Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT825
2009-07-02 03:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: DRUG DEALING VILLAGERS DIG MOATS TO
how-toVZCZCXRO4477 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0825 1830353 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 020353Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3077 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5383 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3111 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2976 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3627 RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3677
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000825
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN,
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DRUG DEALING VILLAGERS DIG MOATS TO
KEEP POLICE AWAY
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000825
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN,
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DRUG DEALING VILLAGERS DIG MOATS TO
KEEP POLICE AWAY
1. (SBU) On June 27 at 07:00am, a local contact riding in
an SUV saw a resident of the village Gysa in Ruhabat district
outside of Ashgabat parked in an old car. As the contact's
SUV approached, the driver of the old car started his car and
sped off quickly. Post's contact was not surprised, because
he had ben told previously that residents assume SUVs
entering the village are driven by police. The SUV driver
flagged the villager down to explain that he just needed
directions to the pond. The villager suspiciously asked "Who
are you? What's your name? What are you doing here?" After
the SUV driver answered, he gave them directions. However,
the SUV driver, driving closer to the village, saw that the
villagers had dug a trench filled with water from the nearby
river in order to create a moat that would prevent police
cars from entering the village. Villagers could still leave
that side of the village on motorcycle, or the other side of
the village via car. Police vehicles approaching from the
far side of the village could easily be seen from a long
distance. Gysa was full of motorcycles on that day. The
driver of the SUV said that Gysa residents grow their own
marijuana and deal in all forms of narcotics. He also said
that people in the village -- full of yurts and shacks -- are
some of the most paranoid people in Turkmenistan.
2. (SBU) COMMENT: The village's shantytown-like appearance
belies any wealth that locals were accumulating from their
narcotics business. It's not surprising that people without
any other source of income decided to enter the drug trade,
or that they are discreet about the income from it. Still,
the villagers' activities must be an open secret to the
authorities, who apparently allow it to continue. To run the
risks attendant with involvement in this business, dealing in
narcotics must be lucrative, regardless of outside
appearances. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN,
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: DRUG DEALING VILLAGERS DIG MOATS TO
KEEP POLICE AWAY
1. (SBU) On June 27 at 07:00am, a local contact riding in
an SUV saw a resident of the village Gysa in Ruhabat district
outside of Ashgabat parked in an old car. As the contact's
SUV approached, the driver of the old car started his car and
sped off quickly. Post's contact was not surprised, because
he had ben told previously that residents assume SUVs
entering the village are driven by police. The SUV driver
flagged the villager down to explain that he just needed
directions to the pond. The villager suspiciously asked "Who
are you? What's your name? What are you doing here?" After
the SUV driver answered, he gave them directions. However,
the SUV driver, driving closer to the village, saw that the
villagers had dug a trench filled with water from the nearby
river in order to create a moat that would prevent police
cars from entering the village. Villagers could still leave
that side of the village on motorcycle, or the other side of
the village via car. Police vehicles approaching from the
far side of the village could easily be seen from a long
distance. Gysa was full of motorcycles on that day. The
driver of the SUV said that Gysa residents grow their own
marijuana and deal in all forms of narcotics. He also said
that people in the village -- full of yurts and shacks -- are
some of the most paranoid people in Turkmenistan.
2. (SBU) COMMENT: The village's shantytown-like appearance
belies any wealth that locals were accumulating from their
narcotics business. It's not surprising that people without
any other source of income decided to enter the drug trade,
or that they are discreet about the income from it. Still,
the villagers' activities must be an open secret to the
authorities, who apparently allow it to continue. To run the
risks attendant with involvement in this business, dealing in
narcotics must be lucrative, regardless of outside
appearances. END COMMENT.
MILES