VZCZCXYZ0135
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPE #3365/01 2782035
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 052035Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7077
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 5151
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7614
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ OCT QUITO 1499
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF STATE AIR WING PATRICK AFB FL
RHEHOND/DIRONDCP WASHDC
RHMFIUU/COGARD INTELCOORDCEN WASHINGTON DC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//G-CI/G-M/G-OLE//
RUCOWCA/COMLANTAREA COGARD PORTSMOUTH VA
RUWDQAA/COMPACAREA COGARD ALAMEDA CA

UNCLAS LIMA 003365 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/LP 
STATE FOR WHA/PPC 
ONDCP FOR LT COL RONALD GARNER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL PE
SUBJECT: NAS MONTHLY REPORT, SEPTEMBER 2007 
 
REF: A. LIMA 3163 
     ¶B. LIMA 3229 
     ¶C. LIMA 3066 
 
--------- 
SUMMARY 
--------- 

¶1. (U) The key developments in September 2007: 
 
** IEDs in coca fields kill a coca farmer and seriously 
injure a 12-year-old boy. 
 
** During eradication, 21 IEDs were either disarmed or 
exploded, injuring four eradicators and two police. 
 
** As of September 30, CORAH has eradicated a total of 6,771 
hectares. 
 
** Former cocalero leader Nelson Palomino loses his 
leadership position; Chavez supporter supplants him. 
 
** Strict flying procedures mean UH-2 flying hours sufficient 
to stay within contractual limit. 
 
** Police pre-Academies educate students to pass police exam 
and also foster good community/police relations. 
 
** DIRANDRO has started its first-ever coordinated drug 
interdiction operation in the VRAE. 
** Peruvian Customs has improved its interdiction skills at 
Lima air/seaport; a clear trend toward nationalization. 
 
** New seaport-connectivity program links 13 Peruvian Coast 
Guard Ops Centers to monitor suspicious ships/boats/cargo. 
 
** Two-day regional youth leadership meeting in Ayacucho, 
ends with anti-drug march with extensive press coverage. 
 
** Community Anti-Drug Coalition initiative expanding from 6 
to 12 coalitions. 
END SUMMARY 
 
------------------------------------------ 
BOOBY TRAPS KILL FARMER AND INJURE OTHERS 
------------------------------------------ 

¶2. (U) On September 27, a coca farmer was killed by one IED 
(or booby trap), planted by the cocaleros themselves, while 
crossing an illegal coca field in the Polvora District.  He 
is the first person to die because of one of these explosive 
devices.  On September 28, a 12-year old boy also activated 
an IED, injuring his leg.  He is now in stable condition. 
 
¶3. (U) In an interview with the daily "La Republica", Jorge 
Valencia, head of the supply-control office at the anti-drug 
agency DEVIDA, reported an alarming increase in the number of 
attacks on coca eradication brigades this year.  Valencia 
said that there were 93 attacks through the end of August, 
compared to 47 attacks in all of 2006 and only 23 in 2005. 
Valencia said that his office has registered seven direct 
attacks on eradicators and 23 acts of harassment involving 
firearms.  As a result of these attacks, one eradication 
worker has been killed and 19 wounded in the first 8 months 
of the year.  Valencia also reported the deactivation of 54 
mines, which were planted to injure or kill members of the 
eradication brigades (Ref A). 
 
¶4. (U) This month, 21 IEDs have either been disarmed or 
exploded, injuring a total of four eradicators and two 
police.  Injuries have not been severe because eradicators 
are using appropriate safety gear and equipment, as well as 
using additional precautions.  These extra safety measures 
have meant that eradication is moving at a slower pace. 
Materials used to prepare IEDs, including a car battery have 
also been found.  On September 21, CORAH began using four 
mine-detecting devices loaned to them by the police.  So far, 
they have found two camouflaged IEDs. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
ERADICATION CONTINUES IN TOCACHE AND UCAYALI 
--------------------------------------------- 

¶5. (U) As of September 30, CORAH has eradicated a total of 
6,771 hectares and eliminated 32,574 square meters of 
seedbeds of illegal coca.  Seven holes in the ground, used to 
hide explosives, and five cocaine-production laboratories, 
destroyed by the police, were also discovered.  An additional 
4 cocaine-production labs were found and destroyed in the 
second front of eradication operations in Ucayali.  NAS is 
coordinating eradication operations with USAID to support the 
Alternative Development Program (ADP) in the Tocache area. 
CORAH will begin eradicating in non-complying ADP communities 
beginning in October. 
 
¶6. (U) CORAH is working in Santa Lucia on a television 
commercial that will be part of the communications campaign 
"Campos que matan" (Fields that Kill).  The campaign is being 
financed by the U.S. Military Information Support Team (MIST) 
at post. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
COCA-GROWERS' GROUP OUSTS PALOMINO FROM LEADERSHIP 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 

¶7. (SBU) The National Confederation of Coca Growers of Peru 
(CONPACCP) held its sixth annual "National Congress" 
September 10-15 in the northern coastal city of Trujillo. 
Peru's largest coca-growers' organization elected new 
leadership September 14.  Former leader Nelson Palomino, 
whose recent moderation was seen as bought by the GOP, lost 
his seat to individuals associated with the Peruvian 
Nationalist Party (PNP) and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. 
 In contrast to previous sessions which saw attendance by 
rank and file growers in the thousands, this year's meeting 
consisted of elected regional leaders only.  Total attendance 
was approximately 120.  The cocalero group also announced a 
nationwide strike for September 24 that fizzled due to a lack 
of popular support (Ref B). 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
HELICOPTER FLYING HOURS WILL NOT EXCEED CONTRACTUAL LIMIT 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 

¶8. (U) NAS Aviation continues to monitor helicopter flying 
hours to ensure that the total yearly of 7200 hours provided 
in the maintenance contract (with DynCorp) is not reached 
before October 31 when the contract ends.  Whenever possible, 
fixed-wing aircraft (INL, PNP, or rented) are being used for 
reconnaissance and administrative flights in lieu of 
helicopters.  As reported in earlier NAS Monthly Reports, 
these measures are due in part to the increase in flying time 
required to move CORAH and the PNP security support to the 
conflict-prone Yanajanca area south of Santa Lucia.  The 
UH-2s also flew more hours because the PNP MI-17s were often 
not available in June and July.  NAS should be able to fly 
nearly 100 percent of the allocated 7200 flight hours. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
FAP C-26 RETURNS TO PERU FROM OKLAHOMA 
--------------------------------------- 

¶9. (U) On September 28, the FAP C-26 that was being 
structurally modified for the new digital camera by the 
contractor ARINC in Oklahoma returned to Lima.  ARINC will 
complete the installation of the camera in late October in 
Lima.  The second FAP C-26 is scheduled for modification in 
Oklahoma later this year.  This will provide two C-26s that 
are capable of using either the FLIR or the digital camera 
for detailed images and photos of the CN operations areas, in 
addition to its transport role. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
Police Presence--and Better Futures--East of the Andes 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 

¶10. (U) The 3 NAS-sponsored Police pre-Academies, with a 
total of 764 students enrolled this year, are starting to 
provide a better-prepared pool of candidates for the 3 
NAS/PNP Academies east of the Andes.  In 2007, half of the 
Mazamari pre-Academy students passed the PNP entrance exams; 
next year we are aiming for 70 percent.  The main goals for 
all the Police Academies are to increase the number of 
well-trained CN police east of the Andes and to increase the 
overall government presence.  The pre-Academy program is also 
improving community-police relations, despite some bumps in 
the road.  In a study of the impact of the pre-Academies and 
Police Academies in Mazamari, a NAS evaluation team found the 
locally recruited students are contributing not only to 
security in previously lawless zones, but are also a source 
of pride to their extended family circles and communities. 
Those students who are not able to enter a Police Academy 
will have a stronger educational base that will allow them to 
pursue technical--and more economically viable--careers (Ref 
C). 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
DIRANDRO IMPROVES ITS PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT 
--------------------------------------------- - 

¶11. (U) The NAS Police Program has been assisting DIRANDRO in 
the development of a new organizational design and structure 
that would greatly expand its presence east of the Andes. 
The new design will seek to improve the planning, management, 
and control of NAS-supported police counternarcotics 
personnel and resources.  When fully implemented it should 
also provide DIRANDRO with a better organized and 
standardized command and unit structure that will allow it to 
plan and implement operations with other PNP units, the Armed 
Forces, and other government entities. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND POLICE OPERATION STARTS IN THE VRAE 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 

¶12. (U) On September 8, DIRANDRO initiated its first 
coordinated drug interdiction operation in the VRAE.  This 
operation is a first because it involves the coordinated use 
of PNP land, river, air, intelligence, and psychological 
warfare teams.  DIRANDRO personnel from the police bases in 
Ayacucho, Mazamari, and Palmapampa are participating in the 
operation.  Police have established road interdiction 
checkpoints (including canines that can detect drugs, 
precursor chemicals, and money) and police riverine patrols 
of nearby waterways.  Intelligence teams are providing signal 
and human intelligence.  The target areas are being selected 
by DIRANDRO with key information provided by the NAS-funded 
ARGIS system (a geographic information system that tracks the 
price of coca leaf, precursor chemicals, and 
laboratory/supply seizures east of the Andes).  The ARGIS 
system also allows DIRANDRO to analyze the impact of their 
efforts. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF VRAE POLICE OPERATION 
--------------------------------------------- 

¶13. (U) From September 8-14, DIRANDRO reports that the 
following has been accomplished: 
  ¶A. 16 cocaine-production laboratories destroyed. 
  ¶B. 70.2 kg of cocaine base seized. 
  ¶C. 3,690 kg of precursor chemicals destroyed. 
  ¶D. 1,984 kg of precursor chemicals seized (including 45 
mules and a horse that were being used to transport the 
chemicals). 
  ¶E. 76,000 kg of macerated coca leaf destroyed. 
  ¶F. 13 arrested on a variety of drug-related offenses. 
  ¶G.  4 firearms seized. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
CUSTOMS' INTERDICTION OPERATIONS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 

¶14. (SBU) At the Jorge Chavez International Airport (JCIA), 
254 kg of cocaine were seized during September in air cargo, 
passenger luggage, and internal carriers (mules).  This 
amounts to 3,509 kg seized and 545 arrests so far this year. 
In the first 45 days of operation of the x-ray body scanner 
(August 10 to September 30), 709 people were scanned for a 
total of 64 positive internal carriers (9 percent).  After 
one year of NAS and USCBP advisory support, Peruvian Customs 
(SUNAT) is managing the interdiction operations at JCIA on 
its own, demonstrating a clear trend toward nationalization. 
In another example of program nationalization, SUNAT runs the 
Peruvian Post Office (SERPOST) program with only minor NAS 
support.  Last month, there were 129 kg of cocaine HCL seized 
in 35 items. 
 
¶15. (SBU) On September 20, SUNAT received confirmation from 
Dutch authorities that an alert issued by the NAS-sponsored 
Manifest Review Unit (MRU) on three suspicious shipping 
containers proved positive for 1.5 metric tons of cocaine 
HCl.  This alert was investigated, developed, and issued 
strictly by SUNAT authorities based on MRU information.  The 
Dutch inspection had already missed the drugs and the 
containers were being released when the Peruvian alert 
stopped them. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
NEW DATABASE SYSTEM LINKS ALL PERUVIAN PORT AUTHORITIES 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 

¶16. (SBU) In another joint program, NAS,DEA, and 
TAT-JIATF-South are supporting the implementation of "SIMON," 
a port-connectivity program linking 13 Peruvian Coast Guard 
(DiCapi) operations centers, which cover the coastline of 
Peru and major river ports.  SIMON consists of a database 
linked via the Internet that will allow an information 
exchange to monitor suspicious ships/boats/cargo.  The system 
will significantly improve the interdiction capability and 
situational awareness of DiCapi.  The SIMON database will 
share information with the existing MRU, SUNAT, and PNP 
databases and intelligence research systems. 
 
¶17. (SBU) NAS supported the Air Carrier Initiative Program 
that aims to train Immigration and SUNAT officials working at 
the airports in Cuzco, Chiclayo, and Iquitos to identify 
false documents (visas, passports, etc.) and imposters. 
These three airports will be receiving international 
passenger and cargo flights within the next two years, making 
it critical for airport authorities to receive this training 
to prevent the circumvention of counter drug efforts at JCIA. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
TWO-DAY YOUTH LEADERSHIP MEETING IN AYACUCHO 
--------------------------------------------- 

¶18. (U) The NAS media project joined with CEDRO, a drug 
demand reduction NGO, and the Ministry of Interior to 
organize a two-day regional youth leadership meeting in 
Ayacucho, a major drug production and transit zone, under the 
banner "Yes to Development, No to Drugs".  Youth leaders 
learned about the impact of drug trafficking on Peruvian 
society, the economy and culture, promoting a culture of 
lawfulness in their communities and how to use the public 
media.  The meeting concluded with a youth march through the 
city streets.  Local press coverage was extensive and 
favorable.  Students from the NAS-supported police and 
pre-police academies participated as did the son of prominent 
national cocalero leader Nelson Palomino.  NAS plans to 
continue to support a youth leaders program in 2008. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
COMMUNITY ANTI-DRUG COALITIONS INCREASE FROM 6 TO 12 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 

¶19. (U) NAS awarded 9 cooperative agreements to NGOs to 
develop a total of 12 community anti-drug coalitions (CAC). 
Six NGOs are continuing to strengthen and expand the CACs 
they started in FY 2005.  Three of those six will also start 
a new CAC, while 3 new NGOs will start new CACs in the Lima 
metropolitan area.  We have developed a new and improved 
Logic Model and Plan of Action for the CACs to more 
effectively manage and measure results.  NAS is also looking 
to other NGOs to investigate, record, and standardize the 
strategies needed to reduce the risk factors and strengthen 
the protective factors related to drug abuse.  This 
standardization effort has never been done before in Peru. 
MCKINLEY