ETHIOPIA: INCREASED HEROIN TRAFFICKING ORIGINATING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 002301 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND INL/ENT CAIRO FOR DEA LAGOS FOR LEGATT JUSTICE FOR OIA, AFMLA AND NDDS TREASURY FOR FINCEN CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM ET GH KE TO IR SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: INCREASED HEROIN TRAFFICKING ORIGINATING IN IRAN OR DUBAI REF: A. ADDIS ABABA 1000 (NOTAL) ¶B. ADDIS ABABA 3006 (NOTAL) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Since the March arrest of a Ghanaian national who had ingested nearly one kilogram of heroin from Iran, Ethiopian federal authorities have arrested 4 other Africans transiting Addis Ababa from Dubai with ingested heroin, and are randomly searching West Africans on suspect flights. The suspected smugglers claimed to have purchased the heroin pellets in Iran or Dubai. While Ethiopia is not a significant producer, trafficker, or consumer of narcotic drugs, its location among the major narcotics routes--linking Southeast/Southwest Asian heroin production, European markets, and West African trafficking networks--make it a prime candidate for continued drug trafficking. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Ethiopian Federal Police Illicit Drug Control Service Deputy Commander Tsegaye Weldhiwot reported that Ghanaian National Francis Antwi (DOB 12 March 1979) was arrested at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on June ¶16. Mr. Antwi swallowed 30 pellets of heroin, weighing 391.15 grams. Mr. Antwi, who traveled from Tehran to Dubai, claimed that he purchased the drugs in Iran for USD7,500 from Mr. Farmod, an Emirati citizen. Mr. Antwi claimed that he did not know the identity of the final purchaser of the heroin; however, his destination was Lome, Togo. Ten days later, on June 26, a second Ghanaian citizen, Godstime Vinson Badasu (DOB 03 April 1957) was arrested for trafficking of heroin, also in the form of swallowed pellets. Mr. Badasu expelled 16 pellets, obtained the drugs in Dubai, and was also traveling to a final destination of Lome, Togo. -------------- -------------- KENYAN AND TANZANIAN CITIZENS ARRESTED FOR TRAFFICKING HEROIN -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) In addition to the Ghanaian citizens, on June 29, Ethiopian Federal Police Illicit Drug Control Service officers arrested Kenyan citizen Adamal Harun Mansur (DOB 03 February 1984). Mr. Mansur was found carrying 17 capsules of heroin internally, and was traveling from Dubai to Lilongwe, Malawi, transiting Bole International Airport. On July 1, the Ethiopian Federal Police arrested Tanzanian citizen Johar Saleh Athumani (DOB 17 April 1973). Mr. Athumani was traveling from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania, also transiting through Addis Ababa. Mr. Athumani expelled six capsules of heroin. -------------- -------------- FEDERAL POLICE SEARCHING SUSPECTED WEST AFRICAN NATIONALS -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) These instances of trafficking follow close on the heels of the March 23 arrest of Ghanaian national Abubakari Yakubu (DOB: 23 January 1972) for possession of heroin at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa (ref A). The Ethiopian Federal Police responded to this apparent increase of narcotics trafficking by West African nationals by randomly searching a West African citizen on every suspect flight. With regard to narcotics trafficking by all nationalities, the penalty for narcotics trafficking in Ethiopia increased one year ago from a maximum of three years to a maximum of 10 years imprisonment. Thus far, the average sentence has been 3-4 years. The authorities in Dubai did not arrest the suspected traffickers passing through their airports; however, Emirati officials notified Ethiopian authorities of the alleged traffickers once they departed ADDIS ABAB 00002301 002 OF 002 Dubai and were en route to Addis Ababa. -------------- -------------- ETHIOPIA NOT LIKELY A HUB FOR EXCESSIVE DRUG TRAFFICKING -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: It was unclear whether the Ethiopian police had made contact with the respective embassies of those arrested, in order to ensure consular access. As noted in Ethiopia's 2006 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) (ref B),Post assesses that Ethiopia is not, nor is it likely to become, a significant producer, trafficker, or consumer of narcotic drugs. However, its location among the major narcotics routes between Southeast/Southwest Asian heroin production, European markets, and West African trafficking networks, make it a prime candidate for continued drug trafficking. For example, Ethiopian Federal Police report having confiscated 11 kg, 312.76 grams of heroin from 14 individuals in 2005, and 16 kg, 165.98 grams of heroin from 22 individuals in 2004. END COMMENT. YAMAMOTO