SURINAME: 2007-2008 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARAMARIBO 000576

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/LP, WHA/CAR - JROSHOLT, KWILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR NS
SUBJECT: SURINAME: 2007-2008 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT (INCSR) PART I, DRUGS AND CHEMICAL
CONTROL

REF: STATE 136787

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1. Post presents its 2008 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT (INCSR),Part I, Drugs and Chemical
Control.

Suriname

I. Summary
Suriname is a transit point for South American cocaine en route to
Europe, Africa, and, to a lesser extent, the United States. The
Government of Suriname's (GOS) inability to control its borders,
inadequate resources, limited training for law enforcement, lack of
a law enforcement presence in the interior, and lack of aircraft or
patrol boats allow traffickers to move drug shipments via sea,
river, and air with little resistance. Unlike 2006, there were no
major drug seizures in Suriname. In 2007, the GOS continued its
efforts to eliminate major local narcotics organizations. The GOS
continued forging cooperation agreements with other countries,
regionally and internationally, in order to reduce the import and
export of narcotics. Suriname is a party to the 1988 United Nations
Drug Convention but has not implemented legislation to bring itself
into full conformity with the Convention.
II. Status of Country
Suriname is a transshipment point for cocaine destined primarily for
Europe, Africa, and, to a lesser extent, the United States. The GOS
is unable to detect the diversion of precursor chemicals for drug
production, as it has no legislation controlling precursor chemicals
and hence no tracking system to monitor them. The lack of
resources; limited law enforcement capabilities; inadequate
legislation; drug-related corruption of the police, courts and
military; a complicated and time-consuming bureaucracy; and
overburdened and under-resourced courts inhibit GOS's ability to
identify, apprehend, and prosecute narcotic traffickers. In
addition, Suriname's sparsely populated coastal region and isolated
jungle interior, together with weak border controls and
infrastructure, make narcotics detection and interdiction efforts
difficult. Intelligence analysis has indicated a movement of drug
traffickers utilizing very remote locations for delivery and
securing of narcotics.
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007
Policy Initiatives. Suriname's National Drugs Master Plan
(2006-2010) was approved in January 2006. The plan covers both
supply and demand reduction and includes calls for new legislation
to control precursor chemicals.
The National Anti-Drug Council and its Executive Office coordinate
implementation of the plan. In 2007, national support was broadened
by involving NGOs and civil society in the implementation of the
plan. The participatory approach was institutionalized by
incorporating NGOs and civil society - the Business Association,
religious groups, treatment centers - in the National Anti-Drug
Council.
Accomplishments. In 2007, the Ministry of Justice and Police and law
enforcement institutions in Suriname continued targeting large
trafficking rings and working with international partners. Through
June 2007, (Post will update statistics in December) the GOS seized
106 kilograms (kg) of cocaine and 70 kg of cannabis. Two hundred
thirty-four people were arrested for drug-related offenses. Law
enforcement sources attribute this to the GOS' continued focus on
targeting major narcotics traffickers -- within the past five years
GOS law enforcement has rounded up eight of the ten known major
criminal organizations operating in the country. The decrease is
also attributed to the establishment of the Airport Narcotics Team
as well as anti-narcotics training provided for customs and police
officers, both of which have forced narcotics traffickers to seek
out new trafficking routes.
Law Enforcement Efforts. Through June, GOS law enforcement agencies
arrested 53 drug couriers who ingested cocaine in their stomachs.
Many who evaded detection in Suriname were arrested at the airport
in Amsterdam, which since 2004 has implemented a 100 percent
inspection of all passengers and baggage arriving on all inbound
flights from Suriname. Law enforcement officials noted a decrease
in the number of drug mules and an increase in the mailing of
packages containing narcotics abroad via the postal service. These
packages usually contain household items or foodstuff (ginger roots,
noodles and bananas) laced with or containing cocaine.
In March, a special airport narcotics detection team (JAP team) was
set up consisting of officers from the police, military police,
customs and the Airport Authority. This team was trained by Dutch
law enforcement experts in detecting narcotics and weapons,
identifying fraudulent passports and searching aircrafts, and was
tasked with decreasing the import and export of narcotics through
the Johan Adolf Pengel International airport.

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In May, a judge convicted one of the suspects associated with the
2006 Shaheed "Roger" Khan case and sentenced him to 3 years
imprisonment for participation in a criminal organization and
sale/transport of 235 kilograms (kg) cocaine. (Shaheed "Roger"
Khan, a Guyanese national, was arrested by Surinamese police in 2006
and transported to the United States for trial.) Three men arrested
in the August 2006 seizure of 130 kg of cocaine were also sentenced
in May 2007 to two, five and seven years imprisonment.

Corruption. As a matter of policy, no senior GOS official, nor the
GOS, encourages or facilitates the production, processing, or
shipment of narcotic and psychotropic drugs or other controlled
substances, and does not discourage the investigation or prosecution
of such acts. Public corruption is believed to have played some
role in reducing the number of seizures that could have taken place,
as it is believed that the narcotics traffickers' influence and
infiltration in the military and police affected the cooperation of
the sparsely populated communities nearby the clandestine airstrips,
thereby stymieing law enforcement interdiction efforts. The GOS has
demonstrated some willingness to undertake law enforcement and legal
measures to prevent, investigate, prosecute, and punish public
corruption. Through September (Post will update in December),
several police officers suspected of narcotics trafficking and
membership in criminal organizations were investigated. Public
corruption is considered a problem in Suriname and there are
continued reports of drug use and drug sales in prisons. Reports of
money laundering, drug trafficking, and associated criminal activity
involving current and former government and military officials
continue to circulate.
Agreements and Treaties. Suriname is party to the 1961 United
Nations Single Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the
1971 U.N. Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Suriname is also a
party to the 1988 U.N. Drug Convention and has accordingly passed
legislation that conforms to a majority of the convention's
articles, but it has failed to pass legislation complying with
precursor chemical control provisions. In March, Suriname ratified
the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
The GOS has not ratified the Inter-American Convention on Mutual
Assistance in Criminal Matters or the Optional Protocol thereto.
Since 1976, the GOS has been sharing narcotics information with the
Netherlands pursuant to a Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement. The
two countries intensified their cooperation to fight drug
trafficking with agreements between their police forces and their
offices of the Attorney General. In August 1999, a comprehensive
six-part, bilateral, maritime counter-narcotics enforcement
agreement was entered into with the U.S. The U.S.-Netherlands
Extradition Treaty of 1904 is applicable to Suriname, but Suriname's
Constitution prohibits the extradition of its nationals. In January
2006, Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba signed a Mutual
Legal Assistance Agreement allowing for direct law enforcement and
judicial cooperation between the countries, thereby no longer
requiring the process to be first routed through The Hague. Parties
met in March and agreed to share intelligence regarding
transnational crime and financial crimes. Suriname has also signed
bilateral agreements to combat drug trafficking with neighboring
countries Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela and Colombia. Suriname is an
active member of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of
the Organization of American States (OAS/CICAD),to which it reports
regularly. Suriname has signed agreements with the United States,
Netherlands and France that allow for police attachs to work with
local police.
Cultivation and Production. Suriname is not a producer of cocaine or
opium poppy. While cannabis is cultivated in Suriname, there is
little specific data on the amount under cultivation, or evidence
that it is exported in significant quantities.
Drug Flow/Transit. Much of the cocaine entering Suriname is
delivered by small aircraft, which land on clandestine airstrips
that are cut into the dense jungle interior and sparsely populated
coastal districts. The border between Suriname and Guyana is an
open border and, according to law enforcement officials, traffickers
increasingly use this border to traffic cocaine and cannabis to
Suriname. The lack of resources, infrastructure, law enforcement
personnel, and equipment makes detection and interdiction difficult.
Drugs are transported along interior roads to and from the
clandestine airstrips. Drugs are also shipped to seaports via
numerous river routes or overland for onward shipment to Caribbean
islands, Europe, Africa and the United States. Sea-drops are also
used. Drugs exit Suriname via commercial air flights (by drug
couriers or concealed in planes) and by commercial sea cargo.
European-produced MDMA is transported via commercial airline flights
from the Netherlands to Suriname (three to six flights per week,
varying seasonally).

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Domestic Programs. In 2007 the Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) Program
continued its drug awareness and drug prevention activities with
funding from the European Commission. These awareness activities
had nationwide coverage. One of the highlights of this
decentralized strategy was a widely attended march through Nickerie,
the country's most western district, to celebrate the international
day against drugs. The program resulted in increased capacity in the
prevention of drug use, counseling at early detection of drug use
and treatment of drug dependents. In 2007, all six drug treatment
centers in the country adopted minimum standards for treatment that
were endorsed by the Ministry of Health. The Psychiatric Hospital
opened the first detoxification center in the country, expanding the
treatment capabilities for drug dependents. With the support of the
Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD),a national
survey was conducted to assess the magnitude of drug consumption in
the country. A total of 4,000 persons from all geographic regions
of the country were interviewed on drug consumption, age of first
use and perception of risks. The results will be available in early
2008 and will be used to support national policy. In the area of
supply reduction, the drug supply reduction network was
strengthened, linking key players such as the Narcotics Squad,
Office of the Attorney General and Customs in an automated system.
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs
U.S. Policy Initiatives. The United States provides training and
equipment to strengthen the GOS law enforcement and judicial
institutions and their capabilities to detect, interdict, and
prosecute narcotics trafficking activities. In 2006, Suriname
hosted an anti-narcotics conference attended by many regional and
international players, including the United States. The "Paramaribo
Declaration," which was endorsed in principle by the participants at
the end of the conference, provides a framework to establish an
intelligence-sharing network, coordinate and execute sting
operations, and tackle money laundering.
Bilateral Cooperation. A high level of cooperation exists between
U.S. and GOS law enforcement officials. In 2007, the United States
once again provided both training and material support to several
elements of the national police to strengthen their counternarcotics
capabilities and promote greater bilateral cooperation. In July
2007, the U.S. government funded leadership training for elements of
the police force at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA)
in El Salvador. The DEA intensified its cooperation with Surinamese
law enforcement in 2007 after having established an office in
Suriname the previous year. In February 2007, DEA trainers provided
a two-week Basic International Narcotics Course for police, military
police, and customs officials in Suriname.
The Road Ahead. The United States will continue to encourage the GOS
to pursue large narcotics traffickers and to dismantle their
organizations. The Ministry of Justice and Police has highlighted
this goal to the news media, and the Khan arrest bears out its
seriousness and commitment. The United States will continue to urge
the GOS to continue its efforts to strengthen its focus on port
security, specifically seaports, which are seen as the primary
conduits for large shipments of narcotics exiting Suriname. The
United States will continue to provide equipment, training, and
technical support to the GOS to strengthen its counternarcotics
efforts.
WEBB