MFA REFUSES TO CEDE JURISDICTION OVER SMUGGLERS

UNCLAS QUITO 001098 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR MASS MOPS SNAR PTER EC SUBJECT: MFA REFUSES TO CEDE JURISDICTION OVER SMUGGLERS REF: QUITO 1060 ¶1. Via diplomatic note, the Foreign Ministry denied the USG's request to cede jurisdiction over the captain, crew, and cargo of the F/V Simon Bolivar, an Ecuador-flagged fishing vessel interdicted May 8 while carrying four tons of cocaine. Invoking Articles 4 and 17 of the 1988 UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, the ministry declared itself "competent over the crimes committed and requests the Embassy to communicate with U.S. Navy and Coast Guard officials to facilitate the handover of the crew and material evidence to Ecuadorian Navy authorities, so that they (the crewmembers) might be investigated and tried by competent Ecuadorian authorities." ¶2. In coming days, Embassy staff will engage MFA and Navy officials to express the USG's extreme displeasure with Ecuador's decision and to advocate stiff sentences for the Bolivar's captain and crew. CHACON