VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #1203/01 0981958
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081958Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8331
INFO RHEHOND/DIR ONDCP WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF STATE AIR WING PATRICK AFB FL

UNCLAS BOGOTA 001203 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/AND 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV CO
SUBJECT:  COLOMBIA'S YEAR FOR THE BOOKS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  In 2008, the NAS coordinated closely with the 
Colombian Government to achieve sustainable nationalization for 
USG-supported programs.  With significant help from the USG, the 
Colombian Government made great strides in battling narcoterrorism 
and denying Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) like the FARC the 
funding they need to support their criminal activities in Colombia 
and the region.  Through manual and aerial eradication, the GOC 
seized a record 229,227 hectares of coca in 2008 - an increase of 
10,335 hectares compared to 2007.  In 2008, the Colombian National 
Police (CNP) exceeded their 2007 cocaine/marijuana seizures by 61 
percent, and destroyed an unprecedented 1,753 laboratories.  The Air 
Bridge Denial (ABD) helped the GOC to maintain control of Colombia's 
airspace - in 2008, only 60 Unknown Assumed Suspect (UAS) tracks 
were registered - less than one tenth of those registered in 2003. 
The Colombian Army Counter-Drug (CD) Brigade provided security for 
aerial and manual eradication missions, and conducted interdiction 
and high value target operations against FTOs.  The Ministry of 
Defense's demobilization program had a record year - a total of 
3,461 individuals demobilized in 2008; demobilization of mid-level 
leaders more than doubled from 179 in 2007 to 398 in 2008, providing 
valuable intelligence that has considerably weakened terrorist 
organizations.  NAS/INL supported the carrying out of a first 
nation-wide household drug consumption survey to take place since 
¶1996.  Record seizures of narcotics, materiel, and personnel in 
Colombia greatly contributed to the 27 percent rise in price of 
cocaine in major U.S. cities from the first quarter of 2007 to the 
first quarter of 2008, and to the dilution of purity by 16 percent 
for the same time period.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------ 
ERADICATION 
------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Aerial Eradication Program continued its record of 
outstanding results.  In 2008, the program eradicated a total of 
133,496 hectares of coca, surpassing the 2008 spray goal of 130,000 
hectares and representing over hundreds of metric tons of potential 
cocaine hydrochloride (HCl) kept from U.S. streets.  The aerial 
eradication program also supported the Colombian police and military 
forces' promotion of civil governance and rule of law in the aerial 
eradication forward-operating locations, precisely in those areas 
where enforcement of civil authority has been most problematic. 
Increased efficiencies in intelligence preparation for the aerial 
spray operating areas, insertion of Colombian troops on the ground, 
and variations in spray formation tactics all improved aircrew 
safety.  Compared to the previous five years, the number of hostile 
ground-fire impacts dropped by one-fifth, with no crewmember deaths 
or serious injuries sustained. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Manual eradication operations largely focused on 11 
departments, including all major coca growing regions in Colombia. 
Manual eradication of coca in 2008 totaled 95,731 hectares - a new 
record.  Although short of the Colombian Government's goal of 
100,000 hectares, the total significantly surpassed the 65,587 
hectares of coca eradicated in 2007.  Attacks on manual eradication 
groups left 26 eradicators and security personnel dead and dozens 
injured.  Most of the deaths and injuries were caused by landmines 
and IEDs planted in coca fields, as well as by sniper fire.  There 
were 16 deaths in 2007, bringing casualties to a total of 120 deaths 
since 2005. 
 
¶4. (SBU) NAS Bogota assistance for manual eradication increased in 
2008 and included airlift and material assistance.  In 2008, 
NAS-supported aircraft flew nearly 3,000 flight hours in support of 
manual eradication operations at a cost of over USD four million. 
Hundreds of blade hours, not captured in this total, were flown 
during the detection and planning phases of the manual eradication 
campaign.  The police EMCAR units (totaling thousands of police 
officers) providing security for the manual eradicators were also 
trained and equipped with NAS funds.  Other support included mine 
detectors, communications equipment, backpack sprayers and herbicide 
- totaling nearly USD 400,000. 
--------- 
AVIATION 
--------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) NAS contributions to the Colombian National Police (CNP) 
ARAVI (Area of Aviation) Program included contractor and logistical 
support for 19,900 flight hours for aircraft supported by the USG. 
These flight hours supported aerial and manual eradication 
operations, intelligence gathering, interdiction missions (over 305 
metric tons confiscated), 25 extraditions to the U.S., and general 
support flights providing mobility to police personnel and extending 
their presence and security throughout the country.  NAS funded the 
completion of three C-26 Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance 
Aerial Platforms (ISRAP) that will greatly increase the GOC's 
intelligence gathering capability.  Additionally, the procurement of 
an airborne mapping camera and installation on the C-208 Caravan 
aircraft enhanced ARAVI's ability to detect and verify illicit 
crops.  NAS increased contractor mechanic support for six months 
that resulted in four UH-IIs being repaired and returned to 
mission-capable status. 
 
------------- 
INTERDICTION 
------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) In 2008, the CNP broke their previous all-time cocaine and 
marijuana seizure records by 59 percent and 62 percent, 
respectively, and set a new mark for drug laboratory destructions at 
1,753 laboratories.  CNP seizures totaled 350 metric tons of cocaine 
(HCl, base, and paste) and marijuana this year, dwarfing its 2007 
combined total of 194 metric tons seized.  In total, the CNP was 
responsible for more than 70 percent of all of the cocaine and 
marijuana seized by the Government of Colombia in 2008.  A variety 
of factors contributed to these unprecedented CNP results, including 
aggressive senior police leadership, an expanded and more effective 
CNP Antinarcotics Directorate, and a concerted institutional effort 
to weed out corruption from the ranks of the antinarcotics police. 
Additionally, the CNP commitment to sustained antinarcotics efforts 
by all policemen - antinarcotics and street cops alike - also proved 
vital to these record achievements. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Air Bridge Denial (ABD) program assisted the Colombian 
Government in maintaining control of Colombia's airspace.  In the 
first year of the program in 2003, 60 Unknown Assumed Suspect (UAS) 
tracks were often registered in a single month, with 637 tracks 
total; for the entire 2008, less than 60 UAS were registered - a 
decrease of more than 90 percent.  In 2008, 14 aircraft were 
impounded in Colombia - nine of which were administrative 
impoundments due to a lack of flight plans, license, or required 
permits; another 13 aircraft were impounded in neighboring countries 
after visual identification by ABD aircraft.  Maritime support 
missions have also been a success story - sixteen vessels were 
impounded and one was scuttled by its crew during maritime 
operations with the support of ABD aircraft.  Overall, 47 people 
were arrested and 9.2 metric tons of cocaine impounded via the ABD 
program.  Improved coordination between USG and GOC agencies, mostly 
under the leadership of the Joint Inter Agency Task Force South, 
helped to produce the aforementioned results. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Colombian Army Counter-Drug (CD) Brigade provided 
security for aerial and manual eradication, and conducted 
interdiction and high value target operations against Foreign 
Terrorist Organization members.  During 2008, the CD Brigade seized 
over three metric tons of cocaine, 667 kilograms of coca paste, 
10,077 gallons of liquid coca, 126,054 gallons of liquid precursors, 
111,969 kilograms of solid precursors, 7,971,272 coca seedlings and 
52,000 kilograms of coca leaf.  The Brigade also located and 
destroyed 28 HCl laboratories, 134 coca paste laboratories, two 
clandestine refineries (one sulfuric acid), two mine fields, six 
enemy camps; and seized 27 enemy weapons and explosive caches (624 
rifles, 79 hand grenades, 21 shotguns, one Night Vision Device, six 
revolvers, nine pistols, 8,099 rounds of ammunition, and 1,628 
weapons magazines), 47 improvise explosive devices, over 200 
kilograms of assorted explosives, and communications equipment. 
 
¶9. (SBU) During 2008, the Base Security program provided three one- 
and two-month base security courses in coca-producing areas of Norte 
de Santander, Apartado and Tumaco training more than 150 Colombian 
Police and Military officers.  Since 2006, five two-month courses 
have taken place to train officers from all 32 departments who have 
since become key assistants and advisors to the Department 
Commanders in identifying, planning, and executing renovation as 
well as new security projects in their departments.  The one-month 
courses were focused on improving security at specific antinarcotics 
bases and increasing CNP's antinarcotics officer capabilities. 
---------------------- 
POLICE REESTABLISHMENT 
---------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) In 2008, the Police Reestablishment Program completed the 
formation of 70 Rural Police Squadrons for deployment throughout the 
country.  The squadrons seized over 26 metric tons of cocaine and 
base, destroyed 160 base/HCl labs, seized 2,176 weapons and 299,220 
rounds of ammunition, and captured 1,599 criminals/subversives. 
(The Colombian National Police pays for all day-to-day operating 
costs for these squadrons with the exception of limited maintenance 
and training.)  NAS donated 138 trucks to the CNP Rural Police and 
in early 2009 will inaugurate three rural police bases, for which 
the GOC will assume all operational costs. 
 
---------------- 
DEMOBILIZATION 
---------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) The Ministry of Defense's (MOD) demobilization program 
broke another record in 2008, with 3,461 individuals demobilizing. 
Demobilization of mid-level leaders more than doubled from 179 in 
2007 to 398 in 2008.  The number of individuals with three or more 
years of experience 
increased by 30 percent compared to 2007.  The most common 
motivation for desertion from illegal groups was a desire for a 
lifestyle change; however, demobilizations due to military pressure 
have been increasing.  The strategy has been producing unparalleled 
security gains and invaluable tools in the GOC fight against 
terrorism. 
 
----------- 
ENVIRONMENT 
----------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) The Colombian antinarcotics police (DIRAN) received 781 
complaints of alleged crop damage in 2008.  Approximately 22 percent 
of complaints were filed in the coca-rich department of Narino, 
where large spray operations occurred.  Out of 1,077 closed cases, 
five percent were compensated, and 49 percent were denied because 
spray operations either did not occur or coca was mixed with licit 
crops; in 45 percent of the submitted cases applicants failed to 
complete the information required in order to be considered for 
compensation.  NAS's environmental program paid 481,544,857 COP 
(approximately USD 216,134) to 59 complainants in 2008.  The 
environmental section participated in various public outreach 
activities to provide information on environmental damage, the 
aerial eradication program and the complaint compensation process. 
NAS has co-organized or participated in over 20 information and 
training sessions to explain the aerial eradication program and to 
train mayors on how to process a crop damage complaint.  The picture 
museum has also become an invaluable educational tool that has 
traveled throughout Colombia. 
 
--------------------- 
Drug Demand Reduction 
--------------------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) The Drug Demand Reduction office worked with various 
governmental and non-governmental organizations and supported 
multiple capacity building and education-based demand reduction 
programs.  NAS Bogota provided help with training for NGOs, 
teachers, journalists and nurses, and worked with the UNODC, DIRAN, 
Shared Reponsibility and Ministry of Social Protection to organize a 
two-day youth forum to promote a drug and violence-free lifestyle. 
NAS worked with the GOC to develop four drug demand prevention 
commercials to raise awareness of drug consumption in Colombia.  NAS 
Bogota served on the National Household Drug Consumption Survey's 
technical committee and provided final funds for the successful 
completion of the Survey's field work on December 13; a nation-wide 
drug consumption survey had not taken place in Colombia since 1996. 
 
¶14. (SBU) COMMENT:  Much of the success in battling narcotrafficking 
has been due to the air mobility provided by the USG.  The use of 
helicopters and aircraft helps the GOC to perform interdiction and 
eradication, as well as humanitarian and logistical missions. 
Without helicopters, the GOC could not project force or provide 
government presence.  Colombia has made great strides in 
nationalizing aviation assets, but more needs to be done and they 
still need our help.  In the last two years, over 50 aircraft have 
been turned over to Colombia for them to fund, maintain, and 
control.  Colombia appears willing to continue battling 
narcotrafficking, but one major priority is to ensure that they have 
the air mobility to get the job done.  The challenge over the next 
few years will be to pace the ongoing nationalization efforts to 
ensure a sustainable transition of responsibilities while tempering 
GOC expectations in the face of diminished USG funds.  END COMMENT. 
BROWNFIELD