FIREARMS SMUGGLING INTO JAMAICA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000172 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/ECC (NJOHANSON); PM/WRA; PM/DTC; INL/LP (BOZZOLO) AND WHA/CAR (TILGHMAN),DS/IP/WHA, DS/IP/ITA, DS/IP/OPO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC JM KCRM PREL SUBJECT: FIREARMS SMUGGLING INTO JAMAICA REF: A. (A) KINGSTON 47 ¶B. (B) NASSAU 141 ¶C. AND (C) STATE 017705 ¶1. (U) This is an action message. Please see paras five and six. Summary: Ref (A) reported on a January 11 meeting between the Ambassador and Minister of National Security Derrick Smith. During that meeting, MNS Permanent Secretary (PS) Gilbert Scott voiced concern about illegal firearms entering Jamaica from the U.S. Refs (B) and (C) provided embassy officials with a good reason to revisit this issue with the Ministry. End summary. ¶2. (U) On February 25, the Charge, NAS Acting Director (NASDIR),ICE Attache and the Regional Security Officer called on MNS officials Gilbert Scott and Lincoln Allen primarily to discuss their concern about illegal firearms. The Charge opened the meeting by explaining that we were prepared to explore the firearms issue from the standpoint of what the USG could offer the GOJ to help them address the problem. The Charge explained that NASDIR would discuss options flowing out of the December seminar in Nassau on the CARICOM ) U.S. Partnership to Combat Illicit Trafficking in Arms. The ICE Attache would share his future plans to work with the GOJ on operations which would target arms traffickers. ¶3. (U) The Charge explained that, in the United States, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has primary responsibility for interdicting goods being smuggled into and out of the U.S. He asked the Permanent Secretary who in Jamaica has that responsibility. Scott replied that it falls principally to Customs, and specifically to the Contraband Enforcement Team (CET). He went on to say there is a Port Security bill pending in parliament that would strengthen the Ministry of National Security's (MNS) role. If passed, the MNS would be responsible for establishing uniform security procedures and monitoring their implementation. ¶4. (U) The NASDIR outlined the following six USG assistance options contained in reftels (B) and (C): stockpile destruction; physical security and stockpile management; tracing requests; export control and related border security assistance; end-user checks; and law enforcement training. A brief description of each option was provided and NASDIR left a non-paper with Allen briefly explaining the options. The Ministry was asked to contact the NASDIR following further study of what was available. ¶5. (U) With regard to stockpile destruction, NASDIR noted that the new Police Commissioner, Adm. Hardley Lewin, had destroyed a quantity of firearms since assuming that position. PS Scott advised that the GOJ experienced a major obstacle. In the past, Caribbean Casting had smelted down the firearms. They went out of business. The GOJ was finally able to get the smelting done by the Trinidad Cement Company in Kingston. However, their facility was small and the process was very time consuming. Scott wondered whether a facility exists in the U.S. where this could be done. Comment: It is likely that many of the island nations of the Caribbean face a similar problem. Embassy would like to know if a facility exists in the Miami area or in Puerto Rico that could accommodate destruction of firearms. End Comment. ¶6. (U) On the subject of ATF,s eTrace system, NASDIR commented that ATF had provided a system which has been located at the National Intelligence Bureau since 2004. NASDIR confirmed that it was still functioning, but was unsure whether this is the most modern version of the system. Embassy would appreciate information from ATF as to whether the existing system is in fact eTrace. ¶7. (U) With respect to end-user checks, the Regional Security Officer offered to investigate whether the &Blue Lantern8 program is conducting checks on transfers of firearms to Jamaica. Finally, regarding ILEA training, the NASDIR said that clarification provided earlier concerning the entity in Jamaica responsible for interdicting firearms was useful in terms of identifying who would benefit from possible future training. ¶8. (U) Scott indicated that Jamaica could use firearms detection devices, particularly x-ray scanning devices. NASDIR noted that, in the past, NAS had provided the CET with some detection equipment, and he would look into whether such items could be used for firearms detection. Comment: Due a reduction in INCLE funding for Jamaica, it may be impossible to provide additional detection equipment. End Comment. ¶9. (U) The PS remarked that these options seemed to only attack the firearms problem from the demand side. He wondered about the supply side (meaning measures the U.S. could adopt to try to stop the flow of illegal firearms form the U.S. NASDIR explained U.S. legal constraints with respect to legitimate purchases of firearms in the U.S. and pointed to the problem that, once legally purchased, firearms could then be smuggled into Jamaica via container shipments, etc. Scott wondered why the USG could not scan outgoing shipments to Jamaica. ¶10. (SBU) At this point, the ICE Attache informed Scott that his office would be quite useful in disrupting firearms trafficking. The Attache advised that, once his office in Kingston was fully staffed, ICE would be working with Jamaican authorities on undercover operations and controlled deliveries. Scott said he found that very encouraging. ¶11. (SBU) Comment: Firearms smuggled into Jamaica from the U.S. has been a perennial complaint by the GOJ. Reducing the supply of illegal firearms in Jamaica is seen by the GOJ as a critical if the government is to reduce violent crime on the island. The work planned by ICE will have an important impact on the Jamaican government s perception of how cooperative the USG can be on this issue. Previously, the focus of such cooperation was on interdiction of illicit drugs destined to the U.S. With respect to the six options coming out of the CARICOM seminar, we expect there will be further discussions to define specific requests by the GOJ for assistance. This subject also will be discussed with the Commissioner of Police at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, however, the embassy could appreciate information requested in paragraphs five and six. HEG