AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: NOVEMBER 2008 PROGRAM UPDATE

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000009 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO SUBJECT: AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: NOVEMBER 2008 PROGRAM UPDATE REF: 2003 STATE 265910 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. This is the monthly Air Bridge Denial (ABD) activity report for November, 2008, as required by Reftel. The Government of Colombia (GOC) sorted 6160 tracks during November. Two were Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). There was one Phase II event that transitioned to a ground Law Enforcement End Game where the aircraft was impounded by Colombian Coast Guard personnel. There was one event in missions in Support of Suppression of Illegal Maritime Traffic (SSIMT) that ended in a Law Enforcement End Game with one vessel and 1.1 Metric Ton of cocaine impounded. Three crewmembers were arrested. END SUMMARY. -------------- Tracks -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In November 2008, there were 6160 air tracks over Colombia of which two were declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). Host Nation responded to both. One was visually identified over the Caribbean and the information was passed on to Central American and Caribbean Law Enforcement Agencies. Another was followed to landing on the Colombian Pacific Ocean coast where it landed on a beach. Phase one was accomplished without response. Phase two was accomplished and the event was stopped when Colombian Coast Guard personnel arrived to the area. They impounded the aircraft, which had no personnel or cargo on board. No illegal substances were found. -------------- SSIMT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) On November 8, 2008, an SR-560 on SSIMT patrol sighted a vessel in the Pacific coast off the Choco Department. A COLNAV vessel was directed to the suspect boat, which was impounded and three crewmembers were arrested. There were 38 packets of cocaine weighing 1/1 Metric Tons. -------------- Flight Operations -------------- ¶4. (SBU) In November 2008, the Citations flew 162 hours in 60 sorties with a 94% OR rate. Of the 60 sorties, 14 were for GOC ABD intelligence gathering and patrolling; two for training; 27 were for maritime patrolling, 13 were in reaction to GOC-provided information, two for operational support, and two were for non ABD missions. The SR-26 aircraft 5741 flew 40 hours in 22 sorties with a 98% OR rate. Twenty SR-26 sorties were in support of ABD, of which 12 were maritime missions. Two SR-26 sorties were for non-ABD purposes. BROWNFIELD