SEIZURES UP, MIGRANT SMUGGLING DISCUSSED AT U.S.-BAHAMAS

UNCLAS NASSAU 000139

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV PREL TK BF
SUBJECT: SEIZURES UP, MIGRANT SMUGGLING DISCUSSED AT U.S.-BAHAMAS
JOINT COUNTER NARCOTICS TASK FORCE MEETING

REF: (A) 08 NASSAU 429
(B) 08 NASSAU 191
(C) 07 NASSAU 1244


1. (SBU) This is a cable with action issue items. Southern
Command/Northern Command/Coast Guard please see paragraph 15 on
piracy.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Charge d'Affaires (CDA) and Minister for National
Security Tommy Turnquest co-chaired the semi-annual Joint Counter
Narcotics/Illegal Migration Task Force (JTF) meeting between the
United States and The Bahamas on February 27, 2009. The Turks and
Caicos did not participate in this JTF meeting due to the ongoing
Commission of inquiry into the Governemnt of the Turks and Caicos.



3. (SBU) The parties discussed narcotics smuggling trends, including
increased smuggling through the Freeport Container Port and the
recent jump in cocaine seizures. The parties also discussed the
possibility of greater cooperation in anti-migrant smuggling
efforts; the GCOB's decision to enforce a ban on Haitian
wooden-hulled sloops; and plans for the development of Great Inagua.
END SUMMARY.


4. (SBU) In his opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Brent Symonette noted the close relationship between
narcotics smuggling and migrant smuggling and reiterated the GCOB's
commitment to cooperating with the United States in the fight
against both. Symonette stated the GCOB would continue to place a
high priority on providing adequate resources to the Royal Bahamian
Police Force (RBPF) and Royal Bahamian Defense Force (RBDF),
including the development of Great Inagua as a platform for law
enforcement operations.


5. (SBU) In his remarks, CDA Zuniga-Brown praised the GCOB for its
commitment to combating narcotics smuggling and noted that
cooperation through Operation Bahamas, Turks, and Caicos (OPBAT) had
led to significant successes against narcotics smuggling in the past
and he suggested further cooperation between the U.S. and the GCOB
in anti-migrant smuggling efforts. He noted the importance of the
GCOB's decision to enforce existing law requiring vessels entering
Bahamian waters from Haiti to stop in Great Inagua and disgorge
their cargo before returning to Haiti, and then challenged the GCOB
to present a plan for the long-term development of Great Inagua as a
platform for law enforcement operations in the Southeastern
Bahamas.


6. (SBU) The Joint Task Force's third leg, the Turks and Caicos
Islands, cancelled its participation in the JTF meeting at the last
minute due to ongoing Commission of inquiry into the Governemnt of
the Turks and Caicos. Over the next few weeks, post will reach out
to its Turks and Caicos law enforcement partners to discuss the
counter narcotics and anti-migrant smuggling issues raised at the
meeting.

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COCAINE SEIZURES UP
--------------


7. (SBU) Briefing the parties on recent trends in narcotics
smuggling, DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Mark
Trouville stated that DEA estimates 5-10 percent of the cocaine
entering the United States transits The Bahamas and noted an
increase in seizures at the Freeport Container Port. Additionally,
he noted, currency seizures in The Bahamas have accounted for nearly
14 million dollars in the last two years. This indicates that a
substantial amount of cocaine is being smuggled through The Bahamas.
He also noted a shift from the traditional Bahamian or Jamaican
smuggler that once was utilized exclusively by South American drug
trafficking organizations in this region to Haitian smuggling
organizations. (NOTE: OPBAT seized 2,040 kg of cocaine during the
first six months of FY 2009. That represents a 57 percent increase
over the total cocaine seizures for all of FY 2008).


8. (SBU) Commenting that narcotics smugglers are increasingly making
use of containerized cargo to thwart Bahamian law enforcement's
detection efforts, Trouville stated that 905 kg of cocaine had been
seized at the Freeport Container Port during the first six months of
FY 2009, while only 1,251 kg was detected there during the preceding
24 months. Though, recently, the majority of cocaine seized has been
found at the Freeport Container Port, small boat smuggling is still
a significant threat as evidenced by the February 12 seizure of 808
kg of cocaine from two Haitian wooden-hulled freighters at Great
Inagua. RBPF Assistant Commissioner of Police Raymond Gibson agreed
with the assessment of increased cocaine smuggling through The
Bahamas and noted that the RBPF also saw increases in cocaine
seizures and arrests during 2008.

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MIGRANT SMUGGLING
--------------


9. (SBU) Observing that The Bahamas had become a major destination
and transshipment point for illegal migrants, GCOB Director of
Immigration Jack Thompson stated that Bahamian law enforcement had
arrested 7,058 illegal aliens in 2008. Of this number, roughly 6,000
were Haitians, while the remainder included Cubans, Chinese, Eastern
Europeans, and citizens of various South and Central American
countries. Thompson reiterated the GCOB policy of repatriating
illegal aliens as quickly as possible and noted that detention and
repatriation of these aliens cost the GCOB over 1 million dollars in
2008 and the government has budgeted 2 million dollars for 2009.


10. (SBU) U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) District 7 commander RADM Steve
Branham agreed that illegal migration from Haiti was on the rise and
noted that USCG had picked up some 3,100 migrants in Bahamian waters
or en route to the U.S. during December 2008 and January 2009.
Branham emphasized his concern with the potential for a mass
migration from Haiti and said USCG had emphasized operations in the
northern Windward Passage with one or two cutters patrolling there
at all times. Branham stated that info sharing is critical to
success against migrant smuggling the U.S. government and GCOB could
enhance cooperation and intelligence sharing regarding illegal
migration issues. The Minister of National Security stated that he
would support a working group on this issue and the GCOB would take
the suggestion under advisement. RADM Branham suggested that the
Bahamaian Immigrations and the USCG public affairs offices work
together to get the message out to the Haitian community regarding
the dangers of illegal migration by sea. Thompson agreed that this
was a good idea.

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GCOB ENFORCES BAN ON HAITIAN SLOOPS
--------------


11. (SBU) As previously reported (REFs B and C),post has on several
occasions approached the GCOB regarding the narcotics and migrant
smuggling threat posed by wooden-hulled Haitian sailing sloops
traveling through Bahamian waters. Though current Bahamian law
states that, upon entering Bahamian waters, all commercial vessels
departing from Haitian ports must off load cargo for inspection at
Great Inagua, Bahamian authorities had not been enforcing this
requirement prior to September 2008. In his remarks, Deputy Prime
Minister Symonette said his government recognized the threat posed
by these loosely regulated and frequently unsafe vessels and would
enforce Bahamian law appropriately. He also said the GCOB was
prepared to bring to a vote in Parliament legislation that would
codify into Bahamian law the Code of Safety under the Caribbean
Cargo Ships and the Caribbean Small Vessels agreements. The Bahamas
is a signatory to both of these Caribbean-wide agreements, but has
never adopted implementing legislation to incorporate their
provisions into Bahamian law. These agreements provide health and
safety standards applicable to wooden-hulled commercial freighters,
along with an enforcement mechanism that would effectively ban the
Haitian wooden-hulled freighters from Bahamian waters. (COMMENT:
USCG reporting and anecdotal evidence based on observations of the
Nassau port support the GCOB's assertion that it is now enforcing
the ban on Haitian wooden-hulled sloops in Bahamian waters. We were
pleased to hear the GCOB's plans pass legislation to implement the
Code of Safety, however, since this draft legislation was first
described to post in September 2007 (REF C) we are not certain it
will be brought to a vote in the immediate future. END COMMENT).

--------------
Great Inagua
--------------


12. (SBU) As previously reported (REF A),Great Inagua, the
southeastern most island in The Bahamas, sits astride the primary
maritime route between Hispaniola and the United States and is an
untapped resource for law enforcement operations against narcotics
and migrant smugglers. At the JTF meeting, Minister for National
Security Turnquest reiterated the GCOB's desire to develop Great
Inagua. Noting that 3 boats and 40 RBDF personnel are already based
on Great Inagua, Turnquest said the GCOB was committed to deploying
more resources there. Turnquest stated that upgrades to the harbor
and runway facilities were critical to expand operations on Great
Inagua. Turnquest also noted that RBDF is committed to fully
staffing and equipping a base in GI for the RBDF. The GCOB has
committed to purchase 10 new vessels and 2 new aircraft over the
coming years. RBDF Commander Commodore Clifford Scavella said the
RBDF had plans on paper for the development of Great Inagua and
suggested discussing them with embassy personnel at a later date.
The GCOB supported the formation of a working group to discuss plans
for developing Great Inagua.


13. (SBU) Referring to the damage caused by hurricane Ike in
September 2007, RADM Branham stated USCG's commitment to rebuilding
the hangar facility on Great Inagua and relocating USCG helicopters
from their temporary operating location in Providenciales, Turks and
Caicos back to Great Inagua.

--------------
GCOB Attorney General Comments
--------------


14. (SBU) Assistant Attorney General Bernard Turner stressed the
importance of a migrant smuggling working group and the continuation
of asset sharing between the US and the GCOB. The AG noted fees to
represent Bahamians who have been extradited to the US can be a
significant drain on the GoB budget.

--------------
Piracy a Concern - Request
USG Assistance
--------------


15. (SBU) The GCOB requested assistance and information on
international efforts including USG to combat piracy on the high
seas. LCDR Bain, Port Department, noted that that the Bahamas has
the third largest ship registry in the world and due to recent
incidents of piracy in other regions the Port Department would like
to have some training on reporting procedures to DOD citing that
piracy has become a major concern for shipowners. He also requested
USCG partnership to review and improve port security measures in
Nassau and Freeport. RADM Branham stated that the USCG will put LCDR
Bain in touch with appropriate personnel at US Southern Command.
ACTION ISSUE: Embassy requests Southern Command/Northern
Command/USCG assistance in providing briefer/briefing to GCOB
officials on international efforts including USG, to combat and
respond to piracy.

--------------
Positive Press Coverage
--------------


16. (SBU) The meeting received broad positive coverage in press,
radio, and television. The Tribune, one of three daily newspapers,
on February 28, carried an article dubbed "Talks on stepping up
anti-drug fight." Citing information taken from the 2009
International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 'that understaffed
and underfunded Bahamian Drug Secretariat hampered momentum in the
fight against drug trafficking, and destruction caused by Hurricane
Ike in Great Inagua last September, the article went on to report
that both governments stated redevelopment of the Defense Force Base
in Great Inagua as a top priority. The article said the US
government showed its continued commitment to assisting Bahamian
officials with a $499,800 check presented to the Bahamas Drug
Enforcement Unit by the US Drug Enforcement Agency. It noted that
both US Charge Timothy Zuniga-Brown and Bahamian Deputy Prime
Minister Brent Symonette agreed that developing the base at Great
Inagua is a paramount in 2009 after the destruction caused by
Hurricane Ike forced the US to relocate helicopters based there to
the Turks and Caicos.


17. (SBU) The Nassau Guardian of March 2, carried a front page
article inclusive of color photographs of officials attending the
JTF under the heading in bold print "Inagua Base Overahaul Planned."
The article quotes Bahamian National Security Mnister Tommy
Turnquest as saying that the effort to transform the Royal Bahamas
Defense Force operation on Inagua from an outpost to a full-fledged
base has been in the works since the Ingraham administration took
office in 2007. Minister Turnquest said "we recognize the need to
improve Inagua, but what we need now is some infrastructural
development within the harbor, which he said is a multi-million
dollar infrastructure project. Turnquest went on to explain that
the Bahams government has taken "a phased approach in terms of the
development of the base at Inagua." Turnquest explained that the
base was never equipped with vessels since its inception - he said
that the Bahamas government always had about a dozen marines at the
base but no assets to do patrols. When the government took over in
May, 2007 they made a conscious decision to improve the base. He

said that the government of the Bahamas is looking forward to being
able to support the Defense Force's air wing, which is currently
under expansion.


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COMMENT
--------------


18. (SBU) The February 27 meeting continued the trend of substantive
JTF meetings dedicated to discussing the latest narcotics and
migrant smuggling issues confronting the U.S., The Bahamas, and the
Turks and Caicos Islands. Though, unfortunately, the Turks and
Caicos was unable to participate in this meeting, the parties
present agreed to pursue initiatives that should increase our
ability to interdict smugglers, including plans to expand
coordination and information sharing on migrant smuggling issues;
GCOB plans to enact a law to implement the Code of Safety regarding
small commercial vessels; and the agreement to further develop plans
to develop Great Inagua, beginning with the reconstruction of the
hangar facilities and the return for USCG helicopters to the island.
Post supports GCOB initiatives for informal working groups on these
issues and will continue to meet with the GCOB and appropriate USG
interlocutors to encourage the full implementation of these
proposals. END COMMENT.

ZUNIGA-BROWN