BERMUDA'S FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS: PREVENTION AND ENFORCEMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HAMILTON 000136 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE (JOHN MARBURG AND NIMA ABBASZADEH) STATE FOR EUR/PPD (LEE MCMANIS AND ALISANDE PIPKIN) LONDON FOR ROB HUBER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM SOCI PGOV BD SUBJECT: BERMUDA'S FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS: PREVENTION AND ENFORCEMENT HAMILTON 00000136 001.17 OF 003 Summary ¶1. (SBU) Bermuda Customs describes Bermuda as a point of destination for drugs because of the high street value garnered as compared with street values in the U.S. The Bermuda Department of National Drug Control (DNDC) has documented an increasing use of illicit drugs in Bermuda, and a May government report highlighted drugs as the third concern of Island residents. The Government of Bermuda (GOB) is addressing the problem from the standpoint of both prevention/treatment (to be reported in SEPTEL) and enforcement/interdiction, but has been less than effective. Although drug use is up, Bermuda Police Service (BPS) statistics - which the police acknowledge are inadequate and misleading - delineate a downward trend in narcotics seizures in Bermuda between 2001 and 2008. In 2008, the only year for which street value figures are available, law enforcement agencies seized $7.1 million in drugs. Cannabis was the primary drug confiscated, followed by cocaine, cocaine freebase and heroin. The BPS has shifted its focus to the interdiction of drug shipments before they reach the Island and works with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Meanwhile, the DNDC struggles to implement programs to prevent, treat and rehabilitate drug abusers. End summary. Government Acknowledges Drug Problem ¶2. (SBU) Bermuda is a destination for illegal drugs, not a point of origin or transshipment. H.M. Customs confirmed with Consulate staff on November 3 that the Island is a destination of choice for illegal drug trafficking because of the high price drug dealers can secure on the Island compared to the United States. Customs' William Pearman, Assistant Collector of Customs for Enforcement Operations, explained that the high street value favors the division of the drug trade among multiple players, or gangs, which have grown increasingly active and violent in Bermuda. The Chairwoman of the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee, the independent advisor to the Ministry of Justice on anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing (AML/ATF),told Consulate staff on November 9 that the �A;Island's AML/ATF regime is focused almost entirely on the laundering of drug proceeds. The GOB's first comprehensive strategy to address drug abuse issues, "A Framework for the National Drug Control Policies and Master Plan 2007-2011," states: "Sufficient evidence exists that points to the fact that Bermuda is witnessing an unprecedented upsurge in the prevalence of illicit drug use (marijuana, cocaine and heroin) and drug-related criminal activities such as violence and illicit trafficking." The master plan continues: "The drugs phenomenon is~a major threat to the internal security and public health of society. The use of drugs, particularly among young people is at comparatively high levels." Average Bermudians Too Are Worried ¶3. (SBU) A government omnibus report in May listed drugs as the third concern of Bermuda residents. Acting Director of the Department of National Drug Control (DNDC),Dr. Ken-Garfield Douglas, told Consulate personnel on October 20 that the use of marijuana and heroin is of major concern generally in Bermuda and that men aged 21-35 years are the most at risk. He worried that drug use increasingly manifests itself at school. In an example that rocked the community, police locked down one of the Island's two secondary schools on October 20 when drug-related violence erupted, sending two students to hospital. Douglas stated that almost 24 percent of youth have used cannabis at least once and that 12 percent of students reported using illicit drugs, other than marijuana, during their lifetimes. He indicated further that students' use of inhalants as a gateway drug is of particular concern. He noted that a better picture of drug use by youth and the general public will become available after the DNDC and the Bermuda Department of Statistics collaborate in a November national drug consumption telephone survey of 1600 randomly-selected households and a December youth drug survey. Preliminary results will be available in December and January respectively. HAMILTON 00000136 002.17 OF 003 BPS Focuses on Interdictions, Domestic Drug Seizures Decline Since 2001 ¶4. (SBU) Paul Wright, Assistant Commissioner of Police for Serious and Organized Crime and Intelligence - which includes drug enforcement - provided the consulate with BPS and Customs seizure statistics for 2001-2008 that show that drug seizures trended down over the period. Seizures were greatest in 2003 at 1,022, compared with 672 in 2008 and 508 during the first nine months of 2009. These figures do not include BPS disruption operations in the United States, interdicting drug shipments bound for Bermuda, of which there have been several in 2009 and which form a significant part of the work of the BPS Intelligence Division. Customs told the Consul General on November 3 that the primary source of drugs in Bermuda is the U.S. The BPS works closely with DEA and ICE to interdict drugs bound for Bermuda. U.S. Customs and Border Protection at L.F. Wade Airport works closely with its Bermudian counterparts in an effort to identify those who may be in violation of the laws of either country. Wright explained to Consulate staff on October 22 that more and more effort is going into overseas interdiction efforts where drug quantities tend to be larger. ¶5. (SBU) According to BPS statistics, the greatest number of police seizures are made on the streets, but those numbers too have dropped. In 2001, there were 783 street seizures, compared with only 490 in 2008. The statistics highlight the growing number of seizures at courier services such as FedEx and DHL, with 74 such seizures in 2008 and 55 in the first nine months of 2009, up significantly since 2001 when there were only three such seizures. Customs' seizures on cruise ship have dropped off from a high of 185 in 2003 and 157 in 2004 to just 13 in 2008. (Note: Customs attributed some of this to visits it has made to cruise ship lines in Miami to review drug activity issues.) However, cruise ship seizures for January-September 2009 increased to 21. Customs seizures at the airport have also dropped, from a high of 68 in 2005 to 38 in 2008 and 38 in January-September 2009. On November 12, Pearman offered his insight into why port seizures are dropping. "We have found that seizure rates are cyclical with periods of low and high seizures. This may be caused by a number of factors such as new smuggling methodologies, increase in seizures overseas, or financial issues caused by successful seizures. Perhaps the decline is the result of large shipments being dropped off by passing vessels, and being picked up by small local vessels and bypassing our controls." Wright offered a slightly different view. He theorized that one of the reasons for the drop-off in seizures at the ports of entry is that tourism has been trending down over the past several years, with fewer visitors to Bermuda. With respect to seizures generally, he suggested that seizures are fewer because drug importers are increasingly using international courier services, subdividing their shipments into small amounts among multiple packages and hoping that most will escape detection. The amount of drugs being seized on the street has also declined as sellers hold only small amounts readily available as they seek to avoid being charged with intent to distribute, according to Wright. Cannabis Leading Drug Seized ¶6. (U) BPS figures show that cannabis is the primary drug seized in Bermuda. This is not surprising as societal views on the use of marijuana are mixed, with some recently arguing for its legalization. In 2008, the only full year for which street value statistics are available, Police seized almost $3 million worth of cannabis, or 42 percent of the total $7.1 million of drugs seized. From a high of 473.1 kilos in 2006, the volume of cannabis seized dropped to 241.2 kilos in 2008 and 145.52 kilos during the first three quarters of 2009. Police continue to find cannabis plants on the island. The BPS seized 608 plants in 2008 and 761 plants in January-September 2009, compared to 604 in 2001 and 930 in 2004. Cocaine seizures have shown an overall reduction, from a high of 40.9 kilos in 2002 to a low of 4.8 kilos in 2008, although the first nine months of 2009 show an increase to 7.02 kilos. Cocaine freebase seizures have similarly declined from a high of 4.2 kilos in 2001 to 0.22 in 2008, although for the first three quarters of 2009 the amount HAMILTON 00000136 003.17 OF 003 seized increased to 0.603 kilos. Heroin seizures also declined to 0.8 kilos in 2008 and .019 kilos in January-September 2009, down from a high of 2.6 kilos in 2002. Methamphetamine seizures have been generally low, except for 20,373 seizures in 2006 and 10,508 tablets seized in 2008. Police Worry that Statistics Don't Reflect Reality ¶7. (SBU) Assistant Commissioner Wright cautioned in an October 15 conversation with consulate staff that the BPS statistics should be interpreted as preliminary only. He called "data integrity" a real problem - partly because current figures do not reflect interdiction of drugs headed to the Island. With respect to the paucity of street value statistics, Wright said that historically seizures were listed by weight rather than purity. He explained, "The only way to determine the values would be to re-examine every analyst's certificate to determine purity, and that is not practical." He complained that the daily newspaper does a better job reporting crime statistics than the BPS itself. In his position only since July, Wright stated that he has been charged with revamping the data collection system; the new system should be up and running in ¶2010. Comment ¶8. (SBU) Given declining arrest/seizure statistics that are acknowledged to be poor, it is difficult to say whether the BPS and H.M. Customs are doing their jobs effectively. Although Wright and other police officers are committed, the BPS suffers from a lack of direction, vision and leadership, which manifests itself at every level within the service. The current Police Commissioner will move on in December, so new leadership could help. Bermuda's intensified focus on preventing drugs from reaching the island and its cooperation with US enforcement agencies are positive steps. But it is clear that drug use and drug-related crime are on the rise, and the GOB is still struggling to formulate an effective response.SHELTON