SIERRA LEONE RAISES ALARM OVER GUINEAN

S E C R E T FREETOWN 000389 NOFORN SIPDIS DOJ FOR DEA/OS/OSE (MCMANAMON),DEA/OS/OSE/CNTOC (BROWN) EMBASSY ACCRA FOR DOJ/DEA (BREEDEN) E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2019 TAGS: PGOV SNAR PINR GV SL SUBJECT: SIERRA LEONE RAISES ALARM OVER GUINEAN NARCOTRAFFICKING Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Amy LeMar for reasons 1.4 (b/ d) ¶1. (S/NF) CDA and Poloff met with a highly-placed intelligence contact on September 30, who stated concerns that narcotics traffickers are exploiting the current instability in Guinea for their own ends. Source said that he had received information that two known Colombian drug traffickers, "CiCi" and "Lucho," were spotted in Conakry on September 29. Their reported contact is Noah Conte, identified by source as an unofficial aide to Dadis. ¶2. (S/NF) Source also told CDA and Poloff that Guinean Minister of Defense Sekouba Konate allegedly left Conakry on September 29 in a helicopter and stopped at a landing strip in Faranah due to "engine troubles." Source noted that this landing strip had been lengthened by Ousmane Conte and was known to be used for drug runs. Source asked that USG confirm this information, if possible. ¶3. (S/NF) Source had received information that Dadis had offered to release Conte, but that Conte fears for his life and believes himself safer in CNDD custody. Sierra Leoneon intelligence believes that despite this, Conte could be helping to engineer a counter-coup against Dadis, and has support from organized crime elements to do so. At the same time, source stated his fears that Konate's recent trip and the presence of CiCi and Lucho could indicate that Dadis is receiving significant monetary "support" from narcotics traffickers in exchange for the use of landing strips, which will only add fuel to Guinea's currently volatile fire. FEDZER