NAS MONTHLY REPORT, OCTOBER 2007

UNCLAS LIMA 003588 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR INL/LP STATE FOR WHA/PPC ONDCP FOR LT COL RONALD GARNER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL PE SUBJECT: NAS MONTHLY REPORT, OCTOBER 2007 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) The key developments in October 2007: ** Ambassador makes his inaugural trip to NAS-sponsored police and eradication facilities in Santa Lucia. ** Eradication total reaches 9,179 hectares of illegal coca and no booby traps (IEDs) encountered by eradicators. ** CORAH eradicated replanted coca near Tocache in support of the Alternative Development Program. ** NAS Aviation successfully limits UH-2 flight hours; exceeds annual limit by less than 1 percent (12 hours). ** At the INL/A conference, NAS-Lima said FY 2008 budget cuts could ground part of its fleet and lower CN targets. ** NAS looking to institute an exchange training program with a U.S. Air National Guard unit. ** 36 PNP cadets graduate from the first 4-week Tactical Jungle Operations Course at Santa Lucia. ** Peruvian Customs target border crossings into Ecuador and Chile. ** SUNAT stops airline passenger in Piura carrying $270,000 wrapped around his body. ** NAS arranges seminar for Congress and the public on constitutional issues surrounding the new civil asset-forfeiture law. ** U.S. NGO provides technical assistance to Peru's community anti-drug coalitions. ** Two G/TIP grants totaling $198,700 are awarded to Peru. END SUMMARY -------------- AMBASSADOR VISITS SANTA LUCIA POLICE BASE -------------- -- ¶2. (U) On October 26, the Ambassador made his inaugural trip to NAS-sponsored police and eradication facilities in Santa Lucia. He was accompanied by Minister of Interior Luis Alva Castro and DIRANDRO Director General Miguel Hidalgo. The Ambassador saw CORAH eradicators in action and later received briefings on eradication and interdiction operations. He also visited the construction site of the new Police Academy, which should be finished early next year, and later spoke with police cadets attending the new Tactical Jungle Operations Course. Prior to returning to Lima, the Ambassador and the Minister of Interior were given a tour of Santa Lucia by its mayor who then announced that Santa Lucia was donating land for a new police station. -------------- -------------- ERADICATION NEARING ANNUAL GOAL OF 10,000 HECTARES -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) As of October 28, CORAH has eradicated a total of 9,179 hectares and eliminated 36,890 square meters of seedbeds of illegal coca. No booby traps (IEDs) have been found this month; the last one was found on September 22. Less than 1,000 hectares are needed to reach this year's goal. In the best case scenario (high productivity, no social conflicts),CORAH should surpass the 10,000-hectare goal by the end of November. On October 14, CORAH established a new one-day record by eradicating 180.62 hectares in one day. ¶4. (U) On October 8, 10, and 11, CORAH eradicated fields of replanted coca in the vicinity of Tocache in support of the farmers who had signed agreements with the Alternative Development Program. CORAH will maintain a presence in the area to remind people that replanted coca will be eradicated. On the October 12, CORAH moved to Uchiza, where the eradicators experienced some resistance from the locals on six different occasions, but did not delay operations due to the effective intervention of DIRANDRO. -------------- -------------- EFFORTS TO CONSERVE UH-2 FLYING HOURS IS SUCCESSFUL -------------- -------------- ¶5. (U) The program NAS instituted three months ago to conserve UH-2 flight hours to avoid exceeding the annual limit of 7200 hours specified in the DynCorp contract has proven successful. By the end of the contact year on October 31, the UH-2s had flown 7212 hours, which represents an overrun of less than 1 percent. The methods and tactics used to conserve flight hours did not negatively affect eradication or interdiction operations and will be formalized and carried over to normal year-round operations. During the NAS-DIRAVPOL quarterly coordination meeting, DIRAVPOL said it would try to increase MI-17 helicopter flight hours in support of eradication efforts to allow for a reduction in UH-2 flight hours. -------------- NAS DIRECTORS CONFERENCE AT INL/A -------------- ¶6. (U) At the Aviation Management Conference at INL/A (Patrick AFB in Florida) on October 23-25, participants discussed Peru's strategic counternarcotics goals in the face of a $20 million budget cut in FY 2008. The budget cuts could result in a 50 percent reduction in the aviation budget, which could ground part of the fleet and lower the counternarcotics (CN) targets in Peru. Specifically, it was discussed how to sustain CN aviation support for eradication and interdiction operations in Peru, while maintaining INL/A standards with minimal contractor presence. Other issues included how to maintain Peruvian pilot capabilities in the face of numerous retirements and transfers of PNP aircrews in the near future as well as how to avoid unscheduled maintenance costs. ¶7. (U) The NAS Aviation Advisor visited NAS-Bogota to explore the possibility of using their NAS/DOD facilities for Initial Entry Rotary-Wing Training (IERWT) and flight simulation training. The feasibility of NAS-Lima using these facilities is in the initial discussion phase with NAS-Bogota. The idea would be for NAS-Lima to pay for the use of Colombia's flight simulators or for the IERWT slots to train Peruvian Air Police. It is not yet clear if this is possible or practical. With the reduction in aviation funds in Peru by 50 percent for FY 2008 and 2009, alternative and cheaper training facilities and methods must be found. DOD-9201 funds for training have also been cut back. -------------- -------------- C-26 AIRCREWS LOOK FOR TRAINING FROM U.S. NATIONAL GUARD -------------- -------------- ¶8. (U) In an effort to improve the professionalism and safety of the C-26 aircraft program, NAS has approached the Military Assistance and Advisory Group (MAAG) at the Embassy to institute an exchange program with a comparable U.S. military unit. Initial efforts have identified the West Virginia Air National Guard, which has training units for the C-26, as likely partners in this exchange. The MAAG is working to institute an initial Subject Matter Expert Exchange in which members of the West Virginia Air Guard would travel to Lima to conduct the initial exchange and evaluate the possibility of a long-term program. The goals would include improving FAP aircrew training efficiency as well as CN mission effectiveness and safety. If funding is approved by the National Guard, the initial exchange could take place by February 2008. ¶9. (U) The C-26 aircraft that was modified in the U.S. to use a digital camera system for CN missions has resumed operations using the FLIR instead. The camera system is still in the U.S. undergoing in-flight testing; it is also waiting for an export license for shipment to Peru. Camera installation is estimated to begin in mid-November in Lima. The other C-26 continues to provide CN logistical support as well as transportation for GOP officials such as President Garcia and government ministers. -------------- -------------- PNP CADETS GRADUATE FROM JUNGLE OPERATIONS COURSE -------------- -------------- ¶10. (U) Thirty-six PNP cadets graduated from the first 4-week Tactical Jungle Operations Course held at the Santa Lucia police base on October 26. They are to be assigned to DIRANDRO units east of the Andes when they graduate from their five-year officer's course in December. ¶11. (U) This month, the DIRANDRO unit assigned to the VRAE destroyed a total of 29 cocaine-production laboratories (including 3 cocaine HCl labs),and seized approximately 1.2 metric tons of chemical precursors. In the Upper Huallaga, DIRANDRO provided security to CORAH eradicators. To date, DIRANDRO reports the destruction of 541 cocaine-production laboratories (including 13 cocaine HCl labs) and the seizure of 7.4 metric tons of chemical precursors and 10 metric tons of cocaine HCl. -------------- -------------- DRUGS FOUND AT ECUADORIAN AND CHILEAN BORDER CROSSINGS -------------- -------------- ¶12. (SBU) During October, 1,111 kilos of cocaine HCl were seized and 80 people arrested for trafficking by SUNAT (Peruvian Customs) and the Prosecutor in Piura. SUNAT carried out a CN surge operation on October 17-20 that covered all 4 official border crossings between Peru and Ecuador. SUNAT used canines, ion-scans, density detectors, specialized swipes (hat read if vehicles/items are positive for cocaine even if ion-scans are not present),and mobile x-ray vans. This operation seized 65 kg of cocaine HCl. The following week, SUNAT deployed the same specialized teams at Tacna on the Peru-Chile border where 0.3 kilos of cocaine HCl was seized. Numerous vehicles tested positive with ion-scans for cocaine residue, but no cocaine was found, indicating that the surge operation had been compromised. Ion-scans will be permanently deployed at this border station with Chile in the near future. -------------- AIRPORT OFFICIALS SEIZE DRUGS AND CASH -------------- ¶13. (U) At the Piura airport on October 12, SUNAT personnel arrested a man who was carrying USD 270,000 (in U.S. bills) wrapped around his body like contraband. The money, the suspect, and another individual claiming he was the owner of the money were detained. SUNAT declared the money as illicit, and there is an on-going investigation of the man and the company who employed him. On Oct 21 in Piura, a truck with a false bottom was found to be carrying 800 kg of cocaine HCl. The NAS-sponsored prosecutor ("fiscal") in Piura led this investigation, ordering the arrests of 5 individuals in Piura and one in Ayacucho. ¶14. (U) At the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, 173 kg of cocaine HCl were seized, leading to the arrests of 74 individuals (e.g., internal carriers or "mules" and travelers with false bottoms in luggage). Before NAS bought the body scanner for use at the airport, an average of 15 mules were caught. With the body scanner, 60 mules are being caught with cocaine HCl every month. This month the body scanner identified 50 of the 66 mules arrested. Year to date, 344 mules (304 males and 40 females) have been arrested at the airport, resulting in the seizure of 3,654 kg of cocaine HCl slated for export. The Peruvian Post Office seized 73 kg of cocaine HCl this month. -------------- PERU'S ASSET FORFEITURE LAW -------------- ¶15. (U) NAS coordinated with the Chairman of the Peruvian Congressional Committee on Constitutional Issues to arrange a seminar for Congress and the public on the constitutional issues surrounding the new civil asset-forfeiture law. The law is part of a package of legislation directed at fighting organized crime that the Garcia administration created after being given legislative authority by Congress in April. Over 280 persons, including the Minister and Vice Minister of Justice, Congressmen, and senior GOP authorities, attended the event. NAS also supported a visit to Bogota by several Congressmen and advisors and the Vice Minister of Justice to confer with their Colombian counterparts on its asset forfeiture program. In the coming weeks, the Committee on Constitutional Issues will consider and vote on whether the Peruvian asset forfeiture law is constitutional. ¶16. (U) INL DAS Elizabeth Verville and INL Office Director David Luna were in Lima for an APEC conference. While here, they met with the new Director of the National Anticorruption Office (NAO),Carolina Lizarraga, as well as Beatrice Merino, Peru's Ombudsman, to learn more about their efforts to combat corruption. They also discussed bilateral cooperation on anticorruption, asset forfeiture, and organized crime issues with Justice Minister Zavala, who expressed a strong interest in working closely with the United States. -------------- --- U.S. NGO TRAINS PERUVIAN DRUG PREVENTION GROUPS -------------- --- ¶17. (U) On October 15-19, representatives from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA),a U.S.-based NGO, provided technical assistance to the 12 NGO teams developing community anti-drug coalitions (CAC) in FY 2008. CADCA reviewed the CAC Logic Model and Plan of Work for FY 2008 developed by NAS and the NGO team coordinators. The expansion from 6 to 12 CACs requires more training to ensure that the CAC model is consistently replicated and becomes sustainable. -------------- TWO PERUVIAN NGOS AWARDED TIP GRANTS -------------- ¶18. (U) This month, two NGOs have received Trafficking-in-Persons (TIP) grants from FY 2006 G/TIP funds. One grant ($100,000) will work primarily with local governments in the Lima Metropolitan area to educate officials on the dangers of TIP and to initiate local programs with municipal child-protection offices to report TIP activities and protect victims. The second grant ($98,700) is being given to the Sisters of Adoration who manage three shelters for sexually abused adolescent girls who are usually also TIP victims. The shelters in Lima, Callao, and Chiclayo protect, educate, and provide job skills for victims. NAS will be monitoring the results and handling the accounting for both projects. MCKINLEY