INL-FUNDED BORDER GUARDS STOP PAKISTANI SMUGGLERS

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001228 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/ATAG S SNAR, PINR, PTER, PREL, CLOK, MZ SUBJECT: INL-FUNDED BORDER GUARDS STOP PAKISTANI SMUGGLERS ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Supported by INL funds, the US G and the Government of Portugal jointly developed a program to train and equip Mozambican border guards. The training bore fruit on November 26, when graduates of the program detected and participated in the joint task force that interdicted two Pakistanis allegedly attempting to smuggle more than $2.5 million in cash from Mozambique into Zimbabwe. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- PAKISTANI NATIONALS INTERDICTED AT MOZ-ZIM BORDER -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On November 26, at the Machipanda Border with Zimbabwe, in Manica Province on the Beira Corridor, INL-funded, USG/Portuguese trained Mozambican border guards arrested two Pakistani national residents of the city of Beira who were attempting to smuggle foreign currency in the amount of $2,342,000, 122,490 Euros, and 25,000 British Pounds into Zimbabwe, and then from Harare to Dubai. According to press reports, the driver's name is Muhammad Nazami, aka Mohamed Nazimo, aka Muhammad Ali Nazim, described by various reports as being between 25 and 43 years old. The second Pakistani national is Syed Muhammad, aka Syet Muhamed, aka Tyed Mohamed, reportedly between the age of 26 and 38 years old. The two subjects were apprehended in a Toyota, Mozambican registration number MLW-11-42. The car's trunk included a welded false-bottom, which border officials opened to reveal the hidden cash, which was packed in plastic sacks, denominated in $50 and 200 euro notes (Note: GBP denominations were not described by border officials. End Note). The quantity of cash was so large, that the border guards took 23 hours to manually count the foreign currency, according to news reports. ¶3. (SBU) The two Pakistani nationals, who described themselves as businessmen, gave differing responses about the length of their visit and immigration status in Mozambique, leading border guards to more closely scrutinize the individuals and their vehicle, according to the press. Detecting the crime in progress, the border security officials notified customs officers and worked together in a joint operation to apprehend the smugglers and the cash. After being intercepted, the Pakistani subjects explained that they were not aware that they were transporting money, and that the car they were driving was loaned to them by an associate in the town of Inchope. According to media reports, the passport of another Pakistani national, Fayza Zakir, 32 years old, was found in the car. -------------- COMMENT: INL-FUNDED TRAINING PAYS OFF, MORE SUPPORT NEEDED -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Mozambique shares lengthy borders with six countries. Border guards are under-trained and ill-equipped, creating targets of opportunity for smugglers. Approximately 30 percent of Mozambican border guards have been trained since the advent of the INL-funded program in 2007, with the most recent class graduating in November, 2008. More courses are scheduled for 2009, with plans to train Mozambican trainers, giving the Government of Mozambique (GRM) an internal capacity to continue to professionalize their border guard force. Though additional training and equipment is needed for Mozambique to effectively patrol its porous borders against the threat of currency, narcotic, and human traffickers, particularly in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup, the GRM has already shown that the training is successful. Chapman