VZCZCXRO7661
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0574 1261248
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061248Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2776
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5167
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2911
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2776
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3411
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000574 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN: DEA DRUG IDENTIFICATION TRAINING COURSE TO 
SCNS OFFICERS 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  On May 4,  Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) 
Special Agent conducted a Drug Identification training course for 
newly recruited officers of Turkmenistan's State Counter Narcotics 
Service (SCNS) at the SCNS Training Facility in Ashgabat.  The SCNS 
officers showed a genuine interest in the information presented to 
them and a high regard for DEA's operational/tactical approach to 
counter-narcotics issues.  It was the second such event this year, 
and the third in the last six months.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) A DEA Special Agent conducted a Drug Identification 
training course for a group of approximately 30-40 newly-recruited 
SCNS officers at the SCNS Training Academy in Ashgabat on May 4. 
The training consisted of a Power Point presentation followed by a 
group discussion and comparison of contemporary counter-narcotics 
techniques utilized by DEA and SCNS to combat narcotics trafficking 
in the United States and Turkmenistan.  During the Power Point 
presentation, SCNS officers seemed very responsive to the 
information presented to them regarding the different methods of 
manufacture and distribution of narcotics worldwide.  The SCNS 
officers were interactive with the DEA Agent when asked questions 
about their counter-narcotics experiences. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) At the end of the Power Point presentation, the DEA agent 
answered manyquestions about DEA's  contemporary techniques..  The 
questions covered a wide range of topics from an average DEA Agent's 
salary to complex wire-tap investigations.   A lot of the questions 
were directed at the structure of street-level counter-narcotics 
operations, including but not limited to the topics on the 
Confidential Source handling, methods/types of surveillance, modus 
operandi of DEA investigations, wire-taps and the legal process 
involving a wire-tap investigation, etc.  The SCNS officers showed 
genuine interest in the information presented to them and highly 
regarded DEA's operational/tactical approach to the 
counter-narcotics issues. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) COMMENT:  This was the second DEA training conducted this 
year, and the first to be heldat the SCNS Training Facility.  During 
the training, the DEA Agent touched on a variety of subjects 
regarding the growth, manufacture, and distribution of illegal 
substances (opium and heroin in particular) from Afghanistan 
throughout the world.  The SCNS recruits seemed genuinely interested 
in the information, although none of the recruits raised any 
questions regarding current narcotics trafficking activities in 
Turkmenistan.  During the discussion, SCNS officers inquired a great 
deal about DEA's methods of operation, including, but not limited to 
tactical, legal, and administrative aspects of investigations 
conducted in the United States.  The SCNS officers expressed their 
desire to attend more such training courses conducted by DEA.  The 
meeting was an excellent opportunity to reinforce the U.S. 
Government's commitment to support Turkmenistan's counter-narcotics 
efforts.  END COMMENT. 
 
MILES