VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWN #0068/01 0291749
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291745Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0230
INFO EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000068 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR AND INL 
TRINIDAD PLEASE PASS TO DEA 
PARAMARIBO PLEASE PASS TO DEA 
KINGSTON PLEASE PASS TO DEA 
SANTO DOMINGO PLEASE PASS TO DEA 
CARACAS PLEASE PASS TO DEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ECON PGOV XL
SUBJECT: Teamwork Produces Successful Results in the Eastern 
Caribbean: Nov-Dec 2009 NAS Update 
 
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SUMMARY 
 
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¶1.  (SBU) The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Military Liaison 
Office, and the Narcotics Affairs Section are working with local 
and regional authorities to deter drug trafficking.  Many 
operations have been successful; however, without consistent, 
reliable maritime assets to assist the Regional Security System Air 
Wing, drug seizures are a fraction of what they could be. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement 
Affairs (INL) Management Assessment Team visited NAS Bridgetown to 
conduct a Management Assessment Visit.  One of their key 
recommendations, which reinforces a recent OIG recommendation, is 
to support a full-time Narcotics Affairs Officer position in 
Bridgetown.  The Team concluded that increased drug trafficking 
through the region and the need for greater coordination among the 
island nations and the security donor community to address the 
threat, made a full-time NAS position essential to  the achievement 
of U.S. counter-narcotics, and counter-crime goals.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
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DEA BARBADOS SUCCEESS STORY 
 
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¶3. (SBU) Drug Enforcement Administration authorities in Barbados 
played a critical role in the location, identification and arrest 
of a U.S. fugitive identified as Irvine ROBINSON.  The fugitive has 
been wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since 2007 
for Importation of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Import Cocaine and 
Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine pursuant to an arrest 
warrant issuing out of the Southern District of Florida. DEA 
Bridgetown notified ICE and US Marshals that ROBINSON was traveling 
to Barbados during the week of 12/20/08-12/28/08.  DEA BARBADOS 
identified the flight on which ROBINSON departed Barbados and 
provided photographs of ROBINSON boarding that flight as well as 
his seat number and description to authorities in St Maarten where 
ROBINSON was arrested upon arrival of the flight on 12/28/08.  DEA 
Barbados coordinated this operation with the Barbados Drug Squad, 
US Marshals Service, ICE, DEA Curacao and St Maarten authorities. 
 
 
 
 
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OPERATION FLYING FISH III  12/02-12/13 
 
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¶4.  (SBU) DEA Bridgetown and the Military Liaison Office (MLO) were 
instrumental in planning, establishing and coordinating Operation 
Flying Fish III, a combined aerial-maritime operation between the 
Regional Security System (RSS) Air Wing, the US Coast Guard and 
JIATF-S to detect, monitor and interdict vessels suspected of 
illicit trafficking within RSS waters.  The USCGC SHAMAL was 
deployed to the region for approximately ten days. Ship riders from 
St. Lucia and Dominica were on board to assist with the mission. 
JIATF-S also deployed an intelligence analyst from their Tactical 
Analysis Team (TAT) and Intelligence Officer from the JIATFS Watch 
Floor to the Embassy to support and assist DEA with intelligence 
flow during the operation.  A DEA special agent was the primary 
point of contact for the operation and coordinated the flow of 
 
 
strategic intelligence to air/interdiction assets as well as local 
counterparts. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) During the operation, the USCGC SHAMAL was plagued by 
mechanical and communications problems, however one Venezuelan 
go-fast was intercepted after pursuit disrupting a cocaine delivery 
to St Lucia and intelligence indicates that several planned 
shipments by traffickers were postponed or delayed due to the 
presence of the USCGC SHAMAL.  Further details of interdiction 
actions for the operations follow below. 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) The following is a snapshot of other recent narcotic 
enforcement/seizures in the region: 
 
 
 
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA 
 
 
 
On December 2, 2009, the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda 
arrested and charged a senior Customs officer for (1) possession of 
48.5 pounds of cannabis, (2) possession of 48.5 pounds of cannabis 
with intent to transfer, (3) possession of 48.5 pounds of cannabis 
with intent to supply, and (4) Drug Trafficking.  The suspect was 
arrested at the VC Bird International Airport.  The marijuana was 
inside a suitcase that had arrived on a LIAT flight from St. 
Vincent. 
 
 
 
BARBADOS 
 
 
 
On 12/10/09, DEA Bridgetown participated in planning for a maritime 
interdiction with the RSS/Air wing and Barbados Police Force.  This 
action resulted in the seizure of 11 kilograms of cocaine, 67 
kilograms of marijuana and the arrest of three individuals in 
Barbados who participated in the at sea pick-up of the shipment 
from a Trinidadian vessel. 
 
 
 
On 12/14/09, authorities received intelligence regarding a 
suspected delivery of an unknown quantity of drugs from St. Vincent 
to the north shore of Barbados.  Pursuant to the information, 
personnel from the Barbados Drug Squad responded to the suspected 
off-load location on the north shore of Barbados where they were 
fired upon by the shore party waiting to receive the drug shipment. 
After an exchange of gunfire, one of the suspected traffickers was 
killed; the remaining members of the shore party escaped.  As a 
result of the gunfire, the target vessel from St Vincent departed 
the intended landing zone at a high rate of speed prior to 
delivery.  The RSS/Air Wing attempted to track the vessel back to 
St. Vincent; however the St. Vincent Marine Police had no vessels 
available to attempt to interdict the vessel, and RSS aircraft was 
forced to return to base after running low on fuel.  [Note: This 
event underscores the necessity of a robust, complementary RSS 
Maritime Unit.  End note.] 
 
 
 
DOMINICA 
 
 
 
On 12/16/09, the RSS/Air Wing alerted the St. Lucia Marine Police 
to a suspect go-fast boat approximately 28 nautical miles southwest 
of St Lucia heading northbound towards Dominica.  The St. Lucia 
marine police responded and a marine pursuit ensued during which 
the go-fast boat, subsequently identified as the Dominica 
registered cigarette boat "BLUE WHALE", engaged in evasive 
maneuvers and eventually jettisoned its illicit cargo before being 
 
 
intercepted approximately 30 nautical miles west of Martinique. 
St. Lucian authorities successfully recovered 26 bales of 
marijuana, with a combined weight of approximately 448 lbs, and 
arrested the three persons on board, identified as Lindell DAWAY, 
Lawrence LOCKHART and Couriol ALICK.  All three of the crew members 
are known to be maritime traffickers employed by Dominica-based 
drug trafficking organizations.  The vessel was impounded at the 
Marine Base in Castries (St. Lucia) and the three crew members were 
charged for the offence of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to 
Supply. 
 
 
 
On 12/16/09, authorities received information regarding a shipment 
of cocaine from Venezuela that would occur via vessel to vessel 
transfer approximately 20 miles off the west coast of Dominica. 
Authorities planned an interdiction operation. The RSS/Air Wing 
detected the suspected Venezuelan pirogue (mother vessel) and the 
suspected Dominica go-fast (daughter vessel) in the same vicinity 
during late night/early morning hours of 12/16/09-12/17/09. 
Although in the same vicinity, the vessels appeared to have 
difficulty locating each other, and the Venezuelan pirogue 
eventually departed the area towards Venezuela.  As the local 
go-fast boat returned to Dominica, Dominican police responded and 
at approximately 5:30am (12/17/09) stopped a rental vehicle 
occupied by Lee ANTHONY and Charles CUTHBERT that was leaving the 
area.  Pursuant to the traffic stop, authorities seized 
approximately $68,776 USD believed to be intended for the 
Venezuelans at the time the cocaine was to be transferred.  ANTHONY 
and CUTHBERT were charged pursuant to local money laundering 
statutes and an investigation is ongoing. 
 
 
 
ST. LUCIA 
 
 
 
On 12/09/09 authorities received intelligence regarding a planned 
cocaine delivery from Venezuela to St. Lucia.  As a result, a 
coordinated interdiction operation involving the RSS/Air Wing, the 
Barbados Military Liaison Office (MLO) and the USCGC SHAMAL 
pursuant to OPERATION FLYING FISH was planned. Pursuant to the 
operation, the RSS Air Wing was able to locate a suspected 
Venezuelan go-fast boat and maintain covert aerial surveillance as 
the suspected vessel (Venezuelan pirogue modified with 5 outboard 
engines and numerous fuel barrels on deck) proceeded northbound 
towards St. Lucia.  The suspect vessel stopped within territorial 
waters of St. Lucia in the early morning hours of 12/10/09 and was 
apparently awaiting rendezvous with a go-fast from St. Lucia for 
vessel to vessel transfer of the contraband.  The USCGC SHAMAL 
deployed its small boat interceptor and attempted to interdict the 
Venezuela go-fast boat.  A marine pursuit ensued that lasted in 
excess of an hour.  During the pursuit, at least two bales of 
suspected contraband (weighted) were observed being jettisoned. The 
contraband sunk immediately. The Venezuelan go-fast boat was 
subsequently intercepted and the eight persons on board (none with 
identification) claimed Venezuelan nationality.  They were 
subsequently released with the vessel following an unsuccessful 
search for contraband. 
 
 
 
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OUTREACH / REGIONAL ACTIVITIES 
 
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¶7.  (SBU) From November 02-06, 2009, Force Protection Detachment 
(FPD) Barbados in conjunction with the Regional Security System 
held a Subject Matter Exchange Seminar on Arms, Narcotics and Human 
Trafficking in St. Kitts.  The seminar was attended by 41 senior 
and mid level Law Enforcement Officials from the Eastern Caribbean 
region and the United States of America. 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Opening remarks were given by the St Kitts and Nevis 
Prime Minister, the Honorable Dr. Denzil Douglas, who praised the 
FPD trafficking seminar as "a strong indicator of US support within 
the region". FPD Barbados Resident Agent in Charge provided an 
overview of the seminar as well as a briefing on the mission of FPD 
Barbados.  The Honorable Hugh Rawlins, Chief Justice of the Eastern 
Caribbean Supreme Court attended the seminar and praised NCIS 
efforts to address these important trafficking issues facing both 
the Caribbean and the United States of America.  He stated that 
"single islands cannot successfully fight these issues alone." 
 
 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Presentations were made by the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, the Department of State, the Regional Security 
System, the St. Kitts Director of Public Prosecutions, the St. 
Kitts Financial Investigations Unit and Chief Medical Officer, etc. 
NCISHQ Analyst Luci Jackson-Taylor also provided a well received 
briefing on Human Trafficking indicators and assisted with the 
round table discussions. 
 
 
 
¶10.  (SBU) The seminar provided an opportunity for each attending 
country's participants to discuss arms, narcotics and human 
trafficking throughout the Eastern Caribbean.  Each delegation 
presented on the specific trafficking issues affecting their 
individual countries.  MLO Barbados advises that, due to the 
success of the seminar, U.S. Southern Command make this an annual 
event. 
 
 
 
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BRIDGETOWN GROUP MEETING 
 
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¶11. (SBU) The Bridgetown Group, consisting of representatives from 
the British High Commission, the British Serious Organized Crime 
Agency (SOCA), the Canadian High Commission, the Royal Canadian 
Mounted Police, the European Union, the Organization of American 
States (OAS), the United Nations, the French Police Attach????, the 
U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, and NAS-Bridgetown, met at Embassy 
Bridgetown on November 18, 2009 for the second time in as many 
months to discuss streamlining and better coordination of 
allocating resources. 
 
 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The NAS representative distributed a resource matrix 
which is a compilation of activities from each of the international 
organizations of the group.  It became clear that there is 
redundancy in the areas of training and demand reduction programs. 
The NAS representative is tasked to organize all the activities by 
subject area so it will become more apparent where inefficiency and 
redundancy exists. An update on the Caribbean Basin Security 
Initiative was provided however few details were ready for 
dissemination.  The next meeting is scheduled for January 20, 2010 
 
 
 
¶13. (SBU) NAS Bridgetown supported the attendance of three Eastern 
Caribbean representatives to the 46th Annual CICAD Conference Nov 
18-20, 2009.  Lt. Col. Edward Croft from Antigua, Leandra Cuffy 
from Dominica, and Dave Alexander from Grenada each received 
funding in the form of air fare and hotel accommodations to attend 
this event. They cited the Drug Court, sessions on new research in 
treatment for drugs, and the usual networking as highlights of the 
conference.  The U.S. was selected as Chair of CICAD for the next 
term. 
 
 
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INL MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT VISIT 
 
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¶14. (SBU) On November 18-20 an INL management team led by CDR Terry 
Johns visited the Embassy to review NAS operations, both financial 
and project related.  The team met with section chiefs of the 
POL/ECON, MGT, the DEA, MLO, IRS and LEGATT, before an exit meeting 
with the Charg????.  CDR Johns participated in a live RSS 
interdiction 
flight in Caribbean waters that, despite lacking operable radar or 
maritime asset support, was able to help divert a drug-laden vessel 
back to Venezuela.  Due to lack of resources, there were no 
maritime assets in the water to assist in an interdiction effort. 
CDR Johns also met with the Bridgetown Group. 
 
 
 
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COMMENT 
 
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¶15. (SBU) Momentum is building within the Bridgetown Group to 
develop a robust integrated strategy to assist the region in the 
areas of financial investigation training, polygraph and integrity 
testing, drug prevention, and equipment provision.  The group 
agreed to create individual task forces, or committees, to analyze 
how their organizations can more efficiently address challenges 
facing the region through closer coordination.  Other country 
donors are eager to support CBSI efforts and seek regular 
information about planned USG activities to prevent overlap and 
identify potential areas for joint activities.  The Embassy, 
through the Bridgetown Group mechanism, will continue to provide 
such information as it has from the ground; a parallel mechanism in 
Washington would probably be welcome. 
 
 
 
¶16.  (SBU) The interdiction actions during this reporting period 
highlight two continuing trends:  on the positive side, local law 
enforcement has shown a steadily increasing commitment to undertake 
aggressive interdiction activity both independently and with 
assistance from the USG and other actors.  On the negative side, 
recent activities have put into stark relief the urgent need for 
additional resources which could dramatically impact interdiction 
successes - resources that CBSI could usefully provide. 
HARDT