UI-09-0003/YEH1K/NOSIRI, SARAF- DEA DUSHANBE COUNTRY OFFICE

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 000571 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEA HQ PASS TO OC/NEWTON-BELL, OE/TRAPP, A/OC/HARRIGAN OCX/WILLIAMS, OEX/MASUMOTO, A/OGE/SCHRETTNER, OGA/RYAN, OGPA/STATEN, NTRE/UPP, NIRE/LEHRER NI/BORDER, NTRE/UPP/KREGOR, FOE/HAFF, NIWF/MANZI, SOD/OSE/MCMANAMON/YASEVICH/KHAN/OSE/SHROYER/D EA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: DEAX SNAR TI SUBJECT: UI-09-0003/YEH1K/NOSIRI, SARAF- DEA DUSHANBE COUNTRY OFFICE JOINT COORDINATION OF INL DONATION OF TECHNICAL INVESTIGATIVE EQUIPMENT TO THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF TAJIKISTAN. ¶1. (SBU) THE DEA DUSHANBE COUNTRY OFFICE (DCO),WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY DUSHANBE, INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SECTION (INL),HAVE COMBINED RESOURCES TO ENHANCE THE APPLICATION OF TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT IN SUPPORT OF TAJIK MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS (MVD) NARCOTIC-RELATED INVESTIGATIONS. ¶2. (SBU) THE DCO HAS initiated A joint-wire intercept investigation WITH THE MVD targeting the NOSIRI SARAF DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION. THIS OPERATION REPRESENTS THE FIRST JOINT DEA WIRE-INTERCEPT INVESTIGATION IN CENTRAL ASIA. THE DCO IS ALSO ASSISTING THE mVD with operational planning to include extensive undercover operations TARGETING THE SARAF DTO IN DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN. ¶3. (sbu) ON MAY 8, 2009, the dco coordinated the inl donation of advanced surviellance equipment to THE MVD. The equipment consists of 12 units and has a value of approximately $15,000. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT INL HAD THE EQUIPMENT IN STORAGE; IT WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY PURCHASED FOR DONATION TO THE MVD. (THE EQUIPMENT CANNOT BE USED FOR INTERCEPTING TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS.) ¶4. (SBU) THE DCO WILL PROVIDE TRAINING AND OPERATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO THE MVD CONCERNING THE PROPER APPLICATION OF THE EQUIPMENT. THE INL DONATION WILL ENABLE THE MVD TO DEVELOP MORE COMPLEX INVESTIGATIONS AND ASSIST IN PROTECTING MVD AGENTS WHEN CONDUCTING UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS. INFORMATION CONCERNING THE INL DONATION TO THE MVD SHOULD NOT BE RELEASED TO REGIONAL HOST COUNTRIES COUNTER-PARTS OR THE PRESS. ¶5. (SBU) THE DCO WOULD LIKE TO THANK INL AND THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY DUSHANBE FOR THEIR SUSTAINED SUPPORT CONCERNINGS DEA'S LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORT IN TAJIKISTAN. INDEXING SECTION: SARAF, NOSIRI NADDIS: 6479196 JACOBSON