VZCZCXYZ0009
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2296/01 3391740
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051740Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9841

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002296 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/BSC:JSLATTERY 
INL/LP:DGRAHAM 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR AR
SUBJECT:  ARGENTINA: 2007 INSCR PART I: DRUGS 
 
REF:  SECSTATE 136787 
 
The following is Embassy Buenos Aires input for Part I of the 2007 
International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR). 
 
Begin Text: 
 
Argentina: Draft 2007 INCSR 
 
¶I. Summary: 
 
Argentina is not a producer country but continues to be a transit 
country for cocaine from Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia, primarily to 
European destinations.  Argentina is also a transit route for 
Colombian heroin en route to the United States and a source for 
precursor chemicals because of its advanced chemical production 
facilities. National drug seizure statistics remain somewhat 
incomplete but preliminary numbers show increased cocaine seizures 
the first two quarters of 2007 in comparison to the same period in 
¶2006. Authorities also report an increase in the number of small 
labs converting cocaine base to cocaine hydrochloride (HCl). 
Marijuana seizures, which had dropped in 2005, appear to be back up 
in 2006.  Argentina is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. 
 
II. Status of Country 
 
Argentina is not a major drug producing country.  However, because 
of its advanced chemical production facilities, it is one of South 
America's largest producers of precursor chemicals, which are 
vulnerable to diversion for use in the processing of cocaine and 
production of other narcotics.  Law enforcement authorities believe 
that the amount of cocaine passing through Argentina continued to 
increase in 2007. Marijuana remains the most commonly smuggled and 
consumed drug, with cocaine (HCl) and inhalants ranked second and 
third, respectively.  Narcotics enter Argentina primarily from 
Bolivia, but also from Paraguay and Brazil.  Argentine law 
enforcement intercepted small amounts of Colombian heroin destined 
for the United States.  Seizures of amphetamine-type stimulants and 
Ecstasy, principally smuggled from Europe, are increasing.  Cocaine 
HCl seizures increased significantly over the past few years.  For 
CY-2006, UFIDRO, the Prosecutorial Support Unit for the 
Investigation of Complex Offenses and Organized Crime, reported a 
total of 8,077 kilograms of cocaine HCl seized, a 66.7% increase 
over 2005.  UFIDRO and SEDRONAR, the Secretariat of Planning for the 
Prevention of Drug Addiction and Fight Against Narcotrafficking, 
report similar increases in the seizures of coca leaf and marijuana 
in the first six months of 2007.  The then-record of 5,399 kilograms 
seized in CY-2005 represented a 159% increase from the 2,087 
kilograms of cocaine HCl seized in Argentina during CY-2001, and a 
77% increase from the 3,048 kilograms of cocaine HCl seized during 
the previous year of CY-2004 alone. 
 
 
III. Country Actions Against Drugs. 
 
Policy Initiatives 
------------------ 
 
The GOA targets the trafficking, sale, and use of illegal narcotics. 
 In its continuing efforts to better coordinate national and 
provincial counternarcotics efforts, and to better collect, analyze 
and store narcotics and precursor chemical evidence, the Ministry of 
Interior issued a series of resolutions to include: 
 
Resolution 787 stipulated monthly meetings under the auspices of the 
Council for Internal Security made up of representatives from the 
federal security agencies, provinces, Customs and Internal Revenue 
(AFIP) and focused specifically on counternarcotics to:  advise on 
increasing efficiency in combating serious and complex drug crimes; 
collect and share information; develop recommendations for 
coordination between federal and provincial forces; and promote 
recommendations for concrete action.  Res. 787 also created a 
Scientific Advisory Committee to advise the Ministry. 
 
Res. 788 created a Unified Registry for the Analysis of 
Narcotrafficking (RUAN) to help design, develop, implement and 
maintain a database unifying data on drug complaints, investigations 
and arrests. 
 
Res. 790 instructed the Federal Police, Gendarmeria (Border Guard), 
Prefectura Naval (Coast Guard) and Airport Police to implement a 
protocol for collecting information and creating a database on the 
analyses of seizures of coca paste, the cocaine by-product "paco," 
cocaine and precursor chemicals, and other pertinent data to 
subsequently be registered in the RUAN (see above). 
 
Res. 791 instructed the various drug analysis laboratories of the 
security forces to establish common protocols for analysis, 
information, storage, and data bases to be shared with the RUAN. 
 
Res. 793 instructed federal law enforcement agencies to develop 
common protocols to ensure the preservation, transport and custody 
of seized drugs and chemicals. 
 
Res. 794 instructed the Directorate of Criminal Intelligence (DIC) 
to develop specific techniques - including special training - for an 
undercover narcotic agent program. 
 
Res. 795 and 796 established the formation of an interagency 
training unit for the investigation of serious and complex 
narcotrafficking and organized crimes, and creates an interchange 
program between federal and provincial law enforcement agencies. 
 
As part of the 2005-2007 National Drug Plan, SEDRONAR initiated and 
conducted numerous training activities, seminars, and conferences 
related to prevention, assistance and narcotrafficking control to 
federal and provincial authorities 
 
Law Enforcement Efforts 
----------------------- 
 
The Ministry of Interior, in coordination with the Secretariat of 
Planning for the Prevention of Drug Addiction and Fight Against 
Narcotrafficking (SEDRONAR), directs federal narcotics policy.  The 
primary federal forces involved are the Federal Police, the 
Gendarmeria, the National Air Police (PSA), and the Prefectura Naval 
(Coast Guard), which fall under the control of the Ministry of 
Interior, and Aduanas (Customs), which is under the Federal Internal 
Revenue Agency (AFIP).  Provincial police forces also play an 
integral part in counternarcotics operations.  The Argentine justice 
system is currently being transformed from an inquisitive system to 
an accusatorial one. However, due to remaining vestiges of the 
slower, less-efficient inquisitorial system, confidence in the legal 
system remained low in 2007 because of excessive delays between 
arrest and final judicial rulings, as well as a lack of judicial 
transparency.  Presidential decrees placed controls on precursor and 
essential chemicals, requiring that all manufacturers, importers or 
exporters, transporters, and distributors of these chemicals be 
registered with SEDRONAR. 
 
Complete federal statistics on seizures continue to be difficult to 
determine as two agencies, SEDRONAR and UFIDRO (Prosecutorial 
Support Unit for the Investigation of Complex Offenses and Organized 
Crime) maintain different databases.  UFIDRO began collecting 
seizure data from the Federal Law Enforcement Agencies and Customs 
in 2006.  SEDRONAR, which has historically compiled the seizure 
databases, no longer receives information from the federal agencies 
but continues to compile data from provincial police forces. 
 
Preliminary data from both UFIDRO and SEDRONAR for the first six 
months of 2007 sow a continuing trend of increased seizures of 
cocaine, cocaine leaf and marijuana.  In the first semester of 2007, 
federal and provincial law enforcement agencies seized 5,373 
kilograms of cocaine, compared to a total of 8,079 kilograms for all 
of 2006, and 5,399 kilograms in 2005.  Federal and provincial forces 
seized 35,205 kilograms of coca leaf in the first semester of 2007, 
compared to a total of 49,564 kilograms in all of 2006, and 52,928 
kilograms in 2005.  In the first semester of 2007, federal and 
provincial forces seized 49,661 kilograms of marijuana, compared to 
93,544 kilograms in all of 2006, and 36,482 kilograms in 2005. 
Seizures of cocaine paste in the first semester of 2007 were 13.6 
kilograms, compared to the annual seizures for 2006 of 39.7 
kilograms, and 9.7 kilograms in 2005.  For FY-2005 the DEA assisted 
in the seizure of 69.1 kilograms of heroin in Argentina.  Seizure 
data from UFIDRO and SEDRONAR show a total of 50.827 kilograms of 
heroin seized in CY 2006. 
 
Corruption 
---------- 
 
The GOA is publicly committed to fighting corruption and prosecuting 
those implicated in corruption investigations.  It is not government 
policy nor are any senior GOA officials known to engage in, 
encourage, or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of 
narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances or the 
laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions.  Confidence 
in the legal system remained low in 2007 because of excessive delays 
between arrest and final judicial rulings, as well as a lack of 
judicial transparency. 
 
Agreements and Treaties 
----------------------- 
 
Argentina is a party to the UN Convention against Transnational 
Organized Crime and two of its protocols (trafficking in persons and 
alien smuggling), but has not yet ratified the third protocol 
(firearms).  The United States and Argentina are parties to an 
extradition treaty that entered into force on June 14, 2000, and a 
bilateral mutual legal assistance treaty that entered into force on 
February 9, 1994.  Both of these agreements are actively used by the 
United States.  The GOA has bilateral narcotics cooperation 
agreements with many neighboring countries.  Spain, the United 
Kingdom, Germany, Australia, France, Italy and the Netherlands 
provide limited training and equipment support. Argentina is a party 
to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. In 1990, the U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement with the 
government of Argentina.  This agreement provides a basis for the 
exchange of information to prevent, investigate and redress any 
offense against the customs laws of the United States or Argentina 
 
Cultivation/Production 
---------------------- 
 
Opium Poppy Cultivation: No reporting exists that indicates opium 
poppy is being cultivated in Argentina. 
 
Coca Cultivation: No reporting exists that indicates coca is being 
cultivated in Argentina.  However, there has been increased 
reporting regarding small-scale base to HCl conversion labs in 
Argentina, with some of the labs being controlled by Colombian 
criminal organizations.  Argentine press reporting indicates that 
there has been an increase in the number of small kitchen labs 
converting cocaine base to HCl, or even producing cocaine base. 
SEDRONAR reports the following number of labs seized by year: 
CY-2000, 8; CY-2001, 6; CY-2002, 11; CY-2003, 10; CY-2004, 20; 
CY-2005, 13; CY- 2006, 7 HC1 labs, 1 cocaine base lab, and 2 
precursor chemical labs.  In the first six months of CY 2007, 6 HC1 
labs and 2 cocaine base labs. 
 
Cannabis:  There were no reports of any relevant cultivation of 
cannabis in Argentina in 2007. 
 
Drug Flow/Transit 
----------------- 
 
Marijuana 
--------- 
 
Marijuana is the most trafficked drug within Argentina.  Almost all 
of the marijuana consumed in Argentina originates in Paraguay and is 
smuggled across the border primarily into the Argentine provinces of 
Misiones and Corrientes.  From there it is transported south by 
trucks and cars along roads paralleling the Parana and Uruguay 
rivers to Buenos Aires.  Some is transported west through the cities 
of Cordoba and Mendoza for local consumption, and a large portion is 
smuggled across the border for the Chilean market.  In CY-2004 
57,785 kilograms were seized.  Seizures for CY-2005 decreased 
significantly, with approximately 36,482 kilograms seized, but 
increased dramatically in CY 2006 to 93,544 kilograms. 
 
Colombian-produced heroin represents the greatest threat to the 
United States, transiting through Argentina directly to the U.S. 
smuggled aboard commercial flights, or through Mexico and across the 
Southwest border.  CY-2003 was a record year for Argentina with over 
175 kilograms seized.  For FY-2004 the DEA supported the seizure of 
61.4 kilograms of heroin.  For FY-2005 the DEA assisted in the 
seizure of 69.1 kilograms of heroin in Argentina.  Seizure data from 
UFIDRO and SEDRONAR show a total of 50.827 kilograms of heroin 
seized in CY 2006.  DEA assisted in the seizure 9.12 kilograms in 
2006 along Argentina's northern border with Bolivia.  A seizure of 
heroin being smuggled overland was unusual and believed to be 
representative of an overall increase in heroin smuggling activity 
on the border with Bolivia.  No seizures of heroin have been 
recorded in the first six months of 2007. 
 
Cocaine 
------- 
 
After heroin, a secondary threat to the United States is the large 
quantity of cocaine transiting from Argentina in containerized cargo 
on the way to ports in Europe.  Cocaine, in base and HCl form, from 
Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru, can be found in Argentina.  Proceeds 
from drug smuggling ventures organized in Argentina are often 
brought back to the country by couriers in bulk cash shipments, and 
then wired to the United States for investments, although it appears 
that they are also being smuggled directly into the United States in 
the form of bulk cash for this purpose. 
 
Colombian cocaine HCl entering Argentina is generally destined to 
international cocaine markets in Europe and the U.S.  Cocaine HCl 
seizures have risen significantly over the past two years.  SEDRONAR 
reports the following seizures: CY-2001, 2,087 kgs; CY-2002, 1,562 
kgs; CY-2003, 1,918 kgs; CY2004, 3,048 kgs; and CY-2005, 5,399 kgs. 
In the first semester of 2007, federal and provincial law 
enforcement agencies seized 5,373 kilograms of cocaine, compared to 
a total of 8,079 kilograms for all of 2006.  Federal and provincial 
forces seized 35,205 kilograms of coca leaf in the first semester of 
2007, compared to a total of 49,564 kilograms in all of 2006, and 
52,928 kilograms in 2005. 
 
Cocaine Base ("paco"):  Media and official reports indicate that 
cocaine base consumption in Argentina is on the increase.  The 
Argentine Federal Police indicated in 2002 that the smoking of 
cocaine base (known as pasta base) referred to as paco in Argentina, 
lata in Uruguay, and bazuco in neighboring Brazil, was on the 
increase.  Through consultations with a DEA Special Testing and 
Research Laboratory Senior Chemist, the DEA Buenos Aires office has 
determined that it is likely that what is reported locally as "pasta 
base" or "paco" consumption is simply the smoking of a crude, 
low-quality form of cocaine base.  The favored means of smoking 
cocaine base is "la lata," referring to the use of an empty soda can 
into which the cocaine base is introduced and heated and the smoke 
then inhaled.  It is also smoked in small hand-made pipes.  In 
Argentina, one dose sells for a peso, or approximately 34 cents.  In 
Salta it is possible to buy cigarettes laced with cocaine in bundles 
of three for $10 pesos (approx $3 U.S. dollars). In San Salvador de 
Jujuy, cocaine is also sold mixed with tobacco and sells for 4 -5 
pesos ($1.40-$1.70). 
 
Hallucinogenic Drugs:  The abuse of hallucinogenic drugs has been 
reported among high school and university students, the most 
prevalent being LSD.  UFIDRO and SEDRONAR reported a total of 7,055 
hits of LSD seized in the first semester of 2007, compared to 1,015 
hits in CY-2006 and 1,537 in CY-2005. 
 
Ecstasy and Club Drugs:  Ecstasy continues to gain popularity among 
Argentine young people in the middle and upper classes with a number 
of ecstasy-related deaths attracting significant public attention. 
The drug is primarily abused in urban population centers such as 
Buenos Aires and in beach resort towns such as Mar del Plata. 
Ecstasy is sold in these cities' nightclubs, where it is often 
consumed together with alcohol, energizer drinks or both.  It is 
generally smuggled into Argentina from Western Europe, where the 
drug is manufactured.  In general, one tablet of ecstasy is sold for 
$20-30 U.S. dollars.  Ketamine use has also been reported. 
Argentine security forces seized 23,244 units of amphetamines and 
5,979 units of other psycho-pharmaceuticals in the first semester of 
CY-2007.  During CY 2006, security forces seized 23,228 units of 
amphetamines.  During CY-2005, only 5,074 units of amphetamines were 
seized and 20,948 units of other psycho-pharmaceuticals. 
 
Domestic Programs (Demand Reduction) 
------------------------------------ 
 
SEDRONAR coordinates the GOA's demand reduction efforts. Argentina 
inaugurated its first National Drug Plan in 2005, and in 2006 
initiated a number of demand reduction programs that continued in 
¶2007. 
 
"Quiero Ser" (I Want to Be) is a school-based program targeting 
youth between the ages of 10-14 that incorporates teachers, parents, 
federal and provincial officials. 
 
The Drug Prevention Program in Sports provides drug prevention 
training for soccer coaches to enlist them in increasing awareness 
among youth of the dangers associated with drug usage and providing 
youth with the tools/strategies for saying no to drugs. 
 
The Community Prevention Program "Prevenimos" (We Prevent) targets 
communities, helping them identify their needs and local resources 
to undertake local prevention initiatives and create local networks 
of public and private institutions and organizations. 
 
The Youth Participation and Prevention Program is aimed at promoting 
and strengthening national networks of young people aged 18-25 
focused on building awareness and catalyzing existing resources. 
 
The Prevention Program for Vulnerable Populations sensitizes and 
trains federal penitentiary personnel in drug prevention theories 
and practices.  The aim is to reduce the vulnerability of the prison 
population and raise awareness of the dangers associated with 
illicit drug use (in particular the dangers of HIV/AIDs infection). 
 
The Workplace Drug Prevention Program promotes awareness, 
participation and commitment of employers and workers in workplace 
drug prevention programs. 
 
IV. U.S. Initiatives and Programs 
 
The U.S. Mission in Argentina seeks to reduce Argentina's role as a 
transit point for drug trafficking by disrupting and dismantling the 
major drug trafficking organizations in the region; to promote 
regional counter-drug cooperation by merging Argentina's 
counter-drug mandate with that of other Southern Cone nations; to 
maximize host nation drug enforcement capabilities; and to improve 
cooperation with host country counterparts and U.S. Government 
agencies. 
 
The Embassy, principally through the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's 
(DEA) Country Office, works closely with Argentine federal and 
provincial law enforcement agencies, with prosecutors and judges, 
and with such federal entities as SEDRONAR and UFIDRO to improve 
coordination and communication, cooperation, training and exchanges. 
 DEA and Mission's Legal Attache's office are particularly focused 
on working with prosecutors and judges on improving and updating 
investigation and prosecution techniques in narcotics trafficking 
and other complex crimes.  DEA and the State Department's 
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau (INL) have 
supported efforts of the Northern Border Task Force (NBTF), a joint 
law enforcement group with federal and provincial elements operating 
in Argentina's northwestern provinces of Jujuy and Salta to 
interdict drug flow from Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.  In 2007, DEA's 
Country Office worked with Argentine law enforcement agencies to 
create a new Eastern Border Task Force (EBTF), modeled after the 
NBTF and focused on the illicit drug smuggling activities in the 
triborder area with Paraguay and Brazil.  With DEA support, 
Argentine law enforcement agencies continued to participate in Gran 
Chaco and Operation Seis Fronteras with counterparts in Bolivia. 
 
Embassy ICE Attache's office participated in "Operation Andes III," 
a joint program sponsored by INTERPOL and the World Customs 
Organization (WCO) to coordinate the interdiction of precursor 
chemicals in South America.  Participants included national police 
and customs agencies from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, 
Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and 
Venezuela.  US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) provided 
advisory support for precursor shipment identification and 
investigative response. 
 
Road Ahead 
---------- 
 
Mission agencies, led by DEA, will:  work to establish and support a 
new working group involving Aduanas (Customs) and Prefectura (Coast 
Guard) associated with maritime security to facilitate greater 
investigative coordination and cooperative efforts; continue 
supporting the NBTF and EBTF; continue supporting Gran Chaco and 
Operation Seis Fronteras operations; continue working with Argentine 
authorities to strengthen Argentina's Money Laundering/Counter 
Terrorism Finance Strategy and Regime, and Financial Intelligence 
Units (FIUs); conduct training for members of the Gendarmeria 
(Border Patrol) and Federal and Provincial Police involved in drug 
interdiction activities; and, host U.S. interagency meetings to 
foster the sharing of drug intelligence.  Mission agencies will 
focus greater attention on working with Argentine agencies, and in 
the region. to encourage and support stronger precursor chemical 
controls. 
 
¶V. Statistical Tables (Majors Only) 
 
VI. Chemical Control 
 
Argentina has had legislation since 1996 for the control of chemical 
substances. Law 23.737 (modified in 2005 by Law 26.052) established 
the legal control regime over narcotic drugs.  The modifications 
introduced in 2005 made needed improvements in existing controls but 
the new law still lacks implementing regulations that would impose 
the needed penalties for violations in order to make the law 
effective.  Argentina has ratified the relevant international 
conventions in combating drug trafficking including the 1961 Single 
Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1971 Convention on Psychotropic 
Substances, and the 1988 Convention Against the Illicit Traffic in 
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. 
 
SEDRONAR is the primary government agencies responsible for the 
control and monitoring of precursor chemicals.  To date, the 
National Registry of Precursor Chemicals has registered 6,658 
companies.  In May 2007, SEDRONAR and the National Institute of 
Vitivinicultura (grape and wine producers) signed an agreement 
registering another 3,278 companies in the National Precursor 
Chemicals Registry.  In the first seven months of 2007, the National 
Precursor Chemical Registry registered 1,019 new companies, 
reregistered 3,084, and issued 302 export authorizations and 1,349 
import authorizations. 
 
From January 2006 to September 2006, the DEA-funded Northern Border 
Task Force (NBTF) seized approximately 684,220 kilograms of illicit 
chemicals, a significant increase over the amount of illicit 
chemicals seized during the same periods in 2005 and 2004. 
Operation Seis Fronteras' chemical enforcement activities were 
carried out in northern Argentina in coordination with the Bolivian 
National Police Chemical Investigation Unit and the Brazilian 
Federal Police. 
KELLY