Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DAKAR1291
2007-06-18 08:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dakar
Cable title:  

GUINEA BISSAU: DRUG FIGHT TAKES BIG STEP BACKWARD

Tags:  SNAR PGOV PREL PU 
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VZCZCXRO7931
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #1291/01 1690806
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 180806Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8557
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 0031
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0245
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0028
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0955
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0796
RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0422
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0458
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0028
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001291 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/AAE, AF/W, AF/RSA AND INR/AA
ACCRA FOR USAID/WA
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA AND DEA - HOUSTON
LAGOS FOR DEA - GAYE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PLS PASS DEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2016
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PREL PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA BISSAU: DRUG FIGHT TAKES BIG STEP BACKWARD

Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001291

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/AAE, AF/W, AF/RSA AND INR/AA
ACCRA FOR USAID/WA
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA AND DEA - HOUSTON
LAGOS FOR DEA - GAYE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PLS PASS DEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2016
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PREL PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA BISSAU: DRUG FIGHT TAKES BIG STEP BACKWARD

Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY
--------------

1. (C) In a surprising move, the GOGB took a big step
backward in the fight against drug trafficking with the
firing of the police chief responsible for two major
seizures. The Interior Minister appears to be positioning
himself to control more of the traffic. Meanwhile,
consumption is starting to be seen in the local population.
With this development, bilateral cooperation on drugs will be
complicated. Now more than ever, the Department should
continue to move forward with funding for the UNODC position
in Bissau. END SUMMARY.

COMMISSION INVESTIGATES MISSING COCAINE
--------------

2. (U) An interministerial commission was established to
examine the circumstances surrounding the cocaine seizure on
September 24, 2006 which netted 674 kg. of cocaine, the
largest ever in the country's history. Shortly after the
seizure, the two Latin American smugglers were released from
jail and the drugs disappeared out of Finance Ministry
coffers. Several people involved in the case testified
including former Finance Minister Victor Mandinga.


3. (C) The commission released a final report on June 9
which listed three courses of action. The first was to turn
over to the Attorney General the full transcript of the
proceedings so he could open criminal cases. On June 12, the
Attorney General verified to PolOff June 12 that he would
open criminal investigations but did not say against whom.
The second action was a national program to combat drugs to
be created by the Minister of Justice in coordination with
the others on the commission. Third was the immediate
de-commissioning of Judicial Police Director-General Orland
da Silva and Central Director of Investigation and Prevention
of the Judicial Police Alexandre Forbes. No explanation was
given for the dismissals; no charges were brought against the
two men; and no one has yet been appointed to lead the

Judicial Police.

DA SILVA SPEAKS OUT
--------------

4. (C) PolOff and visiting DEA Agents Robert &Sam8 Houston
from Paris and Sam Gaye from Lagos interviewed da Silva who
confirmed suspicions that the firing was an effort to destroy
the Judicial Police as the only successful anti-drug agency
in the country. Both cocaine seizures were conducted by da
Silva and his men. Da Silva alleged Interior Minister Baciro
Dabo was behind the move. He saw Dabo and others from the
Interior Ministry headed toward Gabu the morning of June 10
and his sources confirmed that the men went to meet two
planes which had arrived from Venezuela carrying cocaine.


5. (C) Da Silva and his men were planning an interdiction of
the two planes which were scheduled to arrive at the military
section of the Bissau national airport the morning of June

10. Members of the military viewed him surveilling the site
and altered the landing to Gabu. He noted that traffickers
are not as brazen as they used to be and are using more out
of the way locations such as Gabu, about 100 miles east of
Bissau.


6. (C) Da Silva did not know who would replace him as
Judicial Police chief but guessed it would be a puppet for
Dabo. He said he was not a suspect in the disappearance of
the drugs; on the contrary, the only explanation he received
for his ouster was not keeping a key to the coffers in the
Ministry of Finance where drugs were stored. He learned of
his firing by hearing it on the radio.


7. (C) When asked if President Joao Bernardo &Nino8 Vieira
was behind his firing, da Silva said he did not think so.
Dabo and Vieira have had a very close relationship in the
past and Dabo has served previously as the President,s
security advisor. But da Silva said the relationship is

DAKAR 00001291 002 OF 002


strained and Dabo only won his post by buying it from Party
of Social Renewal (PRS) Vice President Sori Djalo. At the
time, Djalo was the proxy of PRS president Kumba Yala, but
they have since parted ways.

CONSUMPTION RISING
--------------

8. (C) Da Silva and UNOGBIS Deputy Daniel Ruiz both raised
concerns that drug usage, most prominently crack cocaine, is
starting to take root in Guinea-Bissau. They noted this was
significant because just recently, drug usage was completely
unknown in the country. Recognizing the problem, Finance
Minister Iussuf Sanha has asked donors for support in
stopping drug use. Ruiz described a scene at a high school
across the street from his house where he witnessed drug
pushers, who he said were Nigerian, engaged in a shoot-out
with police.

COMMENT
--------------

9. (C) Da Silva's firing appears to be a significant
set-back for counter narcotics efforts in the country. The
firing has not been explained by the GOGB but it seems clear
that no explanation will convince observers that the move was
justified. DEA agents were in-country with the goal of
furthering the working relationship with da Silva as police
chief and only learned of his firing on the morning of their
arrival in Bissau. Now, any cooperation with DEA will be
slowed until a new chief is appointed and assessed for
reliability.


10. (C) The Embassy has sent a diplomatic note to Prime
Minister Martinho N,Dafa Cabi, who presided over the
commission which fired da Silva, requesting clarification and
reiterating the importance of fighting narcotics, money
laundering and corruption. Embassy strongly urges rerouting
USD 150,000 in INL/ICITAP pipeline funding to support the
UNDP project of posting a UNODC counter-narcotics official in
Bissau. Post is also looking into the possibility of
establishing a mini-Dublin group among Dakar-based diplomats
to strengthen our message to the GOGB. END COMMENT.


11. (U) Visit Embassy Dakar's SIPRNet site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/af/dakar.
JACOBS