"BLUE ATLANTIC" COCAINE DESTROYED

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONROVIA 000103 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF AND AFW LAGOS ALSO FOR DEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018 TAGS: SNAR PGOV ASEC LI SUBJECT: "BLUE ATLANTIC" COCAINE DESTROYED REF: MONROVIA 100 Classified By: Ambassador Donald E. Booth for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Minister of Justice Philip A.Z. Banks told Ambassador February 4 that he personally oversaw the destruction of the cocaine February 1 seized from the merchant vessel "Blue Atlantic" (reftel). While he admitted that the destruction process was initially inefficient and hazardous, he was satisfied that all the cocaine, except a small amount saved as evidence, was destroyed and none slipped out into the streets of Monrovia. ¶2. (C) The minister said it was his decision to destroy the cocaine on the dock rather than take it out to sea as UNMIL (and we) advised, because he wanted the operation to take place in front of international observers and the press, so there would be no question as to what happened to the cocaine. GOL officials at first dissolved the cocaine into buckets of water before throwing the mixture in the sea, but after two and a half hours, only two of the 92 barrels were destroyed. The UN did not wish to guard the cocaine overnight (an UNMIL officer told the minister that he "could not even trust his own men") so the Liberians opted to burn the remaining 90 barrels in order to speed up the process. In fact, the Liberians brought in power saws to open the barrels more quickly. All the cocaine was in flames by 10:00 pm, although he waited through the night because he "wanted to see the ashes." ¶3. (C) The minister noted that the operation was poorly planned and unduly hazardous. The teams did not have proper equipment, not even the officials on hand from the Liberian EPA. ¶4. (C) Minister Banks said that all nine Ghanaian seamen are in Liberian custody and will be tried in Liberia. While the French had already tested the cocaine, the GOL made its own tests to be used in the trial. ¶5. (C) Comment: Minister Banks' account tracks closely with an UNMIL report obtained by Embassy personnel (septel) which noted that UNMIL police units observed the operation closely to ensure that all cocaine and by-products were properly destroyed. The Liberians did their best under difficult circumstances to demonstrate that the cocaine was destroyed. Booth