TAJIKISTAN: TWO TAJIK DCA OFFICERS SHOT AND KILLED IN THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000307 SIPDIS DEA HQS FOR OGE MONACO AND VASQUEZ DEA HQS FOR SARI STATE FOR INL AND G/TIP ANKARA FOR DEA RD DESTITO ISLAMABAD FOR DEA ARD DUDLEY KABUL FOR DEA A/CA FITZGERALD MOSCOW FOR DEA CA JONES E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR TI SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: TWO TAJIK DCA OFFICERS SHOT AND KILLED IN THE SHURABAD DISTRICT OF TAJIKISTAN INCIDENT TO AN UNDERCOVER MEETING NEAR THE TAJIK-AFGHAN BORDER ON FEBRUARY 27, 2009. GFUI-09-9322; CCX: GFAN-05-8001 GFUI-09-9123 SYNOPSIS -------------- ¶1. (SBU) On March 10, 2009, the acting head of the Tajik Drug Control Agency's (DCA) operational department provided a written report to the DEA Dushanbe Country Office regarding the Tajik DCA/Tajik Border Guard joint investigation and the events occurring on February 27-28, 2009. ¶2. (SBU) The report related that during the month of February 2009, DCA officers, assigned to the inter-regional section of the Khatlon sub-office located in the Kulyab district, received information that a group of four to six armed-Afghan narcotics traffickers intended to sell significant amounts of illicit drugs to unidentified Tajik nationals in the Shurabad District of Tajikistan. ¶3. (SBU) Attempting to exploit this information, the Tajik DCA prepared a joint operational plan with the Tajik Border Guards of the State Committee on National Security. An undercover DCA officer was subsequently introduced as a purchaser of narcotics to the Afghan traffickers, two of whom were partially identified as "Said" LNU and "Juma" LNU. ¶4. (SBU) On February 27, 2009, at approximately 11pm, between the villages of Sarimargzor and Anjirob, Shurabad District (in an area located approximately one kilometer north of the Tajik-Afghan border),an undercover meeting took place. The operation went awry, and a skirmish ensued between the armed group of Afghan traffickers and six Tajik DCA officers and Border Guards. Two Tajik DCA officers were shot and killed. They were identified as Captain Abdushukur Karimovich Olimov (DOB: 04/09/1969) and Lieutenant Umedjon Sadulloevich Barotov (DOB: 07/04/1976). Three Tajik Border Guard officers were severely wounded. They were identified as Lieutenant Colonel D.R. Mahmudov, Warrant Officer K.I. Manonov and Warrant Officer R.H. Surhov. It is unknown if any of the Afghan traffickers were wounded. ¶5. (SBU) After the skirmish ended, an inspection of the surrounding area yielded approximately 52.5 kilograms of marijuana and 12.773 kilograms of raw opium. Both drug quantities were seized by the Tajik DCA. ¶6. (SBU) Information which was previously provided by other Tajik DCA sources indicated that the Afghan traffickers were carrying AK-47's and an RPG, and the Tajik DCA officers were only armed with Makarov handguns. ¶7. (SBU) Other sources claimed that the Tajiks were severely outgunned with as many as thirty Afghan traffickers present, but now it appears likely that this was an exaggeration initially offered to serve as an explanation for the trouncing. ¶8. (SBU) This cable was prepared by A/CA Paul Hackett in lieu of a DEA-6, pursuant to section 6242.11 of the DEA Agent's DUSHANBE 00000307 002 OF 002 Manual. Please direct any questions to A/CA Paul Hackett at cellular telephone number 992-90-700-7095. Dushanbe is nine (9) hours ahead of Eastern Time. INDEXING SECTION ¶1. None JACOBSON