Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1036
2009-08-17 11:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: COUNTERNARCOTICS OFFICERS
how-toVZCZCXRO4142 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDIR RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHTRO RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1036/01 2291108 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 171108Z AUG 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3297 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5542 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 3262 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3127 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3785 RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001036
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: COUNTERNARCOTICS OFFICERS
TRAINED TO CONDUCT NARCOTICS "FIELD TESTING"
REF: ASHGABAT 1010
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001036
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: COUNTERNARCOTICS OFFICERS
TRAINED TO CONDUCT NARCOTICS "FIELD TESTING"
REF: ASHGABAT 1010
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On August 14, Post conducted
training for officers of the State Counter Narcotics
Service (SCNS) on the use of recently donated
narcotics field testing systems. The training
included demonstrations of various tests included
in the kits. The mostly junior-level officers
appreciated receiving the Narcotics Identification
Kits and were excited to learn how to use them. END
SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) Post's INL Locally Enployed Staff and a TDY
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special
Agent conducted the training for SCNS officers on the
use of INL-funded Narcotics Identification Kits (NIK)
that were donated to the SCNS last week as a part of
the ongoing Counter-narcotics project (reftel). The
DEA Special Agent led the training, which took place
at the SCNS Training Center. Fifteen SCNS field
officers, including five from the headquarters in
Ashgabat and two from each of five provincial branches
attended the training. Each officer was provided with
a narcotics identification kit, rubber gloves and a
Russian translation of the user's manual.
4. (SBU) The DEA Special Agent explained the purpose
of the each individual test included in the kit and
demonstrated how the tests were conducted. Powdered
sugar was used as a test sample. The officers
observed the demonstration attentively. Following the
demonstration, one of the provincial officers
commented that they usually seized heroin mixed with
other substances, and asked if the test could identify
the illicit substance if the suspected powder was not
pure heroin. Another student added that they
sometimes seize heroin in the form of tablets and
asked about the testing procedures of suspected
tablets. Officers showed interest in the Duquenois
Levine tests for marijuana. An officer volunteered to
conduct a Duquenois Levine test on a tree leaf in
front of the class. During this experiment, an
officer from Ashgabat commented that they should have
brought real heroin or marijuana to see the proof
positive test results.
5. (SBU) The group, consisting of mostly junior
officers, was very active and attentive, asking
questions and taking notes. Most of the SCNS officers
present at the training had not previously heard about
the substances like phencyclidine, methadone,
methamphetamine, or propoxyphene, which they said are
not found in the Turkmenistan. During the Q&A
session, the first question asked was the price of the
kit. Additionally, the students were interested to
learn about common drugs in the United States and DEA
seizures in the U.S. Several students were surprised
to hear that in certain U.S. cities seizures of small
amounts of marijuana are often times not prosecuted
despite well established laws prohibiting possession
of such substances. An officer from Lebap province
was anxious to discuss with the DEA special agent why
it was not easy for the U.S. to simply destroy all the
poppy farms in Afghanistan, rather than investing
millions in counternarcotics projects.
ASHGABAT 00001036 002 OF 002
6. (SBU) COMMENT: None of the students were familiar
with the field testing system using narcotics
identification kits. The officers were pleased to
receive the kits and promised to start using them as
soon as they get back to their offices. Some of the
officers commented that the kits would not only help
them to conduct quick tests in the fields, but also to
look professional. One of the provincial officers
said, "This is the tool that will scare many pushers."
END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: COUNTERNARCOTICS OFFICERS
TRAINED TO CONDUCT NARCOTICS "FIELD TESTING"
REF: ASHGABAT 1010
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On August 14, Post conducted
training for officers of the State Counter Narcotics
Service (SCNS) on the use of recently donated
narcotics field testing systems. The training
included demonstrations of various tests included
in the kits. The mostly junior-level officers
appreciated receiving the Narcotics Identification
Kits and were excited to learn how to use them. END
SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) Post's INL Locally Enployed Staff and a TDY
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special
Agent conducted the training for SCNS officers on the
use of INL-funded Narcotics Identification Kits (NIK)
that were donated to the SCNS last week as a part of
the ongoing Counter-narcotics project (reftel). The
DEA Special Agent led the training, which took place
at the SCNS Training Center. Fifteen SCNS field
officers, including five from the headquarters in
Ashgabat and two from each of five provincial branches
attended the training. Each officer was provided with
a narcotics identification kit, rubber gloves and a
Russian translation of the user's manual.
4. (SBU) The DEA Special Agent explained the purpose
of the each individual test included in the kit and
demonstrated how the tests were conducted. Powdered
sugar was used as a test sample. The officers
observed the demonstration attentively. Following the
demonstration, one of the provincial officers
commented that they usually seized heroin mixed with
other substances, and asked if the test could identify
the illicit substance if the suspected powder was not
pure heroin. Another student added that they
sometimes seize heroin in the form of tablets and
asked about the testing procedures of suspected
tablets. Officers showed interest in the Duquenois
Levine tests for marijuana. An officer volunteered to
conduct a Duquenois Levine test on a tree leaf in
front of the class. During this experiment, an
officer from Ashgabat commented that they should have
brought real heroin or marijuana to see the proof
positive test results.
5. (SBU) The group, consisting of mostly junior
officers, was very active and attentive, asking
questions and taking notes. Most of the SCNS officers
present at the training had not previously heard about
the substances like phencyclidine, methadone,
methamphetamine, or propoxyphene, which they said are
not found in the Turkmenistan. During the Q&A
session, the first question asked was the price of the
kit. Additionally, the students were interested to
learn about common drugs in the United States and DEA
seizures in the U.S. Several students were surprised
to hear that in certain U.S. cities seizures of small
amounts of marijuana are often times not prosecuted
despite well established laws prohibiting possession
of such substances. An officer from Lebap province
was anxious to discuss with the DEA special agent why
it was not easy for the U.S. to simply destroy all the
poppy farms in Afghanistan, rather than investing
millions in counternarcotics projects.
ASHGABAT 00001036 002 OF 002
6. (SBU) COMMENT: None of the students were familiar
with the field testing system using narcotics
identification kits. The officers were pleased to
receive the kits and promised to start using them as
soon as they get back to their offices. Some of the
officers commented that the kits would not only help
them to conduct quick tests in the fields, but also to
look professional. One of the provincial officers
said, "This is the tool that will scare many pushers."
END COMMENT.
MILES