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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
1996 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, March 1997

United States Department of State

Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs


Other US Assistance Provided

Drug Enforcement Administration

The preeminent responsibility of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to reduce and ultimately minimize the impact posed by illicit drugs to our nation. All cocaine and heroin as well as some marijuana and other dangerous drugs are produced outside the United States. These illicit drugs are smuggled from the countries of their source, usually through other countries to the U.S. Therefore, the reduction of illicit drug availability in the U.S. requires a strong international counternarcotics strategy. In cooperation and coordination with other nations, as well as other U.S. agencies, DEA strives to concurrently suppress illicit drug production; disrupt the availability of these drugs in the distribution chain; arrest and prosecute those involved in any aspect of illegal drug trafficking; and seize their profits and assets.

The primary contribution of DEA in implementing our international counternarcotics strategy is accomplished through the 70 offices that DEA maintains in 50 countries worldwide. The DEA overseas mission is fivefold:

In most countries where DEA maintains offices, DEA carries out all of the above functions with emphasis determined on the basis of the conditions existing in each country. In some instances, where the Host Nation's drug enforcement system is advanced, a DEA Country Office may limit its function to selected activities instead of the full range of programs indicated above.

With the exception of DEA's training mission which is addressed elsewhere, the following are a few examples of the assistance DEA provided host nation counterparts in furtherance of our mission during 1996:

(1) Bilateral Investigations:

DEA's Country Offices work with elements of the Host Nations (HN) Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) to investigate activities of drug traffickers that lead to indictments and prosecutions in either the host country, the U.S. or a third country. Whenever appropriate and feasible, intelligence information on major traffickers operating in host countries is shared with HN LEAs to enhance their investigative knowledge. Some examples of DEA's work with HN LEAs follow:

On January 14, 1996, after an extensive joint investigation, officers from the National Institute for the Combat of Drugs, in cooperation with the DEA Mexico City Country Office, arrested Juan Garcia-Abrego in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He is the leader of a major international polydrug trafficking organization based out of Matamoros, Tamaulipas and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico that was responsible for importing and distributing multi-ton quantities of cocaine and marijuana throughout the United States. Shortly after his arrest, the Mexican Government expelled him to the U.S. to face outstanding drug trafficking charges on file in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. On October 16, 1996, after a month long trial, a jury found Garcia-Abrego guilty on all twenty-two counts of the indictment which included charges of drug trafficking, money laundering and operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise. The jury also increased the dollar amount of forfeitable assets from $275.1 million to $350 million. On January 31, 1997, the court sentenced Juan Garcia-Abrego to eleven life sentences for eleven drug offense convictions. He also received an additional 180 years for money laundering charges. In addition, the judge fined Garcia-Abrego $128,000,000 over and above the jury's previous forfeiture of assets.

In Thailand, during 1996, the infamous heroin warlord, Chang Chi-fu, a.k.a Khun Sa, surrendered his Shan United Army (SUA) to Burmese authorities, ending an era in southeast Asia heroin trafficking history. In large measure, his surrender was due to cooperative efforts between DEA and Thai drug law enforcement authorities, in which key members of Chang's heroin empire were indicted in the United States and arrested in Thailand for extradition to the United States. Due to disruption of heroin production by the SUA in Burma, remnants of the SUA attempted to establish heroin refining laboratories on the Thailand side of the border. Through joint DEA-Thai intelligence collection and investigative activity, three of these refineries were seized by Thai Border Patrol Police during the year.

During April 1996, the Panamanian Judicial Technical Police and the Public Ministry's Drug Prosecutor's Office, with the assistance of the DEA Panama Country Office, arrested Jose Castrillon-Henao for cocaine conspiracy. Jose Castrillon-Henao is a major cocaine trafficker and money launderer. Numerous DEA domestic and foreign offices contributed their expertise in the analysis of seized documents that pertained to the legal and financial matters of Castrillon and his associates.

In 1996, as a result of joint investigations by DEA Lima, Peru Country Office and the Peruvian Police Anti-Drug Directorate (DINANDRO), a number of significant enforcement actions were undertaken by the host country. These actions resulted in the seizure of 20 tons of cocaine, over 365,000 kilograms of essential chemicals, and over 5 million dollars in trafficker assets. One of the most noteworthy investigations led to the arrest of Willer Alvarado-Linares (a.k.a. Champa) who was Peru's most wanted drug trafficker.

In Colombia, DEA conducts numerous bilateral investigations with the Colombian National Police (CNP) in support of its drug law enforcement operations. In 1996, under Operation Emerald Clipper, 36 aircraft were seized as a direct result of the DEA support of this program. The total value of the seized aircraft is $17,530,000. As a result of Operation Emerald Clipper and the successes of the program, the CNP has developed a general aviation inspection program concept that is being turned into law. This will enable the CNP to search suspect aircraft with greater ease and authority. The law will increase the ability of the CNP to seize illegal aircraft, resulting in their forfeiture.

In August 1995 the Bern, Switzerland Country Office and the Swiss National Police initiated a routine investigation that, with the assistance of several other DEA offices, subsequently uncovered illegal assets hidden by the Raul Salinas cocaine trafficking organization. As a result, in 1996, Swiss authorities have blocked more than 103 million dollars of suspected narcotics proceeds in over twenty Swiss bank accounts.

Through cooperative investigations by DEA and Thai authorities, Anan Detnambanchachai, one of those responsible for a shipment of 168 kilograms of heroin seized in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1993 was indicted in the United States and arrested by Thai authorities. Thai authorities are holding Anan Detnambanchachai pending extradition to the United States. During the joint investigation, DEA and Thai officials obtained information concerning the shipment of 72 kilograms of heroin to Singapore. This information was passed to Singapore authorities who made that nation's largest heroin seizure ever. The heroin en route from Singapore to Fiji, was destined for either Australia or the United States. Also, in another joint investigation, Thai authorities arrested Li Yun Chung and Cha Chung Chang for their involvement in the shipment of 486 kilograms of heroin seized in Oakland, California in 1991. This heroin seizure remains the largest ever in the United States.

In 1996, the Venezuelan National Guard and the office of Venezuela's Attorney General, in cooperation with the DEA Caracas, Venezuela Country Office and the DEA New York Field Division, successfully completed the first judicially authorized controlled delivery of approximately 570 kilograms of cocaine from Venezuela to the United States. This represents a departure from the historical condemnation by the Venezuelan authorities of any use of controlled deliveries as an enforcement tool and will pave the way for similar operations in the future.

In November, the Guatemalan Treasury Police, in conjunction with the DEA Guatemala City, Guatemala Country Office, seized 1,004 kilograms of cocaine. As part of the follow-on investigation, two bi-national controlled deliveries occurred. In the first controlled delivery, 254 kilograms were delivered to suspects in Guatemala while the second controlled delivery took place in Houston, Texas. These controlled delivery in Houston exposed and disrupted four cocaine distribution cells including a major Canadian distribution network. It also exposed an elaborate food canning operation located in Houston which concealed cocaine in sealed cans for shipment to the east coast. An additional 263 kilos of cocaine were seized in Houston , along with numerous arrests in Texas and New Jersey as a result of the investigation.

The Argentine Prefectura Naval, the Buenos Aires, Argentina Country Office, and the DEA Baltimore, Maryland Resident Office conducted a joint investigation of the cocaine trafficking activities of Oscar Menjibar, a major Salvadoran trafficker. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 22 kilograms of cocaine and the arrest of Menjibar and two of his principal associates. During the investigation, the Prefectura Naval conducted their first successful undercover operation since the passage of the Argentine Narcotics law reforms of 1994.

Nigerian traffickers, centered in Bangkok, Thailand, smuggle Southeast Asian heroin to international destinations, particularly to the United States. The Royal Thai Police and DEA have worked closely together to identify and take enforcement action against these heroin organizations. During 1996, much of these joint investigative activities were directed toward one organization that was supplying heroin to other Nigerian trafficking groups in Chicago and Boston. In a coordinated, worldwide law enforcement operation called Global Sea, Thai authorities arrested the principal sources of supply and are holding them for extradition to the United States.

In November, the Costa Rican Judicial Police with assistance from the DEA San Jose Country Office investigated a Costa Rican export company that transported large quantities of cocaine concealed within legitimate fruit and vegetables containers destined for Miami and New York. During the investigation, Costa Rican officials seized 645 kilograms of cocaine from the organization. Officials arrested one U.S. citizen, two Dominicans, two Colombians and one Costa Rican. This was the second largest seizure of cocaine in Costa Rica to date.

As a direct result of the effective working relationship between DEA Bolivia and the Bolivian National Police, 20 persons, including family members of Jose Luis Pereira-Salas, and Colombian national David Jaimes-Tarasona, an associate of the Miguel Rodriguez-Orejuela organization, were arrested in June 1996, in phase two of an investigation that had netted 10 arrests and 85 kilograms of cocaine HCL in April. In addition, 25 kilograms of cocaine HCL were seized, along with 10 vehicles, 6 residences, and 2 cattle ranches. The successful culmination of the investigation was a direct result of extensive cooperation between DEA offices in Bolivia, Mexico and Miami, Florida.

In April 1996, a bilateral investigation conducted by the DEA Hong Kong Country Office and the Royal Hong Kong Police Narcotics Bureau resulted in the seizure of 600 kilograms of heroin in Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China. A major heroin smuggling group based in Hong Kong planned to transport the heroin to the city of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province and onward to Hong Kong. Evidence indicated that this group is responsible for smuggling approximately 100 shipments involving unknown quantities of heroin during the two years prior to this seizure. Additional investigations by DEA offices in the Far East and New York have established that this smuggling group has previously supplied heroin to traffickers in the United States and that a portion of the heroin seized in Guangdong Province was intended for distribution in the United States.

On June 5, 1996, the Colombian National Police, as part of a joint investigation with the DEA Bogota, Colombia Country Office and the Miami Field Division, conducted a total of 38 raids in Bogota, Medellin and Cali, Colombia. Six defendants were arrested in Colombia and 123 bank accounts were frozen. At the same time, the Miami FD, arrested 4 defendants, including the target of the investigation, Blanca Ortiz-Piedad, who is a branch manager of Bank Atlantic in Miami, Florida. Approximately 1,100 accounts at the bank were frozen by the DEA Miami Field Division. These arrests and seizures were the result of a 5-month investigation by the Miami FD and the Bogota Country Office.

In 1996, Thai authorities extradited Thanong Siripreechapong to the United States. He is an accused international marijuana smuggler, who used his ill-gotten gains to buy his way into the Thai Parliament. Much of the evidence that will be used to prosecute Thanong was collected jointly by the DEA Bangkok, Thailand Country Office and the Thai drug law enforcement authorities. This marks the first case where Thai authorities extradited a Thai citizen to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

The DEA Istanbul, Turkey Resident Office initiated an investigation with the Turkish National Police which culminated in a 55 kilogram seizure of heroin in Spokane, Washington. This investigation involved Abdul Wahid, the courier, and Mohammed Ramzan, the source of supply from Pakistan. DEA undercover Special Agents arrested Abdul Wahid in the United States at the time of the seizure. The United States is requesting the extradition of Mohammed Ramzan from Pakistan. To date this is the largest heroin seizure in the state of Washington.

The Nicosia, Cyprus Country Office and the Lebanese Internal Security Force began a multi-national investigation into the cocaine trafficking organization of Simone Hayek and William Moises. The investigation resulted in the arrest of 14 defendants in Lebanon and the seizure of 116 kilograms of cocaine. The Hayek and Moises organization had smuggled the cocaine via containerized cargo ship from Venezuela. Through leads developed in Lebanon, and with the assistance of the Nicosia Country Office and the Milan Resident Office, Italian authorities seized 400 additional kilograms of cocaine in Italy. The Nicosia Country Office, reviewing seized documents, discovered three bank accounts used by the organization in Miami, Florida. In a separate investigation of an organization connected with Hayek and Moises, the DEA Miami Field Division arrested seven defendants and seized 503 kilograms of cocaine.

(2) Coordinate Intelligence Gathering:

The Drug Enforcement Administration in Thailand worked with Thai drug law enforcement authorities throughout 1996, targeting major international drug trafficking organizations. The remnants of the Shan United Army (SUA) were a priority focus during the year, however the focus began to shift to the United Wa State Army (UWSA) which appears to have filled much of the heroin production void left by the surrender of Chang Chi-fu and his SUA. Joint intelligence collection activities have identified the UWSA as also being a principal producer of methamphetamine, another serious drug of abuse in Asia.

The DEA London, England Country Office provided to Her Majesty's Customs & Excise intelligence, developed by the Los Angeles Field Division, concerning suspected drug trafficking of a Turkish national, residing in the United Kingdom. The London Country Office conducted close liaison with H. M. Customs & Excise regarding the Turkish subject. The investigation revealed that the Turkish subject had contacts in the United States with whom he was trying to arrange a trade of multi-kilogram quantity of cocaine for the same quantity of heroin.

Additionally, this subject had invested some of his drug proceeds in the United States. This investigation concluded with the arrest of four defendants in London and the seizure of 90 kilograms of heroin. Subsequent investigation revealed that this organization had successfully imported more than 300 kilograms of heroin into the United Kingdom. All of those arrested have been convicted in court and have received lengthy prison sentences. Asset forfeiture proceedings are underway on drug assets in the United States.

Acting on information provided by the DEA Chiang Mai, Thailand Resident Office, the Thai Border Patrol Police, on April 15, 1996, seized a heroin refinery and a methamphetamine laboratory in northern Mae Hong Son Province. Estimates are that the refinery, operated by the former Shan United Army (SUA), produced between 700 to 1,400 kilograms of heroin in a two month period. This was the largest heroin refinery complex ever seized in northern Thailand. Follow-up investigations revealed a second heroin refinery in the same region. On July 4, 1996, the Thai Border Patrol Police seized this refinery and found 85 kilograms of opium, large amounts of precursor chemicals and lab equipment, as well as 200 gallons of heroin in solution.

In 1996, DEA offices throughout Bolivia worked closely with the Bolivian Special Intelligence and Operations Group (GIOE) units on more than a dozen active long-term investigations, as well as on numerous short-term cases. The GIOE is a combined intelligence-operations unit which functions primarily in major urban areas. It is made up of non-uniformed counterdrug forces working closely with DEA Agents in Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, and La Paz.

On July 11, 1996, acting on intelligence information provided by the Tokyo, Japan Country Office, Japanese police and customs officials seized a total of 552 kilograms of methamphetamine and arrested two Japanese nationals at a shipping port in Yokohama. This constituted the largest methamphetamine seizure ever made in Japan.

(3) Engage in Foreign Liaison:

As a result of the many law enforcement successes in Thailand over the past two years, heroin, while still brokered in Bangkok, is increasingly reaching international markets through new routes in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. In order to counter this new threat, the DEA Bangkok, Thailand Country Office has enhanced liaison with drug law enforcement authorities in these countries through routine liaison visits, sharing of information, training, and recommendations to the Department of State for provision of basic police equipment. One result of this regional liaison has been the agreement by the Government of Laos to allow DEA to assign a Special Agent to the United States Embassy in Vientiane after a hiatus of over 20 years. In Cambodia and Vietnam, liaison activities have assisted in more clearly defining the exploitation of these countries by drug trafficking organizations, recommending programs to counter these threats, and enhancing the capabilities of their respective police organizations to deal with the drug threat.

During 1996, DEA was instrumental in the development and implementation of the People's Republic of China (PRC) Chemical Control Program. Annually, the PRC imports multi-ton quantities of acetic anhydride and exports multi-ton quantities of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine throughout the world. This new chemical control initiative provides the PRC National Narcotics Control Commission with the framework needed to close the loop on the diversion of chemicals used to manufacture heroin and methamphetamine.

In February 1996, the DEA Athens, Greece Country Office organized a Balkans Area Drug Law Enforcement Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece. For the first time, drug law enforcement officials from Greece, Albania, the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey, met to discuss regional drug issues. The three-day conference provided the opportunity for an exchange of drug-related information, intelligence, and permitted attendees to present an overview of their efforts in their respective countries. The participants made plans to reconvene annually.

During 1996, the DEA Hong Kong Country Office provided Hong Kong authorities with information and materials that assisted in the passage of chemical control legislation in Hong Kong. This legislation empowers the newly enhanced Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (HKCE) Chemical Control Division with the legal tools to effectively arrest and prosecute precursor chemical traffickers. Through the use of this legislation, in July, 1996, HKCE in conjunction with the DEA Hong Kong Country Office and the DEA Mexico City Country Office was able to identify, target and seize 2,750 kilograms of ephedrine at a train station in Pantaco, Mexico. Follow-up investigations and shared intelligence revealed that the ephedrine shipment originated in China and was transshipped through Los Angeles, California destined for a major Mexican methamphetamine trafficking group.

In August 1996, the Brussels Country Office brought together French, Belgian, Dutch and Spanish police officers in an international cocaine and heroin investigation. The case involved Turkish heroin traffickers wishing to trade heroin for cocaine. In an undercover operation, Belgian police "flashed" cocaine and orchestrated the arrests of five Turks and the seizure of thirty-five kilograms of heroin at the Belgian and Dutch border.

In 1996, the Nicosia Country Office was instrumental in urging the Government of Lebanon to pass money laundering legislation in accordance with the 1988 U.N. Convention.

In 1996, the Government of Turkey voted in favor of the Law to Prevent Money Laundering. The new legislation identifies money laundering as a criminal offense. The DEA Ankara Country Office played a part in persuading the Government of Turkey to approve this law.

During 1996, Major General Thanat Phakdipat, Royal Army of Thailand, was convicted in United States District Court at Eugene, Oregon, for his role in smuggling heroin to the United States. He is the first high ranking Thai military office ever convicted in the United States. Under the Thai-US Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, the DEA Bangkok, Thailand Country Office, for the first time, used video-teleconferencing to enable testimony of witnesses to be taken at trial without requiring travel of these witnesses to the United States. This institutional capability will save valuable resources in the future.

(4) Coordinate Training Programs for Host Country Police Agencies:

Addressed in the International Training Section

(5) Assist in the Development of Host Country Drug Law Enforcement Institutions:

In September 1996, the DEA Bogota, Colombia Country Office assisted the Colombian National Police (CNP), in the establishment of a communications intercept facility in San Jose del Guaviare. The facility is manned by CNP personnel and is providing current information on transportation routes, cocaine processing sites, as well as drug traffickers' communications.

During 1996, the DEA Seoul, Korea Country Office worked closely with the Korean Prosecutor's Office in the establishment of a Bilateral Task Force to identify and target methamphetamine smugglers. Also, the DEA Seoul Country Office was instrumental in providing support to the Korean Prosecutor's Office that assisted in the passage of asset forfeiture legislation and the establishment of Korea's first Asset Forfeiture Task Force.

In 1996, the DEA San Jose, Costa Rica Country Office, in cooperation with Costa Rican authorities, re-established the Joint Intelligence Coordination Center whose operations were suspended due to political interference. The Center encourages multi-national cooperation in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of drug law enforcement information.

The DEA Quito, Ecuador Country Office provided financial support, specialized training, and advice in the field of roadblock operations to the recently created Ecuadoran Mobile Interdiction Unit, a specialized entity of the Ecuadoran National Police. The DEA support resulted in two significant chemical seizures in the latter part of 1996.

The DEA Guatemala City, Guatemala Country Office, in 1996, assisted the Guatemalan Treasury Police and the National Police in creating an Anti-Narcotic Task Force that consists of officers from both police agencies. The new unit develops investigative leads on major cocaine traffickers. The Task Force brings together elements from two agencies that traditionally have worked at cross purposes. In addition, the Guatemala City Country Office has assisted the Department of Guatemalan Anti-Narcotic Operations (DOAN) in developing investigative procedures for initiating long-term drug investigations. This includes establishing computerized suspect data bases with procedural requirements for reporting on suspects.

As part of its effort to strengthen the drug enforcement capability of the Bolivian National Police (FELCN), the DEA La Paz, Bolivia Country Office arranged, in March 1996, for 40 members of the FELCN to attend an intelligence computer course in preparation for the establishment of the FELCN National Computer Intelligence Network.

During 1996, the DEA Tokyo, Japan Country Office assisted the Government of Japan to establish a central intelligence office on narcotics and smuggling. This office serves as a repository for actionable intelligence and has improved its response capability.

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