Drug confiscations in Honduras for 2009 already exceed 2008

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000249 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV KJUS EAID MOPS MARR HO SUBJECT: Drug confiscations in Honduras for 2009 already exceed 2008 totals REF: Tegucigalpa 64 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: During the first quarter of 2009 USG-supported joint Honduran antinarcotics forces have confiscated more drugs and vehicles than in all of calendar year 2008. Many of the cases have garnered broad press attention, and have sparked increased discussion of the trafficking issue in Honduran society. As of March 25 2009, joint forces confiscated over 2,250 kilos of cocaine, 145 rocks of crack, over 600,000 pharmacy-strength pseudoephedrine (PSE) pills, 329 pounds of marijuana and 1,191 marijuana cigarettes in parallel operations. These operations also seized two aircraft, five fast boats and two automobiles. The GOH also reports that over 120 suspects were detained in these operations. In addition to these seizures within Honduran territory, the Honduran-flagged vessel "Miss Siloe" was seized with over 3,000 kilos of cocaine on board on March 8 in international waters by a U.S. Coast Guard cutter with the assistance of a Honduran ship-rider. In various other drug boat seizures in international waters, the GOH has also been forthcoming in waiving jurisdiction to enable prosecution of Honduran nationals and Honduran-registered vessels. Other suspected large shipments were tracked, but not intercepted, highlighting the need for continued USG support and capacity-building efforts. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) On January 27, 2009 (Reftel),a Venezuelan-registered Cessna YV2028 that had been identified early in the day through the U.S.-led inter-agency, multilateral information-sharing effort as a suspect craft landed in Utila, Bay Islands at 11 p.m. The five-person local National Police (HNP) force, alerted by the trackers, intercepted the plane and engaged a larger, better-armed trafficking force for four hours until Honduran naval support was able to arrive on the scene. The joint effort netted the aircraft, two fast boats, a motorcycle, and 66 packages containing over 1,600 kilograms of cocaine. On February 21, 2009, a Venezuelan-registered Cessna 441-0022 was intercepted by a joint Honduran force at a private landing strip in the village of Farallones, Municipality of Limon, Colon. When the police arrived at the scene, the perpetrators were in the process of leaving the area in two boats. Among the items intercepted were the plane, two vehicles, two fast boats, 40 kegs of gasoline, batteries, generators, hoses, cable for electrical wiring, one 8 foot long boat, one 28-foot long boat. ¶3. (SBU) On March 8, 2009, the U.S. Coast Guard, assisted by a Honduran shiprider, intercepted in international waters a boat with Honduran flag by the name of "Miss Siloe" (also known as Navegante del Mar),registry No. U-1828063, designed for general cargo. The boat's stated port of departure was Puerto Punto in Venezuela and was destined for Honduras. Over 3,000 kilos of cocaine were found in its hull and seven Honduran nationals were detained. ¶4. (SBU) On March 9, 2009, a Venezuelan-registered Cessna TE155 crashed and burned in El Negrito, Department of Yoro while being tracked by the U.S.-led joint multilateral task force. The plane had Venezuelan flag, tail TE155, model 95C55. When the Honduran joint intercept force arrived ten minutes after the crash, the plane and its contents were already engulfed in flames. Nonetheless, 100 kilos of cocaine were recovered. A completely burned body was also found in the plane, presumably the person who piloted the aircraft. ¶5. (SBU) The HNP Special Investigative Services at Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa seized a two-part shipment including over 600,000 PSE pills comingled among 32 boxes of medicines on March 19-20. The pills represented a total PSE content of 148.9 kilos, three times the annual Honduran national consumption for licit purposes. According to the shipping documents, the chemicals originated in Bangladesh and traversed three other countries en route to Honduras. The stated destination of the shipment was a single pharmacy in Tegucigalpa. ¶6. (U) In one of the most widely-reported cases of the year, a Honduran-registered Cessna single-engine aircraft (tail no. HRAVC) carrying 450 kilos of cocaine landed on an airstrip in the Pacific-coast Department of Choluteca and was captured by local HNP forces. The two Honduran national crew were arrested. Upon questioning, they stated their flight began in Panama, destined for San Pedro Sula, but had been forced to make the emergency landing in Choluteca when the aircraft ran out of fuel. ¶7. (SBU) On March 24, a joint Honduran force seized a go-fast boat in Honduran waters near Cauquira, Gracias a Dios. Honduran authorities seized four kilos of cocaine, over USD 582,000 in U.S. currency, small arms and the vessel. The crew of three Honduran nationals and three foreign nationals were detained. The capture came only one week after Honduran naval forces had repositioned naval assets in the area in coordination with U.S. DEA personnel. ¶8. (SBU) On March 29-30, two suspect aircraft were tracked entering Honduran air space hours apart by the U.S.-led joint, multilateral task force. In both cases, the aircraft landed at remote sites in the Gracias a Dios Department. An organized team of approximately 50 like-dressed personnel accompanied by a cadre armed with assault rifles were observed offloading packages from the first aircraft. The joint Honduran task force was in range to intercept, but determined they did not have sufficient numbers or arms to engage such a large, well-armed opponent. The second, larger aircraft passed over the first landing site and descended to a nearby airfield out of the effective range of the joint Honduran task force. TAT Honduras assesses that the two aircraft were working in tandem. There were indications that the two aircraft were from the same drug trafficking organization. Such large, sophisticated and coordinated operations have not before been observed in Honduran territory. ¶9. (SBU) Comment: The increase in successful seizures in 2009 is the fruit of years of interagency and multilateral labor to build open, rapid lines of communication and develop the necessary Honduran interagency response units to act on that communication. While the March 29-30 case underline the fact that more capacity-building and development of trust between the various GOH security elements is still needed, the recent interdiction successes reflect what can be accomplished through collaborative efforts, as well as the willingness of the GOH to take an active role in defending their territory against traffickers. If the larger, more organized operation observed March 29-30 represents a trend, we will have to step up interdiction and support efforts even further. End comment. Henshaw