GUINEA-BISSAU SEEKS ASSISTANCE IN COMBATING

UNCLAS DAKAR 000168

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR INL, AF/RSA AND AF/W
DEA FOR OI, OEE, OIE AND OSE
ACCRA ALSO FOR WARP
LAGOS FOR DEA AND LEGATT
LISBON ALSO FOR DAO
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA
ROME FOR RD BENSON AND ARD PASQUARELLO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR EAID MARR PINS PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA-BISSAU SEEKS ASSISTANCE IN COMBATING
NARCOTICS TRAFICKING

REF: A. DAKAR 0154 (NOTAL)

B. LAGOS 0063 (NOTAL)

B. 05 DAKAR 1208 (NOTAL)


1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: On January 20, the
Mission received a letter from Bissau-Guinean Prime
Minister Aristides Gomes requesting assistance in
combating narcotics trafficking through Guinea-Bissau.
The letter noted that Bissau-Guinean Army officers, senior
Ministry of Interior officials and magistrates may be
involved. This is the GOGB's second such request for help
in less than a year (Ref C being the first). Mission is
pleased that DEA intends to visit Bissau, February 4-8
(Ref B). Mission urges INL, AF and DEA to explore
coordination with EU countries that are increasingly
concerned about the flow of narcotics from South America
to Europe via Guinea-Bissau and Senegal. END SUMMARY AND
ACTION REQUEST.


2. (SBU) On January 20, the Mission received a January 13
letter from Bissau-Guinean Prime Minister Aristides Gomes,
pleading for assistance in combating narcotics
traffickers. Without offering any specific assistance,
the Embassy has informed the GOGB that a representative of
the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) intends to visit Bissau,
February 4-8.


3. (SBU) Gomes' letter states that "powerful narco-
traffickers" are utilizing Bissau as a transit point for
drugs bound from South America to Europe. The letter
further acknowledges the suspected involvement of Bissau-
Guinean Army officers, Ministry of Interior officials and
magistrates. The letter notes that on December 3, an
aircraft with "registration number EC - LUX Type C" took
off from Bissau for Spain with 100 kilos of cocaine on
board.


4. (SBU) The African Party for the Independence of Guinea-
Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) has demanded that President
Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira explain the rise in drug
trafficking in the country. Some PAIGC leaders have
suggested that Vieira himself may be involved. On January
13, Secretary of State for Public Order Major Baciro Dabo
announced the capture of seven Colombians who arrived from
Ghana in a plane carrying large quantities of cocaine and
money, three of whom subsequently escaped. According to
the PAIGC, two of the drug dealers who "allegedly" escaped
are close to Guinean President Lansana Conte, who is a
personal friend Vieira, and the other is "the leader of an
international gang."


5. (SBU) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST: Mission recognizes
that narcotics transiting Guinea-Bissau appear to be bound
primarily for Europe. However, the GOGB clearly needs
outside assistance to address this growing problem. We
believe that the GOGB's request is serious. Given this
Government's pre-holiday crackdown on crime, we believe
that the prmary constraint is lack of resources.
Therefore, Mission urges that INL, AF and DEA explore
enhanced coordination with EU countries that are
increasingly concerned about the flow of narcotics from
South America to Europe via Guinea-Bissau and Senegal.
END COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST.

JACKSON