ATTORNEY GENERAL PRAISES DEA ASSISTANCE, CALLS FOR

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000191

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR LLUFTIG, INL/LP NBOZZOLO, KBROWN
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM PREL PGOV NS
SUBJECT: ATTORNEY GENERAL PRAISES DEA ASSISTANCE, CALLS FOR
CLOSER COOPERATION WITH GUYUNA

REF: PARAMARIBO 187


1. (U) Summary. In recent public statements, Attorney
General Subhas Punwasi reiterated his commitment to
combating narcotics, praised cooperation between the
Government of Suriname (GOS) and DEA, and expressed a
desire to increase law enforcement ties with Guyana to stem
the increasing quantity of drugs crossing the border. End
Summary.


2. (U) At a March 28 workshop on developing a drug supply
data network, Punwasi publicly described Suriname as a
transit point for local and transnational criminals
transshipping drugs and weapons. He said the importation
of drugs, mainly cocaine, occurs mainly via private planes
of foreign drug organizations landing on illegal airstrips
in the interior and coastal zones. He mentioned strong
suspicions that cocaine is being dropped in the sea just
off Suriname's coastline to be fished out by speedboats.
Punwasi continued that drugs are exported through
Suriname's only international airport as well as by means
of sea vessels leaving primarily from Suriname's main port
along the Suriname River. He said drugs are hidden in
secret compartments welded shut underneath boats and among

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export products such as rice and wood blocks.


3. (U) Punwasi stated that Suriname is committed to
battling the drug trade and that international cooperation
is essential for success. He praised the close cooperation
between Surinamese police and DEA, which he said has led to
increased drug seizures, a significant number of arrests
and the dismantling of criminal organizations. He also said
that he welcomed the permanent establishment of DEA in
Suriname. In a separate media interview, Punwasi stated
that as a result of DEA cooperation, there has been a
recent significant reduction in cocaine drops/landings in
Suriname.


4. (U) This decrease in landings has been accompanied by an
increase in cocaine being smuggled into Suriname from
Guyana, according to Punwasi. Drops are made in Guyana,
broken up into smaller parcels, and then smuggled over
Suriname's western border, the Corantijn river. Over the
last several months, Surinamese law enforcement has
interdicted an increasing number of drug shipments in
western Suriname, particularly the district of Nickerie.
To combat this trend, Punwasi called for closer cooperation
between Guyanese and Surinamese law enforcement officials.
He also stated that Suriname is not only worried about the
drugs situation, but other criminal matters as well.


5. (U) Punwasi claimed that the GOS has dismantled eight of
ten drug trafficking organizations in Suriname with a
ninth, extremely large organization on the verge of being
dismantled. However, he acknowledged that Suriname lacks
the necessary material resources, such as off-road
vehicles, fast riverine boats, and helicopters, needed to
arrive quickly to locations in the interior or along the
coast to interdict cocaine drops or landings.

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COMMENT
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6. (SBU) Notwithstanding the current uncertainty
surrounding the permanent establishment of a DEA presence
at the Embassy (See reftel),Punwasi's remarks reinforced
the long-standing commitment by GOS law enforcement
officials to cooperate closely with the USG on tackling the
drugs problem in Suriname. The trend of smaller cocaine
parcels entering Suriname from Guyana squares with
information received from various Embassy law enforcement
contacts recently. According to the contacts, Guyana has
become more attractive for drug landings than Suriname
because of a lesser amount of law enforcement scrutiny
there and greater accessibility of aviation fuel.


7. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED

BARNES