UAE READY FOR JOINT CASH COURIER OPERATIONS

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001110

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/A, NEA/FO, NEA/ARP (MCGOVERN),S/CT AND INR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2019
TAGS: EFIN PTER PGOV PINR PK AF AE
SUBJECT: UAE READY FOR JOINT CASH COURIER OPERATIONS

REFS: A) ABU DHABI 890
B) ABU DHABI 877

ABU DHABI 00001110 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR RICHARD OLSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B AND D).


1. (S/NF) Summary: In a significant advance for our CT agenda, the
UAE has agreed to operationalize cash courier interdiction with a
joint training program in Al Ain (inter alia, home to a significant
Afghan population). The UAE also provided us with the first detailed
description of how they execute their existing anti-cash courier
restrictions. End summary.


2. (S/NF) On November 23, Emboffs from DHS, State, Treasury, Justice
and GRPO met with key UAE State Security Directorate (SSD) officials
to follow up on the first meeting of the US-UAE Cash Courier Task
Force (CCTF) in September. SSD officials, led by Lt. Col. Hamad Al
Ameri, head of Border Security, said the UAE is fully committed to
our joint goal of disrupting illicit financial flows. He outlined
current UAE law enforcement efforts to identify, disrupt and
investigate cash couriers. Following the September meeting, Al Ameri
said the UAE completed an internal organizational and legal review
and is now prepared to move forward with operational training. The
UAE seeks to ensure local laws, practices and staff capacity allow
for maximum law enforcement deterrence. The CCTF will meet next in
mid-December to finalize arrangements for a February
training/operational program.


3. (C/NF) Al Ameri opened the meeting by stating that, since the
September meeting, UAE officials had completed the "first stage" of
improving its cash courier enforcement. The UAEG reviewed its laws
and regulations, and the Central Bank was "rapidly" drafting new
outbound cash declaration requirements. Emboffs requested the draft
be shared with the USG, in order to provide any necessary feedback, a
step SSD officials agreed was essential. Al Ameri added that the
September meeting also highlighted the dangers of cash couriers for
all involved UAE entities, who are now committed to stronger
enforcement and ready to proceed with appropriate training. Finally,
SSD is committed to taking the legal, administrative and law
enforcement steps to move the UAE from 70 percent effective to "101
percent." Al Ameri said SSD is prepared to move ahead with
implementing the proposed DHS bulk cash courier training and airport
operations, which will include key customs, police and security
officials from across the UAE. He stressed that the highest levels
of UAE officials had made it clear to all relevant agencies that the
UAE must do more to disrupt illicit financial flows.


4. (C/NF) Acting DHS Attach provided SSD with a draft
training/operations schedule and an outline of interim actions to
implement the program. Participants agreed to have another
coordination meeting on December 14 to finalize the training program,
which is tentatively scheduled for February 7-10. While the first
day will include an overview of related legal authorities, Al Ameri
asked that the focus of the initial training be on law enforcement,
as the short-term priority is seizing illicit funds. Prosecution is
an imperative next step, but could be addressed separately but
concurrently. SSD pledged to include appropriate legal officials in
the December 14 coordination meeting in order to facilitate direct
contact and program development between U.S. and UAE officials.


5. (C/NF) Al Ameri proposed holding the first iteration of the
training/ops at Al Ain International Airport, with the involvement of
approximately 5 key customs, police and security officials from each
of the UAE's 6 international airports (Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Ras
Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Fujairah). He stressed that the UAE had had
great success with similar training/operational programs when key
officials from across the country were brought together in one
location, trained and asked to apply their skills together in a
controlled environment. SSD officials noted that Al Ain has direct
flights to Pakistan and Egypt which could be examined in the
operational stage. Upon the completion of this first program, the
CCWG would conduct a joint review of lessons learned, then prepare to
apply the program in Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports. EmbOffs agreed
with this approach.


6. (S/NF) Al Ameri also spoke at length about the UAE's current cash
courier interdiction practices, commenting that the UAE law
enforcement officials undertake similar steps to US officials.
Shedding light on a process that the UAE purposefully keeps opaque,
Al Ameri explained that travelers entered the UAE with over AED
40,000 (USD 10,891) are required to declare the amount prior to
passing through immigration/passport control, and explain its origin
and purpose. While the UAE does not used mandatory declaration
forms, it has two safeguards it considers more effective: 1) UAE

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immigration and customs agents are trained to ask travelers about
cash holding if they suspect illicit activity and 2) every hand
carried bag is subject to x-ray immediately following immigration
clearance. If undeclared cash is identified, the traveler and
currency is immediately handed to SSD airport officials for further
investigation. Secondly, every checked bag is x-rayed before
reaching the baggage claim area. Customs officials place a unique
sticker on bags with cash, tipping off customs agents monitoring
passengers as they pass through the "goods to declare/nothing to
declare" gateway.


7. (S/NF) Passengers who fail to declare cash imports but are found
to be carrying cash on their person or in their baggage and referred
to SSD for investigation are "considered guilty." Al Ameri provided
several detailed examples of cash courier investigations, noting that
SSD routinely contacts involved persons in the origin country and/or
the UAE, requests the UAE Central Bank follow up on licit cash
declarations to ensure funds are deposited as reported, and deports
individual cash couriers. However, Al Ameri agreed that UAE laws
should be amended to ensure cash couriers found guilty are
imprisoned, not only deported.


8. (C/NF) Comment: The commitment and enthusiasm SSD participants
demonstrated during the meeting was remarkable. Participants were
well-informed, clearly prepared and empowered to move forward with
the cash courier training/operations immediately. EmbOffs will
follow up to ensure the December 14 meeting is productive and the
February program is successful. End Comment.
OLSON