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