DRUG SMUGGLING VESSEL BROUGHT TO MONROVIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONROVIA 000100

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF AND AF/W
LAGOS ALSO FOR DEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2018
TAGS: SNAR PRGOV ASEC LI
SUBJECT: DRUG SMUGGLING VESSEL BROUGHT TO MONROVIA

Classified By: Ambassador Donald E. Booth for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (SBU) On January 29, French navy vessel Tonnerre
intercepted and boarded Liberian flagged merchant vessel Blue
Atlantic in international waters approximately 500 kilometers
south of Liberia. The French boarding party found the
merchant vessel carried 2.4 tons of cocaine carried in 92
barrels. The investigation, while still ongoing, had
determined the ultimate destination of the vessel was not
Liberia.


2. (SBU) On the evening of January 31, Tonnerre escorted the
Blue Atlantic into the Freeport of Monrovia. Liberian
Minister of National Security led an interagency security
team, along with a visiting French Ministry of Foreign
Affairs official to oversee the inventory of seized
narcotics, documents, and the arrest of the nine Ghanaian
crew members.


3. (SBU) On February 1, the French handed over custody of the
ship, narcotics, and crew to the Liberian Ministry of
National Security. Nearly all Liberian security services,
United Nations officials, Embassy personnel and local press
observed the initial destruction of the narcotics. The
packets of cocaine were being cut and destroyed through
immersion in water. The Liberian Ministry of Justice was in
charge of the Liberian coordination effort consisting of
representatives from the Liberian Ministry of National
Security, Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency, Liberian National
Security Agency, Liberian Inspector General, Liberian
National Police, and Liberian Seaport Police. The United
Nations Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner as well
as members of the UN Nepalese, Ghanaian and Nigerian formed
police units and UN military personnel are on hand for
additional security.


4. (C) Comment: It appears the French chose to bring the
merchant vessel to Monrovia because it bore a Liberian flag,
and perhaps because of the UN presence. However, the
Liberians appeared to those of us observing the operation to
be incapable of responding to the event, and given the manner
the Liberians have chosen to dispose of the cocaine, there is
no way to know if all the cocaine will be disposed of
properly.
Booth