Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10FREETOWN61
2010-02-10 17:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Freetown
Cable title:  

UPDATE ON NARCOTICS MATTERS IN SIERRA LEONE

Tags:  LI SL SNAR 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFN #0061 0411707
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101707Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA 0003
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3168
INFO RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA
UNCLAS FREETOWN 000061

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: LI SL SNAR
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NARCOTICS MATTERS IN SIERRA LEONE

REF: 09FREETOWN 430

1 (U) British High Commissioner hosted Freetown,s
Mini-Dublin Group Meeting 2/8/10. The bulk of the information
in this message comes out of that meeting. Present were COMs
of the UK, France, EU, US missions German and UNIPSL DCMs ,
World Bank . Next week (2/17) Sierra Leone in collaboration
with ECOWAS, and the UN will host A Ministerial Conference
on the West African Coast Initiative, preceded by a two-day
experts meeting. The conference will focus on establishment
of Transnational Crime Units (TCU)in Sierra Leone, Liberia,
Cote d,Ivoire and Guinea=Bissau.


2. (SBU) Action Request for Monrovia: The intent with regard
to the TCUs is to begin with one linking Sierra Leone and
Liberia ( in part because of the commonality of language).
We were asked to see Embassy Monrovia,s assessment of the
GOL ability handle such a project.

3. (SBU) On the local scene, Sierra Leone had its first
seizure of crack cocaine. Prices are reportedly low enough
on cocaine that locals can afford. There is also a growing
Nigerian criminal community in Freetown. According to the
British SOCA rep at the meeting, there are about 300
Nigerians coming and leaving each month. Sierra Leone is a
place to arrange deals, he told the group. He said he knew
of 10 flights through here in the past year and suspects
there must have been twice that number.

4. (SBU) Cannabis is being taken by the truck load across the
border to Guinea. In a recent action local authorities
destroyed a 24 square mile cannabis farm
CHESHES