VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPE #0593/01 0952206
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 042206Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8365
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 5647
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7825
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR QUITO 1846
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 000593 
 
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, MARCH 2008 
 
--------- 
SUMMARY 
--------- 
¶1. (U) The key developments in March 2008: 
** CORAH has eradicated a total of 2,779 hectares of coca in 
CY 2008. 
 
** Preparations are being made for eradication operations in 
high-threat area near Aucayacu. 
 
** The first female DIRANDRO officer killed in action was a 
graduate of a NAS-supported Police Academy. 
 
** The first-ever opium processing laboratory found in Peru 
was seized in San Martin region. 
 
** The 4 PNP Pre-Academies to start soon with more than 850 
students. 
 
** NAS is setting up an FOL at Tingo Maria for 10 UH-2 and 3 
MI-17 helicopters to support operations near Aucayacu. 
 
** UH-2 blade damaged during extraction of interdiction team; 
potentially pricey unscheduled maintenance cost. 
 
** Unprogrammed costs and unscheduled maintenance continue to 
be a major concern for aviation operations in Peru. 
 
** GOP has been using the two NAS-funded C-26s until their 
aircraft are repaired; this is contrary to our MOU. 
 
** Initial helicopter training for NAS pilots in Colombia 
nears reality; significant cost savings are expected. 
 
** This month, Peruvian Customs and the police seized a total 
of 3.6 tons of cocaine HCl with NAS assistance. 
 
** The C-26 with FLIR located a drug collection center on a 
beach south of Chiclayo; seized 1200 kg of cocaine. 
 
** Peru's Congress votes to modify the GOP's asset forfeiture 
law. 
 
** A local marketing firm is studying youth ages 10-18 in the 
poorer sections of Lima to design a media campaign. 
END SUMMARY 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
ERADICTION IN TOCACHE FOCUSES ON REPLANTED COCA 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶2. (U) As of March 31, CORAH has eradicated a total of 2,779 
hectares.  Eradication operations have focused solely on the 
Tocache area so far during the 2008 eradication season. 
CORAH found that 59 percent of the coca eradicated was 
replanted since being eradicated in 2005 and 2006.  Repeat 
operations by CORAH demonstrate to farmers the GOP's resolve 
to halt coca cultivation and pushes them to consider 
alternative development options. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
CORAH PREPARES FOR MOVE TO AUCAYACU AREA 
----------------------------------------- 
¶3. (SBU) CORAH's base camp in the Aucayacu area will be 
located in an isolated area with no road access.  The site 
chosen is also higher than the surrounding terrain, which 
provides an advantage for defending the base.  Aucayacu is 
considered a high risk area with a high probability for 
conflict.  CORAH is now preparing the base camp, which will 
house about 680 personnel (300 CORAH, 300 PNP, 80 Peruvian 
Army).  Helicopters will be used to supply the base, and 
personnel will be ferried to the eradication zones by 
helicopter as well.  The base will be relatively close to 
coca concentrations to the north and south of Aucayacu. 
CORAH will use the same work strategy as now where the 
eradication force will be divided in two groups so that while 
one group eradicates while the other one rests.  The 
helicopters will be based in Tingo Maria, about 14 minutes of 
flying time from the base camp.  The Aucayacu operations are 
expected to start mid-May. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
FIRST FEMALE DIRANDRO OFFICER KILLED IN VRAE 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶4. (U) In the early evening of March 23, DIRANDRO officer 
Marily Solier Galivan was killed by weapons' fire in a 
narco-terrorist ambush.  Seven other police were injured in 
the attack.  NAS provided fuel for the PNP's Antonov aircraft 
in order to evacuate the injured to Lima.  Officer Solier had 
graduated from the NAS-sponsored PNP Academy in Ayacucho last 
March.  She was the first policewoman killed from among the 
389 women who have been trained at the NAS-funded PNP Police 
Academies east of the Andes.  The brutal attack took place at 
6:50 p.m. as two patrol cars from the Special Operations Road 
Group were returning to Ayacucho.  The vehicles were 
surprised on a narrow road between Huamangilla and Tambo in 
the Huanta-Ayacucho area.  Police believe the attack was a 
revenge killing for the Group's previous interdiction of 
chemical precursors on the notorious narco-transit route out 
of the VRAE--or was an effort to deter DIRANDRO from future 
patrolling.  After the initial surprise, the police regrouped 
and repelled the attackers, saving the lives of the remaining 
officers.  Of the 16 other officers were involved, 7 were 
wounded. 
 
¶5. (U) Sub-official Solier was buried March 25 in her home 
town of Huanta.  There was a huge popular outpouring of 
support for her family--significant because Huanta is known 
as the 'white city' for all of the cocaine that transits 
through the town, and the rally was against the 
narco-terrorism that was behind Solier's murder. 
 
----------------------------------- 
OPIUM PROCESSING LABORATORY SEIZED 
----------------------------------- 
¶6. (U) The PNP's Department of Tactical Operations (DOTAD) in 
Tarapoto, with intelligence provided by DIRANDRO intelligence 
units, destroyed an opium processing laboratory in the 
vicinity of Soritos, province of Moyobamba in San Martin that 
resulted in.  The raid happened during the night and early 
morning of the March 14-15.  The PNP seized 106 kilograms of 
opium latex and 400 grams of morphine.  Six people were 
arrested, including one female.  This DIRANDRO group is led 
by DEA and supported by NAS (supplies/logistics). 
 
¶7. (U) An opium latex processing lab was seized, which is a 
first, according to DIRANDRO and NAS Police Program memory. 
Although it was a very rustic laboratory, this presents a new 
trend in the local, illegal narcotics trade.  The ability to 
produce morphine, a very lucrative type of narcotic, is a 
reason for concern since additional strategies and assets may 
have to be directed to finding and eradicating the poppy 
fields. 
 
¶8. (U) The NAS police program dedicated assets in the past to 
an opium poppy strategy that has since been suspended due to 
the high operating cost and diminishing assets paired with a 
loss of interest by past DIRANDRO leadership.  It may be 
worthwhile to re-evaluate this problem and invite DIRANDRO to 
prepare an action plan to address these new developments. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
DIRANDRO'S POLICE PRE-ACADEMIES START NEW SESSIONS 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
¶9. (U) A total 852 new students from local communities have 
so far been recruited for the four PNP-NAS police 
pre-academies: Ayacucho (353), Santa Lucia (70), Mazamari 
(160), and Tarapoto (269).  The classes, slated to start by 
early May, will prepare the students for the police test in 
¶2009. 
 
¶10. (U) During March, 255 cocaine-base production 
laboratories and 5 cocaine HCl laboratories were destroyed, 
and 105,789 kg of chemical precursors and 3,905 kg of cocaine 
base were seized. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
PLANNING CONTINUES FOR CORAH MOVE TO HIGH-THREAT AUCAYACU 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
¶11. (SBU) The aviation assets needed for the eradication 
operations in the Aucayacu will be based at the Tingo Maria 
airport.  Minor construction will be required such as cement 
helicopter pads, a fence or wall for security of 10 UH-2s and 
3 police MI-17s helicopters, an area for helicopter 
maintenance, and temporary living quarters for mechanics and 
alert crews on standby.  Flight crews received refresher 
training on sling loads/external cargo operations.  All 
logistics support will be by air, since there are no roads 
into the operations area. 
 
¶12. (SBU) NAS Aviation Advisors met with General Pedro Minaya 
Torres, the Commanding General of the FAP on March 3.  The 
meeting was prompted by a letter from the NAS Director 
regarding the use of the 2 C-26 aircraft for other than CN 
flights, contrary to the terms of our MOU.  The C-26s have 
become the primary transport for President Alan Garcia, other 
GOP officials, and the FAP high command, because the 4 FAP 
aircraft that are normally used are all being repaired.  NAS 
doesn't pay for fuel for these flights, but we pay for the 
training of pilots and maintenance with an ARINC contract. 
Minaya requested our cooperation until the FAP aircraft were 
again operational by the end of April.  As recompense, Minaya 
offered the use of FAP aircraft to support NAS CN missions at 
no cost to NAS.  (Note: This concession by the general was 
uncharacteristic of him and must have been difficult.  End 
Note.) 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
MORE MAINTENANCE COSTS; UH-2 BLADE DAMAGED IN ATTACK 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
¶13. (U) Unprogrammed cost and unscheduled maintenance for the 
UH-2s continue to be a major factor in aviation operations in 
Peru.  On March 23 after a CN operation in the VRAE, the last 
helicopter leaving the landing zone was attacked by locals 
who rushed the helicopter, throwing an object into the blades 
and damaging one of them.  The cost for repairing or 
replacing the blade will not be known until it is inspected 
in the U.S.  A replacement blade could cost as much as USD 
$113,000.  At the semi-annual aviation safety stand-down on 
March 27, we reemphasized to the flight crews and CN police 
the proper procedures for extraction or insertion in hostile 
 
situations. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
SAVING EXPECTED WITH HELICOPTER TRAINING IN COLOMBIA 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
¶14. (U) Coordination continues on the Initial Entry Rotary 
Wing (IERW) training initiative for NAS Peru in Colombia. 
Cost for the training has been established for two Peruvian 
Air Police students starting in July.  A Peruvian Instructor 
Pilot will be sent to Colombia as a guest instructor for two 
years.  The formal request has been sent to the Commander of 
the Air Police and forwarded to the Minister of Interior for 
approval.  NAS Peru and Air Police personnel will visit 
Colombia in May for final coordination. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
PORTS PROGRAM SEIZES 3.6 METRIC TONS OF COCAINE IN MARCH 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
¶15. (U) During March 2008, Peruvian Customs (SUNAT) and the 
PNP seized a total of 3,620 kg of cocaine HCl with assistance 
from the NAS Maritime/Ports Program.  At the Jorge Chavez 
International Airport (JCIA), SUNAT seized a total of 136 kg 
of cocaine HCl.  The Peruvian Post Office project seized 27 
kg of cocaine HCl.  The PNP at JCIA seized an additional 28 
kilos. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
TRAFFICKERS ALTER TACTICS TO AVOID X-RAY BODY SCANNER 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
¶16. (U) Only 10 internal carriers (mules) were captured this 
month due to repairs on the x-ray body scanner, changes in 
personnel, and tactical adjustments by narcotraffickers by 
conspiring with "insiders".  One insider tactic used to avoid 
the body scanner occurred on March 15.  Airline security 
personnel alerted SUNAT that some of the black bags 
containing blankets for passengers were suspicious.  SUNAT 
found 33 kg of cocaine HCl in 32 "bricks".  On March 6, SUNAT 
found 14,000 Euros of undeclared cash stashed in the luggage 
of a Colombian national on an Avianca flight from Bogota to 
Lima. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
DRUGS SEIZED ON A REMOTE BEACH AND ON THE AMAZON RIVER 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
¶17. (U) On March 7, the PNP--led by DEA--seized 1,200 kg of 
cocaine HCl at a beach about 2 hours by road south of 
Chiclayo and arrested 4 Ecuadorian females between the ages 
of 18-23 and seized two automatic rifles.  The cocaine was to 
be transported by boat to an unknown destination.  The 
NAS-supported C-26 with FLIR provided reconnaissance support. 
 On March 23, 413 kg of cocaine HCl were seized near 
Tamshiyacu (just south of Iquitos) on the Amazon River, and 
two traffickers were arrested. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
TWO COCAINE SITES RAIDED; PORT POLICE OFFICER IMPLICATED 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
¶18. (U) On March 29, a joint Customs/PNP) task force seized 
1806 kg of cocaine HCl in two trafficker transit points in 
the districts of Ventanilla (near the Port of Callao) and La 
Molina (an upper-class district in Lima).  In Ventanilla, 524 
kg of cocaine was seized and 1,282 kg was seized in La 
Molina.  One female PNP officer assigned to the port was 
arrested for alleged involvement in facilitating the transfer 
of the drugs from the transit points to the port. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
NAS SUPPORTS GOP'S ASSET FORFEITURE LAW 
---------------------------------------- 
¶19. (U) The Garcia Administration presented Decree 992 to the 
Peruvian Congress in July 2007.  The Decree allows the GOP to 
seize illicitly gained assets from many activities.  The 
Decree went into effect November 2007.  Since then, there has 
been a concerted effort by opposition Congressmen to have the 
law declared unconstitutional, because it allegedly violated 
guarantees of property.  Those efforts finally ended when 
Congress voted on March 28 to modify the law in several 
aspects.  Among the approved changes, the Public Ministry was 
placed in charge of investigating claims made that someone's 
assets were illicitly obtained instead of requiring that the 
accused prove that his assets were legally obtained.  It also 
limited the application of the law to assets garnered from 
certain crimes such as narco-trafficking, money laundering, 
terrorism, kidnapping, and trafficking in persons.  NAS 
worked closely with the Ministry of Justice to carry out a 
media campaign in newspapers and on radio explaining the 
purpose of law to the public. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
MARKETING STUDY SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO REACH YOUTH 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
¶20. (U) NAS has hired a local marketing company to study the 
attitudes and perceptions of youth ages 10-18 in the middle 
to lower socioeconomic levels.  There are many studies on 
youth's attitude toward drugs, but nothing in Peru on the 
best way to reach this target audience.  The study should 
help in the design of future communications campaigns.  It 
focuses on investigating such things as: how youth receive 
information (e.g., TV, radio, internet, word of mouth); what 
phrases and slang are used in spoken and written 
communication (e.g., on chat sites, emails, and blogs); who 
are their role models and why; what influence does their 
family and friends have; and what is their view of the 
future.  The marketing company is charging below market 
prices to demonstrate good corporate social responsibility. 
MCKINLEY