BI-WEEKLY REPORTING CABLE FOR PERIOD ENDING

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001339 DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP, DAS CHRISTY MCCAMPBELL AND AIMEE MARTIN DEPARTMENT FOR INL/RM, JAMES WALSH EMBASSIES FOR NAS PAFB FOR SHARON NELL SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL GT SUBJECT: BI-WEEKLY REPORTING CABLE FOR PERIOD ENDING 10/24/08 ? NARCOTICS AFFAIRS SECTION (U) 1. SUMMARY: This cable provides a summary of NAS activities in Guatemala covering the period ending October 24, 2008. End Summary. -------------- ¶2. NARCOTICS -------------- On October 15 NAS officers met with senior GOG officials at the Attorney General?s Office to discuss recent incidents involving the importation of large quantities of pseudoephedrine into Guatemala. Of particular concern was a case where the Ports Police (DIPA) has seized a large shipment of pseudoephedrine and a judge had ordered that the shipment be returned to the Guatemalan importer. The purpose of the meeting was for the AG as well as the Minister of Government and the Minister of Health to become more knowledgeable of these cases and make the appropriate policy decisions that will support the seizure of this substance. The ultimate goal is for Guatemala to ban the importation of substances that contain more than the normal acceptable medical level of pseudoephedrine. Beginning October 15 thru October 17 poppy eradication was conducted in the Tajumulco, San Marcos area of Guatemala. A total of 181 hectares of poppy were eradicated by 450 law enforcement personnel. On this same date, the DIPA airport unit intercepted an Australian and a Guatemalan national who were traveling aboard a Copa flight to Holland via Panama. They were in possession of approximately $160,000 in undeclared U.S currency and other foreign currency totaling in excess of $190,000. On October 17, DIPA Puerto Quetzal seized 57-kilograms of cocaine from a container that arrived from Callao, Peru. A cable was submitted to INL reporting this seizure. On October 22, during the late evening, DIPA airport agents intercepted a Nicaraguan who arrived in Guatemala from Ecuador via Panama aboard a Copa flight. During the passenger screening it was determined that the Nicaraguan was a drug courier who had ingested a kilogram of heroin. He subsequently passed 100 pellets of 10 grams each that contained heroin. -------------- ¶3. RULE OF LAW -------------- ANTI-ORGANIZED CRIME LAW: On October 15, 2008, NAS Director and NAS Legal Advisor met with the Attorney General to discuss prosecutor program activities. While discussing the Anti-organized Crime Law, the AG mentioned that he had convened a meeting with MOG and CICIG to discuss the implementation of this law. The AG asked what support the Embassy could give the MP to help implement this law (equipment, training, etc.). On October 23, 2008, DEA and NAS met with one of the MOG advisors to discuss progress in the enactment of the executive decree that would restructure the NationL Police (PNC). She mentioned that the President?s legal counsel had returned the draft to the MOG to make changes. The legal section of the MOG is working on the changes as a priority. The MOG advisor believes that once they are sent back to the Presidency, the President will sign off enabling the law to come into force. -------------- ¶4. DEMAND REDUCTION -------------- NAS worked with Eric Siervo and Edgar Camargo of SECCATID to complete arrangements for CADCA training in Guatemala to take place during CY 2009. NAS attended the National Drug Observatories Workshop hosted by OAS/CICAD in Antigua, Guatemala. The workshop was attended by representatives of 19 Latin American Qwas attended by representatives of 19 Latin American countries, the European Union, Spain, Canada, and the U.S. The timing of the event was ideal for Guatemala, as NAS and SECCATID are just beginning the process of standing up the Guatemala Observatory, and we received a wealth of technical and administrative advice for the project. In addition, side meetings were held between NAS Guatemala and CICAD personnel to discuss coordination of activities (particularly relating to prosecutor training),and with the representative from Mexico to discuss strategies for cooperation between Mexico, Guatemala, the U.S., and possibly Belize in the area of Demand Reduction activities in border areas. -------------- ¶5. AVIATION SUPPORT (ASP) -------------- With the rainy season coming to an end, the weather in the mountains finally eased up and the ASP were able to complete mountain training on the last of their six aviators which brings to a close the special mission task training phase of training. On Monday, 13 October, the ASP flew a mission with a three person staff delegation from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence lead by Carol Tess. The destination was the Guatemalan border with Mexico at Tecun Uman, San Marcos. The ASP flew a short opium poppy field reconnaissance over flight on the way to the Mexican border. MCFARLAND