VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0811/01 1941139
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131139Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4052
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 1910
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 1154
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 2535
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JUL CARACAS 1970
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000811 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/BSC AND INL/LP HOOKER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PREL AFIN KCRM PGOV AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: FIRST AND SECOND QUARTER INL REPORT 
 
ENTIRE TEXT SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- NOT FOR INTERNET 

DISTRIBUTION 

 

¶1. (SBU) Summary: Argentina experienced increased drug trafficking 

pressure during the first six months of 2009, with the apparently 

expanding use of small aircraft to traffic cocaine and marijuana 

across the country's northern borders.  Cargoes are quickly 

offloaded at clandestine strips and distributed for shipment to 

Europe (cocaine) or domestic consumption (marijuana and cocaine). 

Press reports gave extensive coverage to UNODC figures showing 

increasing cocaine and marijuana use in the country.  Courts are 

increasingly ruling to decriminalize personal possession of 

narcotics in Argentina, with a Supreme Court ruling to that effect 

widely anticipated. 

 

¶2. (SBU) Argentina law enforcement continues to cooperate 

effectively with U.S. and other third country officials, and 

collaborative efforts resulting in important arrests and seizures 

during the period.  U.S. training and equipping is well received. 

Major U.S. INCLE-funded contributions during the first half of 2009 

included investigative software with training, support for the 

establishment of a Center for Drug Information in Buenos Aires, 

ongoing support for the Northern Border Task Force (NBTF), and law 

enforcement training. 

 

¶I. Trafficking Trends 

 

Aerial Traffic Up 

----------------- 

 

¶3. (SBU) Argentina's lack of comprehensive radar coverage both along 

its borders and in the interior make it difficult to assess the 

volume of illicit drug flights into the country.  Cocaine-laden 

flights from Bolivia and Paraguay and marijuana-carrying flights 

from Paraguay are thought to use private ranch lands in the wide 

open spaces of Santiago del Estero, Chaco, and northern Santa Fe 

Provinces to land and quickly distribute narcotics to waiting 

vehicles.  It is transported south for internal consumption or, in 

the case of cocaine, for shipment to major markets, principally 

European, through mules and disguised as commercial ocean freight. 

Based on seizures resulting from tips or the number of random law 

enforcement encounters with the illicit flights, analysts and 

officials believe the volume of aerial traffic to be increasing. 

 

¶4. (SBU) One announced GOA response to the aerial trafficking is a 

plan announced in March to share real-time radar data from the Air 

Force with law enforcement agencies.  This has been slow to be 

implemented but is expected to commence soon.  In addition, 

Argentina's plans to procure additional ""three-dimensional radars"" 

for use around the country's borders would improve on spotty 

coverage.  Although competitors for this bid have gone through a 

pre-qualification process, fiscal shortfalls continue to push the 

purchase down the road. 

 

¶5. (SBU) The national Gendarmeria (border guard), a key partner in 

our law enforcement cooperation, has requested Embassy assistance in 

standing-up an integrated command-and-control center to track 

targets and coordinate on-the-ground law enforcement assets in the 

north central region of the country.  They have developed their own 

software, including a mapping program.  Members of the Law 

Enforcement Working Group at post have recommended a positive 

response to this request, which totals approximately US$ 14,000 in 

locally procured computer equipment. 

 

Seizures Also Rising 

-------------------- 

 

¶6. (SBU) In May, Gendarmeria officials told Embassy counterparts 

that overall seizures of marijuana and cocaine were running ahead of 

2008 figures.  Major seizures that included DEA participation 

include the following: 

 

-- On January 11, 2009, the Northern Border Task Force (NBTF) and 

Gendarmeria Nacional Argentina (GNA) in coordination with the DEA 

Buenos Aires Country Office (BACO) seized approximately 186 kgs of 

cocaine, one vehicle and arrested two Argentine nationals.  A 

surveillance team in the town of San Martin, Salta, conducted a 

vehicle stop on a red Ford pick-up, questioning its occupants who 

gave conflicting answers and acted nervously.  Officer conducted an 

inspection of the pick-up utilizing a NBTF drug detection canine who 

alerted to the bed of the pick-up.  A closer inspection revealed a 

hidden compartment where 188 rectangular packages of varying sizes 

and weights were seized.  The total weight of the cocaine seized was 

186 kgs. 

 

-- On February 22, 2009, the Northern Border Task Force (NBTF) and 

Gendarmeria Nacional Argentina (GNA) in coordination with the DEA 

Buenos Aires Country Office (BACO) seized approximately 238 kgs of 

cocaine, one vehicle and arrested one Argentine national.  The NBTF 

had obtained information that a subject would attempt to smuggle a 

substantial amount of cocaine from Bolivia into Argentina, using the 

services of an Argentine law enforcement officer.  After a vehicle 

matching the source description unlawfully proceeded through a 

checkpoint in the area of Aguaray, Salta, on National Route 34, it 

returned 10 minutes later and the driver identified himself as a 

Second Lieutenant in the GNA.  He gave conflicting answers, but a 

search on his vehicle was negative for drugs.  Later the same day, 

the NBTF and GNA found four bags containing approximately 280 

rectangular packages of different weights and sizes wrapped in 

balloon latex material.  A field test was conducted which resulted 

positive for cocaine. 

 

-- On February 26, 2009, the Policia Federal Argentina (PFA) 

obtained a search warrant based upon an ongoing joint investigation 

conducted by the PFA and BACO into the cocaine smuggling activities 

of a Serbian drug trafficking organization.  A search of a Recoleta 

apartment in the city of Buenos Aires resulted in the seizure of 174 

kgs of cocaine and the arrest of two Serbian nationals. 

 

-- On May 10, 2009, approximately 206.94 kgs of cocaine were seized 

and two individuals arrested, as a result of continuing 

investigative initiatives on the part of the BACO, NBTF and GNA. 

Based on source information, a vehicle was stopped at the border 

crossing at Salvador Mazza in the province of Salta.  A mobile 

scanner showed nine duffle bags concealed within 610 bags of grain. 

The bags contained 198 rectangular packages that tested positive for 

cocaine. 

 

NOTE: Official government seizures statistics are made available on 

an annual basis. 

 

Decriminalization 

----------------- 

 

¶7. (SBU) During the first half of 2009, several federal courts ruled 

against the detentions of individuals found with small amounts of 

narcotics.  It has been widely expected, based in part on press 

interviews with some Supreme Court Justices, that the Supreme Court 

would also rule on this issue in favor of decriminalizing possession 

for personal use.  The ruling has yet to be issued. 

 

¶8. (SBU) A proposal from the national government to legislate 

decriminalization of narcotics possession for personal consumption 

has not found a legislative champion to date.  No bill has been 

introduced in the Congress, and several groups, including the 

Government's own Office of Drug Policy and Demand Reduction, 

SEDRONAR, have objected to the idea. 

 

Consumption Up 

-------------- 

 

¶9. (SBU) Argentine press gave extensive coverage to the 2009 UNODC 

Annual Drug Report, particularly to information that marijuana use 

among high school students in Argentina had jumped from a 3.5% 

prevalence rate in 2001 to 8.1% in 2007.  Health and education 

officials blamed the lack of full extracurricular programs for kids 

and absence of effective drug education programs for the rise.  The 

UNODC report also noted that Argentina had the highest cocaine 

prevalence rate in South America, which at 2.67% of the population 

aged 15-64 is now  approaching the U.S. 2.8% rate.  Argentina is the 

second largest cocaine market in South America, at 660,000 persons, 

behind only the much more populous Brazil (890,000 persons). 

 

II. Program Discussion 

 

¶10. (U) Utilizing significant past year monies, INL programs 

incurred US$144,802 during the first half of 2009.  Programs were as 

follows: 

 

 

-- One-year rent for Northern Border Task Force, Salta, US$24,000, 

with FY 2007 INCLE money.  This is the first of two years 

INL-approved rent payments for the NBTF.  We are encouraging the 

Gendarmeria and Salta Police to plan for funding their own 

facilities after this period.  The NBTF continues to be our most 

effective drug interdiction partner, positioned as it is to develop 

and react to information on cocaine trafficking from Bolivia. 

 

-- Centers for Drug Information (CDI) Training Conference in Salta, 

April 27-May 1, US$ 31,583, with FY 2006 and FY 2007 INCLE funds. 

Following Bolivia's expulsion of the DEA, Embassy proposed to 

Minister of Justice Anibal Fernandez that the Argentine Federal 

Police (PFA) host the Southern Cone CDI that had been previously 

supported by the Government of Bolivia.  Fernandez and the PFA 

accepted this responsibility.  The April training was designed to 

introduce key Argentine officials to CDI capabilities and management 

and to bring together regional Southern Cone officials to encourage 

information exchange and cooperation.  Participants were pleased 

with the training by U.S.-based officials.  To date the PFA is 

making appropriate use of the CDI and facilitating the exchange of 

information within the region, operating out of its headquarters in 

Buenos Aires. 

 

-- Pen Link Software Purchase and Training, US$ 65,046, principally 

FY 2007 but some FY 2006 funds.  This INL-approved purchase provided 

four copies of the customized Pen-Link software to the 1) 

Gendarmeria/Northern Border Task Force (GNA/NBTF), 2) 

Gendarmeria/Eastern Border Task Force (GNA/EBTF), 3) the Federal 

Police (PFA), and 4) the Mendoza Provincial Police.  A training 

course in Buenos Aires was offered in late June to 15 officials from 

these four services.  The phone call and data analysis software will 

substantially expand Argentine law enforcement capabilities, and we 

anticipate effective collaboration and data sharing based on this 

analysis. 

 

-- Support for two Argentine participants in Colombia Jungle Command 

Course, US$5,801, with FY 2006 funds. 

 

-- Firearms and tactical training for Gendarmeria Nacional in 

Bariloche in May, 2009, for 25 trainees.  US$9,604, with FY 2006 

funds, provided by DEA. 

 

-- Firearms and tactical training for Buenos Aires Provincial Police 

and its Drug Enforcement Unit, in February, 2009, for 20 students. 

US$ 8,768, with FY 2007 funds. 

 

KELLY 


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