Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUENOSAIRES287
2009-03-13 21:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

ARGENTINA: ICE EXPERTS DELIVER TIP TRAINING

Tags:  KTIP PHUM PREL KCRM SMIG KFRD ASEC ELAB KWMN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0287/01 0722132
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 132132Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3276
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000287 

SIPDIS

G/TIP FOR PAULA GOODE, JANE SIGMON, BARBARA FLECK AND MARK
FORSTROM
WHA/PPC FOR SCOTT MILLER
DHS/ICE FOR GABRIEL GONZALEZ AND KATERINA KAROUSOS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KTIP PHUM PREL KCRM SMIG KFRD ASEC ELAB KWMN
AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: ICE EXPERTS DELIVER TIP TRAINING

REF: 08 BUENOS AIRES 761

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000287

SIPDIS

G/TIP FOR PAULA GOODE, JANE SIGMON, BARBARA FLECK AND MARK
FORSTROM
WHA/PPC FOR SCOTT MILLER
DHS/ICE FOR GABRIEL GONZALEZ AND KATERINA KAROUSOS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KTIP PHUM PREL KCRM SMIG KFRD ASEC ELAB KWMN
AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: ICE EXPERTS DELIVER TIP TRAINING

REF: 08 BUENOS AIRES 761


1. Summary. In an effort to strengthen the Argentine
government's anti-trafficking efforts, Post,s Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Attache Office in coordination
with the political section brought down two ICE experts to
address three conferences on trafficking in persons (TIP).
The first conference was organized by the University of
Buenos Aires and attracted over 500 civil society
participants. The second was organized by the province of
Cordoba which drew over 200 prosecutors, judges, and law
enforcement officials at the federal and provincial levels.
The third was a regional conference organized by the GOA,s
Ministry of Justice which brought over 300 law enforcement
and other government officials as well as a few
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) representatives from
MERCOSUR members and associate states. Training was
well-received and demonstrated strong GOA and civil society
interest in strengthening local capacity to effectively
investigate and prosecute TIP crimes. Conference
participants expressed an interest in additional training on
topics such as the role NGOs can play in TIP investigations,
techniques on pursuing money laundering investigations as
predicate offenses, how to identify and seize assets of
traffickers. Post will continue to work with GOA and civil
society actors to identify new opportunities for further
collaboration. End summary.

--------------
ICE Experts Offer TIP Training
--------------


2. Post,s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Attache
Office, in coordination with the political section, brought
down two ICE experts to address three conferences on
trafficking in persons (TIP) as a follow up to Department of
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Julie Myers, offer to
Minister of Justice Anibal Fernandez to offer of USG
assistance in fighting TIP (reftel). National Program

Managers (NPM) Gabriel Gonzalez and Katerina Karousos from
the ICE Headquarters, Office of Investigations, Human
Smuggling and Trafficking Unit, traveled to Argentina in
early June to serve as Subject Matter Experts (SME) at three
separate TIP conferences.

-------------- --------------
ICE Experts Share Best Practices with Latin America NGOs
-------------- --------------


3. The first conference, was held June 4-6, 2008. Eentitled
the &First Latin American Congress Regarding Human Smuggling
and Trafficking8, attracted over 500 civil society actors
from all over Latin America and was organized by the
University of Buenos Aires Social Sciences Department. The
conference was to outline Argentina,s initial steps in
combating TIP, human smuggling and child sexual
exploitation/pornography and to facilitate an exchange of
ideas and investigative methodologies. NPM Gonzalez served
as one of eight experts on a panel that offered &Reflections
on Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Latin America and the
World8 where he explained ICE,s role as lead agency of the
USG,s anti-trafficking effort. NPM Gonzalez was the only
government law enforcement expert on the panel. The panel
consisted primarily of directors and representatives of NGOs
from Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Peru, and the Caribbean.
Other panels included conceptual political discussions
related to Human Smuggling and Trafficking, Trafficking and
Prostitution, Trafficking of Women and Children, Human
Smuggling and Trafficking in Latin America and the World,
Challenges Regarding Child Sexual Exploitation, and
Identifying Organizations Combating Human Trafficking in
Latin America and the Caribbean.


4. NPM Gonzalez and Karousos also delivered presentations
which focused on sharing best practices in prosecuting and
investigating human smuggling and trafficking, and empowering
victims of trafficking. They presented a short USG public
service announcement in Spanish on how TIP victims can call a
national hotline to received help. They also presented a
case study of a recent bust of a Mexican human trafficking
ring to illustrate the importance of international
cooperation in TIP investigations. They also noted the key
role that NGOs play in tipping off law enforcement
authorities of potential crimes and providing assistance to
TIP victims. Approximately 100 participants from various
NGOs, the University of Buenos Aires, local and federal law
enforcement, and the general public attended. In the
Question and Answer session that followed, participants
expressed admiration for how seriously USG law enforcement
authorities take TIP investigations. One participant noted
that civil society has a hard time trusting law enforcement
authorities to do anything, complaining that many are
corrupt. At the conclusion of the presentation, various NGOs
requested assistance with ongoing human trafficking cases.
NPM Gonzalez and NPM Karousos forwarded these leads and
contact information to the ICE Attache for evaluation.

-------------- --------------
ICE Offers Workshop to Eager Audience in Cordoba Province
-------------- --------------


5. NPM Gonzalez, NPM Karousos and ICE Assistant Attache also
traveled to Cordoba, Argentina to provide training on Human
Smuggling and Trafficking at the Cordoba Provincial Criminal
Investigative Academy. The training was offered in response
to a formal request for TIP training from Cordoba Province
Attorney General Dr. Dario Vezzaro to the DCM. Dr. Vezzaro
offered to cover travel and lodging costs for the TIP
instructors. Post,s ICE office agreed to coordinate the
training and attended the conference.


6. The training workshop was hosted by Dr. Vezzaro, and the
Chief of Police of Cordoba, Daniel Alejo Paredes. The
twelve-hour block of instruction consisted of an Overview of
Human Smuggling and Trafficking, Victim Services,
Investigative Methodologies, Interviewing Techniques, Case
Studies, and a Practical Exercise Approximately 207
individuals from the Judicial Police, Airport Police,
National Gendarmeria (U.S. Border Patrol-equivalent),
Immigration, Provincial Secretary of Human Rights, Provincial
Minister of Justice, Victim Assistance Unit, Federal and
Local Courts of Cordoba, NGOs, and the Cordoba Police
attended the training. Attendees showed a strong interest in
the training subject matter, expressed a desire for
additional training, and stated their willingness to work
jointly with the USG to combat TIP. Law enforcement entities
also realized the need for a more proactive outreach program
to prevent TIP. Participants expressed an interest in
additional training on 1) techniques to pursue financial
(money laundering) investigations as predicate offenses in
TIP cases; 2) how to identify and seize assets of
traffickers; and 3) how to improve the coordination of
investigations between provincial and federal law enforcement
authorities.

--------------
ICE Offers Training Seminar to MERCOSUR
--------------


7. NPM Gonzalez and NPM Karousos also participated in the
the First International Symposium of MERCOSUR and Associated
States Regarding Human Trafficking and Child Pornography,
sponsored by the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights, and
Security in Buenos Aires. The conference began with keynote
speeches from Minister of Justice Anibal Fernandez, the
French Ambassador and Ambassador Wayne. The symposium was
attended by approximately 300 individuals representing
numerous NGOs, and international organizations such as the
International Organization of Migration (IOM),the United
Nations International Children,s Fund (UNICEF),the Office
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
and government entities from MERCOSUR members and associate
states Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela as well as France and the
United States. The symposium consisted of several panels of
experts discussing experiences and best practices learned in
pursuing Human Trafficking and Child Pornography
investigations, in addition to briefings by representatives
of countries belonging to MERCOSUR and Associated States, a
presentation from TIP activist Susana Trimarco (the mother of
a kidnapped daughter who is believed to be a trafficking
victim),and eight concurrent training workshops.


8. During the symposium, NPM Gonzalez and NPM Karousos led
the USG workshop entitled &Experiences in Conducting Human
Trafficking Investigations and Empowering Victims.8 The
workshops were limited to 40 attendees and lasted six hours.
The workshop was tasked to identify challenges, develop
recommendations and conclusions for combating TIP. Drawing
from ICE experiences, NPM Gonzalez shared methodologies and
best practices in combating human smuggling and trafficking,
including the distinction in identifying and investigating
each crime. Participants included representatives from the
Gendarmeria (Border Patrol) and the Prefectura Naval (Coast
Guard-equivalent) and two NGOs that have worked closely with
the GOA on TIP cases. Participants identified the following
challenges to investigating and prosecuting TIP crimes
effectively: 1) limited legal authority of the varied law
enforcement entities to initiate human trafficking
investigations, such as the inability to conduct an interview
unless directed by a judge or prosecutor, 2) lack of
confidence in effectively working together with other
government entities in TIP cases; 3) the limited scope of
Argentina,s asset forfeiture regime which is only allowed in
the prosecution of drug trafficking crimes.


9. Participants made the following recommendations to
improve MERCOSUR,s efforts to combat TIP: 1) reinstitute/
enforce proper documentation and authorizations required of
minors to enter or depart the country; 2) utilize
investigative methodologies ) such as pursuing money
laundering investigations as predicate offenses; 3) charge
suspects with multiple offenses to increase the chances of
stronger sentencing, and 4) identify and seize trafficker
assets. Principal conclusions included the expressed need
for capacity building within the law enforcement entities,
additional outreach campaigns for prevention and reporting
purposes, immediate issuance of benefits and assistance to
victims, proper funding and resources to combat TIP, and
enhanced interagency coordination as well as coordination
between provincial and federal law enforcement authorities.
Workshop participants presented their conclusions in the
Congress, closing session and gave the conclusion to the
symposium organizers for distribution to all participants.


10. Postscript: This cable was written last June. In
preparing this year's input to the Annual Trafficking in
Persons report, we discovered that the report had not been
properly transmitted. Because of the importance of this
issue and the value of the June discussion, we are
transmitting it now so that it receives appropriate
distribution within the USG.
WAYNE