1/2 kilogram of opium was discovered on one
of the ferry passengers newly arrived from Iran on board the
Iranian flagged ferry vessel Brelyan. The Econoff and LCDR
Kettner where invited to witness the investigation and
interview of the suspect. END SUMMARY.


2. (C/NF) Econoff and visiting International Port Security
Liaison Officer LCDR Brenden Kettner, USCG, were concluding
their February 2 security visit at Shuwaikh Port when their
host, Mohammed, head of Customs at the port, was informed
that one of his Customs inspectors had found something.
Mohammed excitedly explained that his agent had discovered a
smuggler with drugs in his shoes. Mohammed escorted the
Econoff and Kettner into one of the examination rooms where
the suspect was being detained.


3. (C/NF) Upon entering the crowded room, Econoff saw one
man sitting in dejected silence in a nearby chair, his hands
in front of him, although not tied or restrained by
handcuffs, head bent down. The remaining men in the room
were all Customs officials. Every so often one of them would
shout a question at the suspect in Arabic. Mohammed would
periodically summarize parts of certain discussions for the
two non-Arabic speakers in the room (Econoff and LCDR
Kettner),but for the most part the conversations were
conducted in Arabic.


4. (C/NF) Shortly after the Econoff and Kettner entered the
interview room, another Customs official brought in the shoes
that the suspect had been wearing upon his arrival to the
port. The shoes had been reconstructed as evidenced by the
crude stitching used to reconnect the inside lining of the
shoe to the sole with poor quality stitching dissimilar to
other stitching on the shoes. Two customs investigators tore
the shoes apart, lifting up the soles and lining in the
loafers. They discovered little plastic bags filled with a
flat, brown, paste-like substance. Mohammed said that it was
opium. One of the customs officers brought out a scale to
verify the weight of the plastic bags. He also used a
narcotic test kit to verify that the substance was opium. A
little over 180 grams of opium was discovered in the shoes.


5. (C/NF) Mohammed sat down with the suspect, offered him
tea, and, in a soothing voice, began to question him. After
about 5 minutes of questioning, two more Customs officials
entered the room carrying the suspect's suitcase. They
proceeded to empty the suitcase and inspect all its pockets,
seams, and lining. After a brief inspection, one of the
Customs investigators ripped part of the lining and
discovered what looked like purple cellophane-wrapped 1x2
inch flat packets. Mohammed explained that it was more opium
wrapped in carbon paper. (NOTE: Since the questioning was
conducted in Arabic it is unclear to the Econoff if the
suspect admitted to having more opium in his suitcase or if
the Customs officials discovered it themselves. END NOTE).


6. (C/NF) The carbon paper prevents the x-ray machine from
"reading" the packets in the lining, Mohammed explained.
Econoff and LCDR Kettner were given a demonstration. Customs
officials took the suitcase back out to the x-ray machine and
ran it through again. The opium, visible when looking at the
suitcase, was not visible on the x-ray machine's display
screen.


7. (C/NF) After returning to the interview room the suitcase
was taken apart. Little carbon-covered packets were found
all along the exterior wall's lining. The total amount of
opium seized was just over 1/2 kilogram.


8. (C/NF) Once all of the opium had been removed from the
suitcase, tested and weighed, Mohammed began to question the
suspect again. This time, however, he wrote down the
suspect's responses. Periodically Mohammed would stop to
explain what he was doing to the Econoff and LCDR Kettner,
but he never directly translated what the suspect was saying.
After about 30 minutes of interviewing, Econoff and LCDR
Kettner left. Mohammed suspended his questioning to escort
them out. During the walk to the exit, Econoff inquired
about the next steps that Customs would take in the arrest of
the smuggler. Mohammed explained that while Customs has the
authority to detain and question a suspect, they cannot
arrest anyone. He said that after questioning the suspect
and taking his statement the police would be called to make
the arrest and take the suspect to a holding facility.


9. (C/NF) NOTE: LCDR Kettner mentioned to Econoff that he
had previously worked on an anti-narcotics team. In his
experience, he said, drug smugglers sometimes travel in
groups. When a suspect was detained on suspicion of
smuggling, his team would ensure that they did not become so
focused on that particular person that they failed to
continue to be able to detect other suspicious persons. He
also stated that they would look to see who that person was
traveling with and question them as well. He said that his
team made sure to keep a number of team members outside the
interview room to continue to watch the remaining persons.
LCDR Kettner mentioned these points to the Econoff because he
noticed that the Kuwaiti Customs team appeared to be overly
focused on this one particular individual. LCDR Kettner
noted that a majority of the Customs officials were in the
interview room, that no other travelers appeared to be
questioned and that no one was trying to identify whom the
suspect was traveling with or had been talking to prior to
his arrest. END NOTE.


10. (U) This cable has been cleared by LCDR Brenden Kettner,
USCG.
LEBARON