Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06GUATEMALA14
2006-01-04 15:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Guatemala
Cable title:  

December 31 Theft of Cocaine from Guatemala Police

Tags:  SNAR GT 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000014 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR GT
SUBJECT: December 31 Theft of Cocaine from Guatemala Police
Storage

SESNITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

(U)
UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000014

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR GT
SUBJECT: December 31 Theft of Cocaine from Guatemala Police
Storage

SESNITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

(U) 1. At about 0300 on December 31, 2005, 15 individuals
dressed in black police uniforms similar to the uniform of
the Guatemalan Anti-Drug Police (SAIA),and armed with AK-47
assault rifles, entered a National Civilian Police (PNC)
compound and stole 475 kilos of cocaine being stored there
pending destruction. Some of the assailants wore masks.
After overpowering the four guards on duty, the assailants
cut three locks and gained entry to the trailer where seized
drugs were stored. The three vehicles used to transport the
drugs and assailants were described as 1 minivan, 1 large
SUV, and 1 pickup truck. All of the vehicles had stolen
license plates.

(U) 2. The 475 kilos of cocaine that were stolen were part
of a seizure of 997 kilos made at the Santo Tomas de
Castilla port on November 15, 2005. The drugs were
transported from the port to Guatemala City where they were
placed in a trailer in the SAIA compound. The trailer was
under 24-hour surveillance by members of SAIA and access to
the trailer was under strict supervision that required the
presence of two persons for storing or removing drugs for
analysis, court appearances or destruction.

(U) 3. The assailants demonstrated a familiarity with the
PNC compound, the drug storage trailer and the location of
security forces on duty. This, coupled with the fact that
several of the assailants wore masks, leads the Minister of
Government and the Public Ministry to conclude that current
or past members of SAIA may have participated in the
robbery.
Since the morning of December 31 the PNC has executed 12
search warrants of residences located in zones 1, 3 and 6 of
Guatemala City all with negative results.

(U) 4. According to the Public Ministry a request for
destruction of the drugs was made to the court eight days
after the seizure of the 997 kilos of cocaine. PNC Director
Erwin Sperisen also requested that the drugs be destroyed
shortly after they were seized. However, Judge Victor Hugo
Herrera scheduled the incineration for January 4, 2006,
fifty days after the date of seizure and a full 30 days
after the 20-day limit established by law for destruction of
drugs. The Supreme Court is reviewing the case and will
apply appropriate sanctions against Judge Victor Hugo
Herrera if the findings indicate responsibility. About 600
kilograms of seized cocaine remained in the trailer after
the thieves left. This represents the balance of the drugs
seized in the November 2005 Santo Tomas bust and other
seizures made during the last months of 2005. A drug burn
was arranged on January 3 to destroy the remaining 600 kgs.

(SBU) 5. According to the Ministry of Government, there are
indications that some of the assailants could be part of a
group known as Zeta, former Mexican Special Forces elements
that are known to be working with drug cartels. DEA
Guatemala and the Narcotics Affairs Section are providing
support to the GOG in an effort to identify the assailants.

(SBU) 6. Comment: This is not the first time that seized
drugs have been stolen from Guatemalan police storage, but
following the arrest of the SAIA top command in the US in
November on drug trafficking charges and public statements
by Minister Vielmann and PNC Chief Sperisen that SAIA was
being cleaned up, it is an embarrassing confirmation of the
lack of reliability of SAIA and the PNC. Although there is
as yet no proof that this was an inside job, it appears
likely that there was, at a minimum, passive cooperation
from SAIA members. We are reminded that SAIA's predecessor
organization, the DOAN (National Anti-Narcotics
Directorate),was disbanded in early 2003 after DOAN members
were caught stealing seized cocaine. Corruption within the
SAIA is not a surprise, and DEA and NAS are working closely
with GOG officials to overhaul the organization and
establish more rigorous and regular vetting procedures to
guard against continued corruption. We are also concerned
with the apparent willingness of a judge to ignore the law
demanding destruction of seized drugs within 20 days, and
will follow-up to learn how and why that happened. End
comment.
DERHAM