COUNTERNARCOTICS: INDONESIAN POLICE--AIDED BY

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 003159 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, INR/EAP, INL, INL/AAE SINGAPORE FOR DEA/ICE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017 TAGS: PGOV SNAR PREL KCRM ID SUBJECT: COUNTERNARCOTICS: INDONESIAN POLICE--AIDED BY USG--MAKE SUCCESSFUL RAID Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: An Indonesian National Police (INP) drug task force--with intelligence assistance from the USG--raided a methamphetamine laboratory located on an Indonesian island near Singapore, October 20-21. The INP arrested two chemists from Taiwan and four Indonesian nationals. The total street value of seized materials is estimated to be about $160 million. The raid is another example of the INP's increasing counternarcotics proficiency, including willingness to act on USG-provided information. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) SHARED INTELLIGENCE LEADS: Telephone data and personal information on individuals from Taiwan provided by the Taiwan Ministry of Justice Investigative Bureau (MJIB) was passed to DEA offices in Hong Kong and Singapore. After analysis, the DEA forwarded the information to the Indonesian National Police for action. The information provided enough evidence for the INP Narcotics Board (BNN) to establish an investigative task force led by Indonesia's Joint Inter-Agency Counter Drug Operations Center (JIACDOC). In a period of 10 days--using technical and human surveillance--the task force collected sufficient evidence to move forward. (Note: JIACDOC is an inter-agency intelligence and operations center. It is focused on counter narcotics and transnational crime intelligence collection and interdiction.) ¶3. (C) THE BIG RAID: On October 20-21, an INP team--acting on the assembled and confirmed intelligence--raided a methamphetamine laboratory consisting of three warehouses and one residence on the island of Batam, located approximately 20 miles south of Singapore. The INP arrested two chemists from Taiwan and four Indonesian nationals. Follow-up raids later that week found two more laboratories in Batam and one in Jakarta. The total street value of the confiscated crystal methamphetamine and pre-cursor chemicals is estimated to be $162 million. ¶4. (SBU) SECOND MAJOR SUCCESS: The recent raids are the second major success for JIACDOC. In 2005, JIACDOC assisted in the raid of a drug laboratory in Cikande, Indonesia, where the estimated value of drugs and pre-cursor chemicals seized was $142 million. At the time, the DEA assessed that the Cikande raid had uncovered and closed up the third-largest drug laboratory in the world. ¶5. (C) BIG BANG FOR THE BUCK: The raid is another example of the INP's increasing proficiency in counternarcotics efforts, including willingness to act on USG-provided information. More broadly, the success of the raid is in part the result of a well-conceived USG engagement program with Indonesian law enforcement agencies. The program encourages the GOI to work internationally with partners, and conduct more effective planning, investigations and operations by working on an inter-agency basis. The program also provides U.S. training and technical support. This approach has already returned yields--in terms of seized goods and criminal prosecutions. ¶6. (U) USG engagement involves the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counter-Narcotics (DASD CN),JIATF West (PACOM,s Counter-Narcotics program) and DEA and ICE in support of Mission's goal of enhancing the GOI,s ability to interdict narcotics and stop transnational criminal activities. JIATF West has provided assistance to the Indonesian National Narcotics Board (BNN) in the form of organizational guidance, facilities, IT infrastructure, data base support and training infrastructure. HUME