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