Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LIMA1808
2008-11-17 18:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Lima
Cable title:
LIMA NAS END OF MONTH REPORT - OCTOBER
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHPE #1808/01 3221827 ZNR UUUUU ZH R 171827Z NOV 08 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9622 INFO RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 3540 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1280 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ NOV MEXICO 3760 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 2183 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 2064 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7988
UNCLAS LIMA 001808
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INL/LP NAD WHA/PPC
ONDCP FOR LT COL RONALD GARNER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL PE
SUBJECT: LIMA NAS END OF MONTH REPORT - OCTOBER
UNCLAS LIMA 001808
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INL/LP NAD WHA/PPC
ONDCP FOR LT COL RONALD GARNER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL PE
SUBJECT: LIMA NAS END OF MONTH REPORT - OCTOBER
1. (U) Summary:
- New National Police Director and Minister of Interior Named
- Eradication
- New Graduating Class of the Special Counter Drugs
Operations Course: Mazamari
- DIRANDRO Statistics
- MEDEVAC Policy/Procedures to be Revised
- FLIR Back in Business
- Change in FAP C-26 Contractors Bring Program Closer to
Nationalization
- Ports Program Report
- Mayor of Major City Arrested on Money Laundering Charges
- New Criminal Procedure Code in Cases of Corruption
Implemented Nationwide
- ILEA RTC/Lima Completes its Final Course for 2008 and other
ILEA News
- New TIP Information Campaign in Peru
-------------- --------------
New National Police Director and Minister of Interior Named
-------------- --------------
2. (U) Following the resignation of his entire Cabinet in a
corruption scandal involving executives of state enterprises
and government officials, President Alan Garcia named retired
National Police General Remigio Hernani Meloni to replace
Luis Alva Castro as Minister of Interior. Hernani has
appointed
General Remicio Maguino, a former PNP Chief of Staff with a
background in anti-terrorist and intelligence operations,
Director of the PNP.
--------------
Eradication
--------------
3. (U) October eradication reached 1027.85 hectares.
Reacting to intelligence reports of possible Sendero Luminoso
(SL) activity against eradication forces at various locations
and threats of protest by coca growers, NAS modified
operations by reducing the time spent in any one location and
following no apparent geographical pattern when determining
eradication locations. Coca growers in and around Aucayacu
organized protests against eradication and confronted CORAH
workers on three separate occasions. These confrontations
were generally peaceful and eventually broken up by DIRANDRO
security
forces. In an unrelated incident, two CORAH workers were
injured by shotgun pellets from an inadvertently triggered
animal trap. Both workers were safely removed from the cite
and are in full recovery. On October 17, eighty Peruvian army
soldiers were removed from eradication security duty, however
PNP security support numbers from the Special Operation
Division remained constant. DIRANDRO and CORAH authorities
are working to reestablish military support in these high
threat level areas.
-------------- --------------
New Graduating Class of the Special Counter Drugs
Operations Course - Mazamari
-------------- --------------
4. (U) Deputy NAS Director, the DIRANDRO Director, NAS
Police Advisor and other NAS personnel attended the
graduation ceremony of the fourth Special Counter Drugs
Operations (GOES) class. Of the 73 PNP officers who
completed this elite special operations course, 63 percent
were selected to form the new GOES unit. GOES units are
specialized in high risk/long range counter-narcotics
operations. As part of their training, the graduates
eradicated seven hectares of opium poppy in the Celendin
province in the department of Cajamarca - approximately an
hour and a half by airplane from Mazamari.
--------------
DIRANDRO Statistics
--------------
5. (U) During the month of October, DRIANDRO destroyed 1,038
cocaine production laboratories and 16 HCL cocaine base
laboratories nation wide. The DIRANDRO Anti-drug Unit
covering the VRAE and Huallaga seized and destroyed 39.4
metric tons of chemical precursors and 22 metric tons of
various types of drugs.
--------------
MEDEVAC Policy/Procedures to be Revised
--------------
6. (U) NAS experienced a higher than normal number of MEDEVAC
requests from the field for injuries ranging from broken ribs
and hypothermia to spider bites and gun shot wounds.
However, two of the seven missions were aborted
due to poor communication from the field and/or poor medical
diagnoses. Therefore, SAA has directed a review of MEDEVAC
policies and procedures so as to minimize Night Vision Goggle
(NVG) MEDEVACS and eliminate crew rest issues
and wasted flight hours.
--------------
FLIR Back in Business
--------------
7. (U) Repairs for the FLIR imaging system as well as for the
ADS digital mapping camera are complete and both are fully
operational and mission ready. The availability of this
equipment has been much anticipated by the Peruvian
Joint Command, who use the FLIR for their operations in the
VRAE, and DIRANDRO and CORAH, who use the ADS camera for
interdiction and eradication planning.
-------------- --------------
Change in FAP C-26 Contractors Brings Program Closer to
Nationalization
-------------- --------------
8. (U) The maintenance services contract for the
NAS-supported FAP C-26s has been awarded to DRS Technologies;
former contractor, ARINC, closed their
operations in Lima at the end of the month. The new contract
is reduced in scope from previous agreements for the
contractor is now primarily in a technical advisory role
relying on the FAP to conduct the actual maintenance
and record keeping on the aircraft. This arrangement under
the new contract will move maintenance services of the C-26s
closer to nationalization and reduce the actual costs of
contract maintenance.
--------------
Ports Program Report
--------------
9. (U) For the month of October, Peruvian Customs (SUNAT),
Peruvian National Police stationed at the International
Airport, Customs SERPOST, and the port of Callao seized a
296.286 kilograms of cocaine HCL and detained 12 internal
carriers carrying approximately 940 grams of cocaine. The
Peruvian Navy,
with the PNP, seized 9 kilograms of cocaine HCL from the
luggage of a cargo-ferry passenger along the Huallaga River.
The NAS/DEA supported Chemical Unit seized 3.5 metric tons of
sulfuric acid submerged in a pond near a maceration pit in a
remote area northwest of Tingo Maria. The site was
abandoned, therefore, no arrests were made.
-------------- --------------
Mayor of Major City Arrested on Money Laundering Charges
-------------- --------------
10. (U) Luis Valdez, the Mayor of Coronel
Portillo-Ucayali/Pulcallpa was taken into custody on Money
Laundering charges. Valdez is suspected of being the head
are a large criminal organization involved in narcotics
production and trade, and has been accused in the past of
being involved in the assassination of a local journalist.
Authorities began asset forfeiture proceedings involving 124
factories and various financial accounts. 77 people named as
persons of interest in the investigation. Valdez is the
highest ranking public official to date to be arrested on
money laundering charges
in Peru.
-------------- --------------
New Criminal Procedure Code in Cases of Corruption
Implemented Nationwide
-------------- --------------
11. (U) Following its national roll out plan, the GOP
introduced the New Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) in the
judicial district of Arequipa. The CPC replaces a 1940s
mixed-inquisitorial criminal procedure model.
Anti-corruption components of the CPC, however, went into
effect nationwide as of October 2008.
--------------
RTC/Lima Completes Final Course for 2008 and other ILEA News
--------------
12. (U) ILEA RTC/Lima completed the Senior Officials
Awareness course on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) at end of
October, the final course for 2008. Current PNP operations
manager General Adolfo Mattos has been moved to another PNP
position. It is unclear at this time if he will continue
with his responsibility as ILEA administrator for the PNP or
if that will be given to his replacement.
--------------
New TIP Information Campaign
--------------
13. (U) The Lima office of the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) rolled out a new nationwide information
campaign focused on domestic trafficking in Peru. The roll
out event included information on the success of the Ministry
of Interior's hotline, two television ads and two radio spots
focusing on the common methodologies used in Peru to trick
victims into
sexual exploitation and forced labor. The extensive national
press coverage highlights the growing interest and
sensitivity of Peruvian journalists to the local trafficking
problem.
MCKINLEY
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INL/LP NAD WHA/PPC
ONDCP FOR LT COL RONALD GARNER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL PE
SUBJECT: LIMA NAS END OF MONTH REPORT - OCTOBER
1. (U) Summary:
- New National Police Director and Minister of Interior Named
- Eradication
- New Graduating Class of the Special Counter Drugs
Operations Course: Mazamari
- DIRANDRO Statistics
- MEDEVAC Policy/Procedures to be Revised
- FLIR Back in Business
- Change in FAP C-26 Contractors Bring Program Closer to
Nationalization
- Ports Program Report
- Mayor of Major City Arrested on Money Laundering Charges
- New Criminal Procedure Code in Cases of Corruption
Implemented Nationwide
- ILEA RTC/Lima Completes its Final Course for 2008 and other
ILEA News
- New TIP Information Campaign in Peru
-------------- --------------
New National Police Director and Minister of Interior Named
-------------- --------------
2. (U) Following the resignation of his entire Cabinet in a
corruption scandal involving executives of state enterprises
and government officials, President Alan Garcia named retired
National Police General Remigio Hernani Meloni to replace
Luis Alva Castro as Minister of Interior. Hernani has
appointed
General Remicio Maguino, a former PNP Chief of Staff with a
background in anti-terrorist and intelligence operations,
Director of the PNP.
--------------
Eradication
--------------
3. (U) October eradication reached 1027.85 hectares.
Reacting to intelligence reports of possible Sendero Luminoso
(SL) activity against eradication forces at various locations
and threats of protest by coca growers, NAS modified
operations by reducing the time spent in any one location and
following no apparent geographical pattern when determining
eradication locations. Coca growers in and around Aucayacu
organized protests against eradication and confronted CORAH
workers on three separate occasions. These confrontations
were generally peaceful and eventually broken up by DIRANDRO
security
forces. In an unrelated incident, two CORAH workers were
injured by shotgun pellets from an inadvertently triggered
animal trap. Both workers were safely removed from the cite
and are in full recovery. On October 17, eighty Peruvian army
soldiers were removed from eradication security duty, however
PNP security support numbers from the Special Operation
Division remained constant. DIRANDRO and CORAH authorities
are working to reestablish military support in these high
threat level areas.
-------------- --------------
New Graduating Class of the Special Counter Drugs
Operations Course - Mazamari
-------------- --------------
4. (U) Deputy NAS Director, the DIRANDRO Director, NAS
Police Advisor and other NAS personnel attended the
graduation ceremony of the fourth Special Counter Drugs
Operations (GOES) class. Of the 73 PNP officers who
completed this elite special operations course, 63 percent
were selected to form the new GOES unit. GOES units are
specialized in high risk/long range counter-narcotics
operations. As part of their training, the graduates
eradicated seven hectares of opium poppy in the Celendin
province in the department of Cajamarca - approximately an
hour and a half by airplane from Mazamari.
--------------
DIRANDRO Statistics
--------------
5. (U) During the month of October, DRIANDRO destroyed 1,038
cocaine production laboratories and 16 HCL cocaine base
laboratories nation wide. The DIRANDRO Anti-drug Unit
covering the VRAE and Huallaga seized and destroyed 39.4
metric tons of chemical precursors and 22 metric tons of
various types of drugs.
--------------
MEDEVAC Policy/Procedures to be Revised
--------------
6. (U) NAS experienced a higher than normal number of MEDEVAC
requests from the field for injuries ranging from broken ribs
and hypothermia to spider bites and gun shot wounds.
However, two of the seven missions were aborted
due to poor communication from the field and/or poor medical
diagnoses. Therefore, SAA has directed a review of MEDEVAC
policies and procedures so as to minimize Night Vision Goggle
(NVG) MEDEVACS and eliminate crew rest issues
and wasted flight hours.
--------------
FLIR Back in Business
--------------
7. (U) Repairs for the FLIR imaging system as well as for the
ADS digital mapping camera are complete and both are fully
operational and mission ready. The availability of this
equipment has been much anticipated by the Peruvian
Joint Command, who use the FLIR for their operations in the
VRAE, and DIRANDRO and CORAH, who use the ADS camera for
interdiction and eradication planning.
-------------- --------------
Change in FAP C-26 Contractors Brings Program Closer to
Nationalization
-------------- --------------
8. (U) The maintenance services contract for the
NAS-supported FAP C-26s has been awarded to DRS Technologies;
former contractor, ARINC, closed their
operations in Lima at the end of the month. The new contract
is reduced in scope from previous agreements for the
contractor is now primarily in a technical advisory role
relying on the FAP to conduct the actual maintenance
and record keeping on the aircraft. This arrangement under
the new contract will move maintenance services of the C-26s
closer to nationalization and reduce the actual costs of
contract maintenance.
--------------
Ports Program Report
--------------
9. (U) For the month of October, Peruvian Customs (SUNAT),
Peruvian National Police stationed at the International
Airport, Customs SERPOST, and the port of Callao seized a
296.286 kilograms of cocaine HCL and detained 12 internal
carriers carrying approximately 940 grams of cocaine. The
Peruvian Navy,
with the PNP, seized 9 kilograms of cocaine HCL from the
luggage of a cargo-ferry passenger along the Huallaga River.
The NAS/DEA supported Chemical Unit seized 3.5 metric tons of
sulfuric acid submerged in a pond near a maceration pit in a
remote area northwest of Tingo Maria. The site was
abandoned, therefore, no arrests were made.
-------------- --------------
Mayor of Major City Arrested on Money Laundering Charges
-------------- --------------
10. (U) Luis Valdez, the Mayor of Coronel
Portillo-Ucayali/Pulcallpa was taken into custody on Money
Laundering charges. Valdez is suspected of being the head
are a large criminal organization involved in narcotics
production and trade, and has been accused in the past of
being involved in the assassination of a local journalist.
Authorities began asset forfeiture proceedings involving 124
factories and various financial accounts. 77 people named as
persons of interest in the investigation. Valdez is the
highest ranking public official to date to be arrested on
money laundering charges
in Peru.
-------------- --------------
New Criminal Procedure Code in Cases of Corruption
Implemented Nationwide
-------------- --------------
11. (U) Following its national roll out plan, the GOP
introduced the New Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) in the
judicial district of Arequipa. The CPC replaces a 1940s
mixed-inquisitorial criminal procedure model.
Anti-corruption components of the CPC, however, went into
effect nationwide as of October 2008.
--------------
RTC/Lima Completes Final Course for 2008 and other ILEA News
--------------
12. (U) ILEA RTC/Lima completed the Senior Officials
Awareness course on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) at end of
October, the final course for 2008. Current PNP operations
manager General Adolfo Mattos has been moved to another PNP
position. It is unclear at this time if he will continue
with his responsibility as ILEA administrator for the PNP or
if that will be given to his replacement.
--------------
New TIP Information Campaign
--------------
13. (U) The Lima office of the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) rolled out a new nationwide information
campaign focused on domestic trafficking in Peru. The roll
out event included information on the success of the Ministry
of Interior's hotline, two television ads and two radio spots
focusing on the common methodologies used in Peru to trick
victims into
sexual exploitation and forced labor. The extensive national
press coverage highlights the growing interest and
sensitivity of Peruvian journalists to the local trafficking
problem.
MCKINLEY