VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPE #0812/01 1292153
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 082153Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8584
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 5702
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7845
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY QUITO 1885
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 000812 
 
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, APRIL 2008 
 
--------- 
SUMMARY 
--------- 
¶1. (U) The key developments in April 2008: 
** As of April 30, CORAH has eradicated a total of 3,404 
hectares of coca. 
 
** In first-ever raid of an opium laboratory, police seized 
100 kg of opium latex and 400 grams of morphine. 
 
** Heavy rains slow preparations for CORAH's move to the 
Aucayacu; eradication start date pushed to mid June. 
 
** On April 4, the PNP seized a C-206 aircraft that was 
landing on a clandestine runway in the Region of Puno. 
 
** Rain delays the move of UH-2 and MI-17 helicopter 
operations to Tingo Maria to support eradication. 
 
** DIRANDRO is deploying 871 new police graduates among the 
94 Anti-Drug units in the VRAE and the Upper Huallaga. 
 
** UH-2 crash lands during routine training flight; no 
injuries but damage to helicopter requires repair in U.S. 
 
** C-26 could not participate in Operation All-Inclusive 
because its sensors--FLIR and camera--are being repaired. 
 
** B-1900D provides unscheduled transportation for Peruvian 
President from Ayacucho when GOP plane breaks. 
 
** The B-1900D will relocate to Pucallpa May 13-19 to free 
parking space for aircraft with the Latin America/ Caribbean 
and European Union Summit. 
 
** Peruvians participate in several USCBP trainings to 
improve interdiction capabilities at sea and airports. 
 
** Ports of Callao and Paita will be getting camera 
surveillance systems to monitor activity 24/7. 
 
** A CADCA technical assistance visit focused on developing 
sustainability plans for the coalitions 
END SUMMARY 
 
---------------------------------------- 
ERADICTION IN TOCACHE COMING TO A CLOSE 
---------------------------------------- 
¶2. (U) As of April 30, CORAH has eradicated a total of 3,404 
hectares of coca.  Operations continue near Tocache.  When 
CORAH starts its major eradication operations in the Aucayacu 
area, now slated for June 1, operations will continue in 
Tocache at a reduced level to eradicate residual coca.  On 
April 3, a CORAH worker was hit by three shotgun pellets. 
Since the shots were fired from a distance, the wounds were 
superficial.  The incident occurred in part because he 
violated procedure by going ahead of the group without 
security.  His contract will not be renewed and his immediate 
supervisors was reprimanded. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HEAVY RAINS SLOW MOVE TO NEW ERADICATION SITE 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶3. (SBU) An unusually long rainy season has slowed progress 
on preparing the aviation facilities in Tingo Maria and, as a 
result, the CORAH base camp in the Aucayacu area is not yet 
usable (see Para 11).  The base camp will be supported by 
helicopters only (the camp is in an isolated area without 
road access for security reasons).  CORAH will begin 
eradication by mid-June (originally scheduled for mid-May). 
 
¶4. (U) NAS met with CORAH personnel in Pucallpa during the 
week of April 7 to discuss budget problems created by the 
fall of the dollar.  The unfavorable exchange rate affects 
the costs for all of CORAH's operations.  More than ever, it 
is important to ensure accurate budget forecasting and to 
understand the impact of the diminished budget on operations 
and on others, e.g., the PNP and contractors. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
POLICE RAID LAB AND SEIZE 400 GRAMS OF MORPHINE 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶5. (SBU) In San Martin, officers seized more than 100 kg of 
opium latex, 400 grams of morphine, and arrested six people. 
(Comment: According to analysts, this was the first raid ever 
on a laboratory in Peru found to be transforming opium latex 
into morphine and heroin.  And, it is reportedly a matter of 
serious concern to the authorities, because of what it 
implies regarding narcotrafficking from Peru.  While such 
"vertical integration" has long been possible, it was 
believed that transformation of opium latex into consumable 
end products was not desired by the market.  End Comment) 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
POLICE CATCH DRUG PLANE ON CLANDESTINE LANDING STRIP 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
¶6. (U) On April 4, the PNP Special Operations group in 
Mazamari and DIRANDRO Intelligence personnel seized a C-206 
aircraft that was landing on a clandestine runway in the 
province of Sandia, Region of Puno.  As the plane landed, the 
pilot realized the PNP was waiting in ambush and tried to 
take off again.  The police shot at the plane, fatally 
wounding the Bolivian pilot and injuring the Peruvian 
co-pilot.  The operation yielded 132 kg of cocaine HCl, 
several hundred USD, radio communications equipment, 
ammunition, and a rifle.  Also, in early in April, the PNP 
seized 1.5 metric tons of cocaine HCl in the region of 
Lambayeque. 
 
¶7. (U) On April 18,2006 a DIRANDRO task force eradicated an 
8-hectare plot of opium poppy in the town of Celendin in 
Cajamarca and a 2-hectare plot in the province of Humalies, 
Region of Huanuco.  The two operations yielded approximately 
95,000 opium plants, which is the first opium poppy 
eradicated in CY 2008.  In the VRAE, DIRANDRO destroyed 97 
cocaine-base laboratories, 2 cocaine-HCl laboratories, and 
destroyed 2,500 kg of precursor chemicals.  To date DIRANDRO 
has destroyed 357 cocaine-base laboratories and seized 7,536 
kg of cocaine base, 4,632 kg of cocaine HCl, and 7,536 tons 
of chemical precursors. 
 
¶8. (U) DIRANDRO will deploy the 871 new police graduates 
among the 94 existing Anti-Drug and Intelligence units in the 
VRAE and the Huallaga River valleys.  There are now four 
PNP-NAS Police pre-Academies: Mazamari, Ayacucho, Santa 
Lucia, and Ayacucho, which have enrolled 782 students from 
the local communities to begin a nine-month, academic 
preparation for taking the Police Academy entrance exam. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
HEAVY RAINS DELAY WORK ON AVIATION SITE IN TINGO MARIA 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
¶9. (U) Preparations continue for shifting UH-2 and MI-17 
helicopter operations from Santa Lucia to Tingo Maria, which 
will support eradication operations in the Aucayacu area of 
San Martin.  Since eradication is expected to be opposed by 
the local cocalero organizations and the Shining Path 
narco-terrorists, minor construction is being done to improve 
perimeter security and the ramp area for UH-2 and MI-17 
helicopters.  Unfortunately, construction has been hampered 
by the inordinately long rainy season.  Eradication 
operations were originally scheduled to start on May 15, but 
CORAH's move to the base camp cannot be done until aviation 
can supply the base.  The base camp will be totally supplied 
by air.  The base camp is now scheduled to open on June 
1--after aviation operations move to Tingo Maria--and 
eradication would start about a week later.  NAS plus the RSO 
and the Peruvian Aviation Police are regularly reviewing 
progress and security considerations.  Meetings were held 
with the local PNP and Peruvian Army representatives. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
UH-2 LANDING ACCIDENT REQUIRES REPAIR IN THE U.S. 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
¶10. (U) During a routine training flight in Santa Lucia, a 
UH-2 had a landing accident.  Damage was confined to the rear 
skid tubes and the aft fuselage section.  INL/A appointed an 
accident investigation board that has completed its work and 
published its findings.  The UH-2 remains at Santa Lucia 
pending transfer to Pucallpa where it will later be 
transported for repair to the U.S. by a USAF C-17. 
 
¶11. (U) NAS aviation is providing UH-2 and fuel support for 
an aggressive interdiction campaign in the VRAE.  From the 
PNP bases at both Mazamari and Palmapampa, UH-2s have been 
transporting the Drug Police on their intelligence-driven 
missions.  Additionally, NAS provides fuel to a PNP MI-17 
that supported interdiction efforts near Puerto Maldonado in 
the Madre de Dios region.  The results there included one 
light aircraft (C-206) captured at a clandestine airstrip 
(see Para 3). 
 
¶12. (U) The B-1900D aircraft was used for an unscheduled 
mission to provide return transportation to Lima for Peruvian 
President Alan Garcia on April 15.  President Garcia had 
flown to the city of Ayacucho that morning but his aircraft, 
a FAP C-26, experienced a generator malfunction and needed a 
new part from Lima.  The Office of the Presidency requested 
support from the Aviation Police who did not have any assets 
available and requested NAS support.  With the Ambassador's 
approval, the B-1900D flew to Ayacucho to transport President 
Garcia and his party to Lima.  To its credit, the FAP 
transported the replacement part and mechanics to Ayacucho 
and had the aircraft operational shortly after the B-1900D 
had left with Garcia. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
LAC-EU SUMMIT REQUIRES THE B-1900D TO MOVE TO PUCALLPA 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
¶13. (U) During the 5th Latin America/Caribbean and European 
Union Summit on May 13-19, the B-1900D will relocate to 
Pucallpa.  During the Summit, the ramp space used to park the 
B-1900D at Lima's airport will be used for parking the 
aircraft of the visiting heads-of-state and delegations that 
will be attending the LAC-EU Summit.  The FAP has authorized 
the B-1900D to land at the FAP base at Las Palmas in Lima so 
that NAS logistics operations are not seriously affected. 
The GOP had requested five UH-2s be moved from east of the 
Andes to Lima to support the Summit.  The request was denied. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
BOTH DIGITAL CAMERA AND FLIR FOR C-26 DOWN FOR REPAIR 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
¶14. (U) The FLIR on the C-26 stopped working this month. 
After initial troubleshooting, the decision was made to 
return the system to the manufacturer for repair.  The system 
is expected to be repaired and back in Peru by mid-May.  Cost 
of the repair is estimated at $60,000.  The repairs to the 
turret of the ADS digital mapping camera are complete, and 
the system is expected to be shipped to Lima during the first 
part of May.  The manufacturer suspected that aerodynamic 
forces on the camera turret caused the damage, so an acrylic 
blister was designed to fit over the turret.  Unfortunately, 
without either sensor available, the C-26s were unable to 
participate in DEA's Operation All-Inclusive during April. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
PERUVIANS GET EXTENSIVE CUSTOMS TRAINING IN U.S. 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶15. (U) Peruvian Customs (SUNAT) and the Ministry of 
Transportation and Communications sent personnel for training 
to the US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) International 
Seaport Interdiction Training (ISIT), Charleston, South 
Carolina; International Border Interdiction Training (IBIT), 
McAllen/Hidalgo, Texas; and X-ray Certification Training in 
Virginia.  These courses will improve SUNAT's interdiction 
capabilities as well as provide, for the first time, an 
in-country x-ray certification/licensing process/system for 
the Peruvian Ministry of Transportation and Communication who 
oversee security (to include counternarcotics) at all 
Peruvian seaports and airports. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
CAMERAS ARRIVE SOON TO SURVEIL THE AIR AND SEA PORTS 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
¶16. (U) NAS will be sponsoring a camera project that can 
monitor the entire port of Paita, 24/7, by SUNAT for the 
first time.  The camera project for the Port of Callao is 
slated to be completed by May 12.  This project will also 
provide, for the first time, the ability to monitor the 
entire port of Callao on a 24/7 basis.  The surveillance 
system will serve as a countermeasure for "rip-off loads" 
(cocaine thrown into sea-going containers just prior to being 
loaded onto ships) and simultaneously assist Peruvian ports 
to get certified in accordance with the International Ship 
and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS), which will start in 
June 2008 by the US Coast Guard.  This certification is 
essential for avoiding problems for Peruvian exports going to 
the US. 
 
¶17. (U) SUNAT interdiction units seized at least 816 kg of 
cocaine leaving Peru during April at the Lima international 
airport, seaports, international postal service, and through 
international alerts.  So far this year, 4,380 kg of cocaine 
HCl has been seized and 3 individuals arrested.  The 
counter-drug alert/interdiction system is working well as 
seen by two seizures of cocaine HCl in Charleston, SC--100 kg 
on April 4 and 545 kg on April 20.  The alerts were issued by 
the Manifest Review Unit at Callao. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPS FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
¶18. (U) On April 21-25, the U.S.-based NGO Community 
Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) conducted technical 
assistance workshops in Lima.  The two 2-day workshops were 
conducted, one for the five coalitions that are in their 
third year of development and the other for the six 
coalitions that started in FY08.  CADCA devoted one day to 
visiting coalitions in their communities.  The workshop 
participants included the three-member NGO teams facilitating 
the coalitions and, more importantly, five coalition leaders 
from each community.  During this visit, CADCA focused on how 
to create a sustainability plan for the coalitions that takes 
into account the social, economic, and political realities in 
Peru.  The community members demonstrated a sophisticated 
understanding of how community anti-drug coalitions work and 
of what is involved in identifying local and national sources 
of support.  As local capacity grows, CADCA plans to 
coordinate closely with the coalitions to design technical 
assistance on issues more specific to coalition building in a 
developing country like Peru. 
MCKINLEY