Portugal: INL DAS McCampbell Visit Analyzes European

UNCLAS LISBON 001388 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE Department for INL, EUR/WE, EUR/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PREL KCRM PO SUBJECT: Portugal: INL DAS McCampbell Visit Analyzes European Transshipment ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: During INL DAS Christy McCampbell's May 11 visit to Lisbon, she met with several counterparts to discuss the increasing use of Portugal as a transshipment area for drugs. Portuguese interlocutors offered a brief analysis into the drug trafficking problem facing Portugal and Europe writ large and urged the U.S. to continue to enhance our law enforcement cooperation efforts. End Summary. -------------- TOOLS TO COMBAT THE SURGE -------------- ¶2. (SBU) According to Judicial Police (Policia Judiciaria - PJ) statistics, Portugal has seen significant jumps in maritime drug trafficking over the last three years. Cocaine seizures totaled seven metric tons in 2004, rose to 18 tons in 2005 and reached 34 metric tons last year. PJ Director Alipio Ribeiro told DAS McCampbell that much of the increased cocaine activity was coming through Africa - especially Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau -- before reaching Portugal. He explained that the PJ was working to combat that trend by training Cape Verde law enforcement and conducting more undercover operations. Ribeiro mentioned that the PJ had made a large hashish seizure the night before the visit: 4.9 metric tons of hashish, 2 vehicles, 4 cell phones, and 5,000 Euros cash entering from Morocco. He told McCampbell that, although the PJ were successful in undercover operations, it would be "very interesting to work with DEA in Portugal" on future training for undercover operations. (Note: DEA Madrid currently coordinates undercover operations with PJ officials and is attempting to open an office in Lisbon if resources allow.) ¶3. (SBU) The narcotics trade increasingly affects other European nations and in 2006 seven EU member states agreed to form a multinational Maritime Analysis Operations Center (MAOC),with headquarters in Lisbon. Portugal, the UK, France, Spain, Ireland, Italy, and the Netherlands aim to share information, train narcotics monitoring specialists, and establish transnational operational taskings. While the MAOC is not yet fully operational, British Liaison Officer Glen Pounder reported that the group already had completed a successful operation where members shared information to seize a maritime shipment. Once the group is operational and members have an approved memorandum of understanding, the MAOC will facilitate cross-border arrests by using Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDETs). The LEDETS are dedicated personnel who will serve as liaison officers to coordinate arrests in their respective jurisdictions. DAS McCampbell noted that MAOC has based its efforts on the highly successful Joint Inter Agency Task Force (JIATF-South) work and underscored JIATF's valuable role in U.S. counternarcotics efforts. -------------- Tripartite Cooperation -------------- ¶4. (U) Both Pounder and Ribeiro reported that narcotraffickers were increasingly using African routes before landing in Europe. Due to Portugal's historic relationship with Portuguese-speaking African nations, it is regularly asked by African partners to assist with police training and maritime operations in Africa. Embassy Lisbon's Country Team mentioned to DAS McCampbell that Portugal and the United States have been successful in developing tripartite cooperation programs on key issues. For example, the Department of Commerce has been working with the Portuguese to modernize Angola's justice sector and DAO cited enhanced cooperation with the Portuguese on defense related issues in Africa as well. Ambassador Hoffman emphasized Portugal's repeated requests for a closer relationship on narcotics and the importance of establishing a full-time U.S. counternarcotics presence in Portugal. -------------- Facts and Figures -------------- ¶5. (U) The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Director of Reduction and Cooperation Alexis Goddard explained that the center focuses on gathering information, tracking treatment data, drug-related crime, and establishing a common EU definition for joint action on the issue. Goddard reported that the center works mostly with other narcotics observation units and has sponsored best practices conferences with Latin American nations. EMCDDA is the only observatory in the world that covers twenty-nine different nations (the EU 27, Turkey, and Croatia) and produces trend studies for each. Goddard offered DAS McCampbell the latest statistics and underscored that Europe was developing a more targeted, unified approach on the narcotics issue as a result of having reliable statistics. ¶6. (U) DAS McCampbell was interviewed by Portuguese weekly newsmagazine "Sabado" (circ. 56,000) on counternarcotics issues and on her personal experience as a law enforcement officer in the field at the local and state levels. Embassy Lisbon will pass the story as soon as it is published. ¶7. (U) This cable has been cleared by DAS McCampbell. O'Neal