Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LIMA1555
2008-09-22 22:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Lima
Cable title:  

LIMA NAS MONTHLY REPORT - AUGUST

Tags:  SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL PE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPE #1555/01 2662213
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 222213Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9362
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 5998
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7935
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 3472
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1226
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ SEP MEXICO 3690
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 2073
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 2005
UNCLAS LIMA 001555 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/LP AND WHA/PPC
ONDCP FOR LT COL RONALD GARNER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL PE
SUBJECT: LIMA NAS MONTHLY REPORT - AUGUST

UNCLAS LIMA 001555

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/LP AND WHA/PPC
ONDCP FOR LT COL RONALD GARNER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL PE
SUBJECT: LIMA NAS MONTHLY REPORT - AUGUST


1. (SBU) Summary:
- NAS Director Visits Pucallpa, Santa Lucia and Tingo Maria
- Mazamari Pre-Academy's Multi-Cultural Students' Movie Debut
- DIRANDRO Seizure Report
- Eradication Operations Shift to Aucayacu
- Police Resources Redirected to APEC
- Typhoid Outbreak in Palma Pampa
- NAS Ports Program Report
- DEA/NAS Ports sponsored Chemical Unit Report
- Port of Callao Camera Project Completed
- National Anti-corruption Office Dismantled
- Planned Coca/Coffee Festival Flops
- Study on Youth Attitudes Towards Drugs in Lima




-------------- --------------
NAS Director Visits Pucallpa, Santa Lucia and Tingo Maria
-------------- --------------


2. (U) NAS Director visited NAS operations and the CORAH
facility in Pucallpa. Also during the month of August,
Director Arias visited the base and academy in Santa Lucia
and the FOL in Tingo Maria.

-------------- --------------
Mazamari Pre-Academy's Multi-Cultural Students' Movie Debut
-------------- --------------


3. (U) The National Committee of Native Communities of
Mazamari invited students from the Mazamari pre-academy to
participate as movie extras in an educational film in the
Ashaninka community of Teroia. The purpose of the film is to
educate people about the history, customs and way of life of
the native communities in Junin Department. NAS sponsored
pre-academies emphasize the importance of the involvement of
native communities in the counter narcotics efforts and draw
students, and native speakers of the various indigenous
languages, from these same communities.

--------------
DIRANDRO Seizure Report
--------------


4. (U) DIRANDRO reports the seizure of 5,793.171 kilos of
cocaine base, 11,099.259 kilos of HCL cocaine, 1582.189 kilos
of marihuana, 121.930 kilos of opium, and 184 kilos of
ecstasy. Over 3,000 kilograms of chemical precursors
were seized and 113 cocaine base laboratories destroyed.


--------------
Eradication Operations Shift to Aucayacu
--------------


5. (U) Though eradication operations were supported with FAP
MI-17 and PNP Mi-17 for the most of the month, civil unrest
in various regions towards the end of August drew on Aviation
Police and FAP Mi-17 resources creating an availability

shortage for eradication support. However, UH-2 support was
provided for the eradication operation shift south toward
Aucayacu allowing
completion of the first eradication operation in the
immediate vicinity of Aucayacu on August 29.

Temporary facilities at the Tingo Maria Forward Operating
Location FOL) are completed and ready to support eradication
operations when the time comes to move support for Aucayacu
eradication there.


6. (U) CORAH completed August with 724.38 hectares bringing
the yearly total to 6900.56. Operations in the Aucayacu
area, considered both a SL and cocalero hot spot, began on 29
August with no violence. Cocaleros planned to protest at the
eradication site August 30, but did not do so. (Note:
Apparently unbeknownst to the coca growers, eradicators and
support had completed work at the site, and would not have
been there should the protest had been realized.)

-------------- --------------
Aviation Police Budget Reduced, Resources Redirected to APEC
-------------- --------------


7. (U) The PNP's remaining 2008 Aviation budget has been
reduced by 70 percent, with the resources redirected to
security for the November APEC conference, as ordered by the
Director General of the PNP. Consequently, the PNP Aviation
has now requested that NAS provide fuel for all charter
missions as opposed to leasing the Mi-17s or An-32.
Additionally, they requested that NAS immediately pay
outstanding invoices for charter services and expedite
payment of any future charter flight invoices. This scramble
for funds may curtail the eventual availability of the Mi-17s
and An-32 for eradication support in the lead up to APEC.

--------------
Typhoid Outbreak in Palma Pampa
--------------


8. (U) Several PNP Aviation personnel, one contractor and a
NAS local-hire contracted typhoid fever the last week of
August. The outbreak was limited to five active cases and
ten asymptomatic infections and is believed to have been
caused by food consumption in town. The initial cases were
confirmed through blood tests at the local clinic. Shortly
after the confirmation, the DIRANDRO base in Mazamari sent
medical personnel to test all staff at the FOL and found no
additional cases. Though the typhoid outbreak reduced
available flight crews down to three, interdiction operations
continued.


--------------
NAS Ports Program Report
--------------


9. (U) NAS Ports sponsored Peruvian Customs (SUNAT) and the
Peruvian National Police DIRANDRO interdicted and seized
approximately 806.46 kilos of cocaine at the Jorge Chavez
International Airport (JCIA),Postal Office (SERPOST),and
the Port of Callao in Lima. The majority of the cocaine
seized was destined for the United States via Mexico. SUNAT,
using the NAS supplied Body Scanner at JCIA, screened 641
individuals and discovered 19 internal carriers. NAS Ports
has noticed a decrease in the numbers of persons scanned and
the identification of internal carries and is seeking to
identify the reasons for this phenomenon.


10. (U) At the Port of Callao, where approximately 85 percent
of all official exports depart Peru, SUNAT scanned 15,194
containers using NAS provided equipment resulting in the
physical inspection of 326 containers. The number of scans
has been declining because only one of the three scanners are
currently in use.

On 27 August, SUNAT authorities detected containers with
powdered paprika destined for Manzanillo, Mexico. SUNAT,
through the use of NAS provided ion-scans, NAS trained
canines, and intelligence produced by the NAS sponsored Task
Force at the Port of Callao, discovered that the paprika was
adulterated with cocaine. The PNP estimates that the
shipment of eight metric tons of paprika contained 700 kilos
of cocaine.

--------------
DEA/NAS Ports sponsored Chemical Unit Report
--------------


11. (U) In a raid of a cocaine HCL conversion laboratory at
Tazo Grande, District of Monzon, the Chemical Unit seized two
metric tons (MT) of acetone, one MT of sulfuric acid, 150
kilograms of kerosene, multiple
microwaves, four large hydraulic presses, and other
laboratory equipment. The Unit estimates that this lab
produced over a ton of cocaine HCL each month. Six
maceration pits were also located and destroyed in the Tingo
Maria area.

The Unit seized 500 kilograms of hydrochloric acid hidden in
the luggage compartment of a bus. The acid was stored in
containers marked with the label of a company under
investigation for diversion of precursor chemicals.

In the jungle areas just outside of San Francisco, in the
Department of Huanuco, the Unit also destroyed a cocaine HCL
laboratory and seized 500 kilograms of Acetone as well as
microwave ovens, hydraulic presses, balance-scales, and a
chemical recycler.

--------------
Port of Callao Camera Project Completed
--------------


12. (U) NAS Ports Program has completed the installation of
new security cameras in the Port of Callao, aiming to prevent
last-minute illicit additions to ships' cargo. NAS Ports
will begin a similar project to install cameras at the Port
of Paita, Peru's second leading port in exports in September.

-------------- --------------
National Anti-corruption Office Dismantled
-------------- --------------


13. (U) On August 15, regulations governing the National
Anti-corruption Office (ONA) were modified so that all its
functions went to the Ministry of Justice and the Secretaria
de Gestion Publica. The Public Ministry and the Comptroller
General will continue in their respective anti-corruption
functions. The ONA had the responsibility, among others, to
ensure the implementation of the Inter-American Convention
against Corruption and had the lead in the Anti-corruption
and Transparency Group for APEC. These particular
responsibilities are in the hands of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the Prime Minister's Council and the Ministry of
Justice.

--------------
Planned Coca/Coffee Festival Flops
--------------


14. (U) Coca growers, with the support of the Regional
Government Agricultural Director (RGAD) in Pulcallpa,
organized a joint, two day coca and coffee festival to
highlight coca as a legitimate crop and promote coca as a
nutritional food. In a surprising move, the coffee producers
did not participate. Current and former coca leaders from
the region also did not attend.

-------------- --------------
Study on Youth Attitudes Towards Drugs in Lima
-------------- --------------


15. (U) In conjunction with local consultant group, Arellano
Consultants, NAS rolled out the completed study on Lima
youth. The study examined the social context of teenagers
between the ages of ten and 18 most at risk for drug use and
involvement in the illicit drug industry. The study focused
on media preferences and behaviors, youth opinions and
attitudes towards drugs and drug use, and the overall
effectiveness of counter drug messaging campaigns. NAS
hosted the presentation for more than 70 attendees including
counter narcotics communications counterparts, drug
prevention NGOs, and US Embassy officers from various
agencies.
MCKINLEY