US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA943

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEGUCIGALPA 000943 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEA HQS PLS PASS TO SARI, OFC/MCMANUS, STEFFICK, 
HUTCHINSON, BROWN; NTRM/BERGMANN, SOD/OSA FOR HIGGENS 
DEA MEXICO FOR HOLIFIELD, ORTEGA, GARAY AND KEYS 
DEA BOGOTA PLS PASS TO CARTAGENA RO FOR FISHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: N/A 
SUBJECT: OPERATION CONTROLADO II RESULTS IN HONDURAS; 
GFTA-04-8003; 
CCX:GFAL-99-8001/OPERATION LANDBRIDGE 
    CS-02-108780 
 
REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA TWX 00987 DATED 252248ZAPR03 
 
     B. TEGUCIGALPA TWX 00227 DATED 301724ZJAN04 
     C. EMAIL BETWEEN DOMINGUE AND FISCHER ON 4/21/04 
 
1.  During the period of April 1, 2004, to April 12, 2004, 
Honduran law enforcement engaged in Operation Controlado II 
which was an enforcement action against all types of criminal 
activity.  This operation concentrated on human and vehicle 
movements at the borders and on all main transportation 
arteries.  This operation produced the following results in 
Honduras: 
 
FIRST EVENT 
 
2.  On April 1, 2004, a 1989 red Mazda pick-up truck bearing 
Honduran license plate PBI-6497 was stopped at a police check 
point near Progreso, Lancetilla, Tela, Atlantida, HD.  Two 
individuals were present in the vehicle as police began to 
conduct an inspection.  Police discovered 14 kilos of cocaine 
secreted in the side panels of the vehicle.  Both individuals 
 
SIPDIS 
were able to flee the scene and ultimately escaped 
unidentified. 
 
3.  Honduran police records indicate that the vehicle is 
registered to Amadeo ECHEVERRIA-Nataren who is identified in 
the indexing section. 
 
SECOND EVENT 
 
4.  On April 3, 2004, Honduran Frontier Police (FP) 
conducting routine vehicle registration operations, 
encountered a red Toyota pick-up truck bearing Honduran 
license plate PAA-1331.  The driver was identified as Rene 
Sigfredo GALINDO-Mencia and was accompanied by Denis 
PORTILLO.  The FP found each subject in possession of 
semi-automatic hand guns which were confiscated.  A short 
distance behind the Toyota approached a white Isuzu truck 
with high green wooden rear paneling bearing Honduran license 
plate PP-04322, and driven by Marco Tulio FRANCO-Carranza.  A 
third Toyota pick-up (white in color), bearing Honduran 
license plate PAM-4416 was following closely behind the 
truck.  The two subjects occupying this vehicle were also 
found to be in possession of two hand guns.  All vehicles 
were ordered to pull over for inspection. 
 
5.  The FP became extremely suspicious over four weapons 
found in two vehicles within such close proximity, possibly 
protecting the larger truck.  FP then ordered all drivers of 
the three vehicles to proceed slowly to the Police Station at 
Bonito Oriental for further inspection.  At that moment, the 
vehicles under suspicion left the area at high velocity; the 
FP conducted pursuit of the Isuzu truck and moments later 
found it abandoned by its occupant.  FP officers eventually 
located and seized the white Toyota and arrested the driver, 
Luis Armando JUAREZ-Pineda at a local residence in possession 
of a cell phone assigned telephone number (504)968-7502.  The 
red Toyota was also located and seized, but GALINDO and 
PORTILLO escaped and are at large. 
 
6.  A subsequent search of the Isuzu vehicle revealed the 
truck's flatbed had a false floor containing a quantity of 
108 kilos of cocaine.  The drivers license of Marco Tulio 
FRANCO-Carranza was also found in the cab of the truck. 
 
7.  A Qualcomm satelite phone was found in the possession of 
Rene Sigfredo GALINDO-Mancia. Telephone numbers 
(505)891-4870, 979-4255, and 977-2189 were found in the data 
memory of the satellite phone. 
 
8.  A telephone analysis indicated that telephone 
(504)968-7502 communicated twice with telephone number 
(504)978-6526 belonging to Jose Ivan SANABRIA-Castaneda 
(NADDIS 5666783).  In addition, a review of the electronic 
memory of (504)968-7502 revealed this number was in 
communication with telephone number (504)963-3793 and was 
assigned the name "Wilmer".  A review through the TCO data 
base revealed this number was in contact 18 times with 
telephone number (504) 967-3753 between October 2002 and 
January 2003.  The (504)967-3753 number is another telephone 
number associated with SANABRIA.  SANABRIA is suspected of 
receiving maritime drug shipments and transporting them 
across western HD into Guatemala (per ref A and B). 
 
9.  SANABRIA is a landbased transportation specialist that 
orchestrates the logistics of receiving maritime drug 
shipments off the north coast of Honduras, and transports 
them by land through western Honduras into Guatemala. 
SANABRIA has been implicated as conspiring with a 
Colombian-based maritime transportation specialist identified 
as Jesus Antonio MURILLO-Lenis (NADDIS 5780682) who is a 
suspect in the Cartegena RO's, ZU-03-0023 investigation. 
 
10.  Per ref C, SARI is requested to combine NADDIS records 
5330343 and 5758500 into NADDIS 5780682. 
 
THIRD EVENT 
 
11.  On April 6, 2004, Frontier and Honduran Police were 
conducting a combined vehicle registration operation at the 
Satuye checkpoint in Colon, HD.  At 16:20 hours, a black 
Toyota pick-up truck bearing Honduran license plate PBG-5241 
was pulled over for inspection.  Police noticed that the 
screws of the gas tank door flap had been removed and that 
the gas tank had been recently painted.  The vehicle was 
taken to the local police station (Jefatura Departamental No. 
1) for closer inspection after the driver denied that the gas 
tank had been recently painted.  Thirty-three kilos of 
cocaine were removed from a compartment within the gas tank 
after officials dropped it from the chassis; twenty-two kilos 
were wrapped in black plastic and 11 were wrapped in white 
plastic. 
 
12.  The subjects arrested in this incident were Oscar Rene 
ANDRADE and Italo Donaldo CHINCHILLA-Portillo who are further 
identified in the indexing section.  Honduran Police records 
indicate the Toyota is registered to Jose Antonio 
CHINCHILLA-Perez. 
 
13.  Pursuant to the DEA Agents Manual, section 6242.11, this 
twx is submitted in lieu of a DEA-6. 
 
14. Any questions concerning this cable can be directed to 
A/CA Ivan Rios or I/A John Domingue at (301)985-9321. 
 
 
INDEXING 
 
1. JUAREZ-Pineda, Luis Armando - NADDIS NEGATIVE 
POB: Honduras 
DOB: October 12, 1958 
Honduran ID# 0101-1958-01426 
Address: Bo. Col. Satelite 1era etapa 
Telephone Number: (504)968-7502 
Weapons serial Number: BC350, CDB-03076865 
 
2. GALINDO-Acosta, Jose Maria - NADDIS NEGATIVE 
POB: Honduras 
DOB: November 1, 1954 
Address: Bo. Las Acacias, Bonito Oriental, Colon, HD 
Telephone Number: (504) 438-9218 
 
3.  PORTILLO, Denis - NADDIS NEGATIVE 
Weapons serial Number: BER-303581 
 
4.  GALINDO-Mencia, Rene Sigfrido - NADDIS NEGATIVE 
DOB: January 3, 1979 
Honduran ID# 1501-1979-00297 
Address: Bo. Las Acacias, Bonito Oriental, Colon 
Weapons serial Number: BER-248337 
Telephone Number (505)891-4810 
 
5. SANABRIA-Castaneda, Jose Ivan - NADDIS 5666783 
 
6. MURILLO-Lenis, Jesus Antonio - NADDIS 5780682 
 
7. FRANCO-Carranza, Marco Tulio - NADDIS NEGATIVE 
DOB: November 8, 1966 
Honduran ID# 1403-1966-00096 
Address: Rio Chiquito Sur, Arizona, Atlantida 
 
8.  ECHEVERRIA-Nataren, Amadeo - NADDIS NEGATIVE 
DOB: August 10, 1972 
Honduran ID Number: 1306-1973-00022 
Address: Los Olanchitos, Jutiapa, Atlantida, HD 
VIN# JM2UF3136K07Q5409 - Red Mazda 
9.  ANDRADE, Oscar Rene - NADDIS NEGATIVE 
DOB: August 17, 1977 
Honduran ID# 0410-1977-00740 
Address: Municipio de Jutiapa, Atlantida 
 
10.  CHINCHILLA-Portillo, Italo Donaldo - NADDIS NEGATIVE 
DOB: March 28, 1975 
Honduran ID# 0410-1975-00286 
Address: Barrio Limon, Florida, Copan, HD 
 
11.  CHINCHILLA-Perez, Jose Antonio - NADDIS NEGATIVE 
Honduran license plate: PBG-5241 
PALMER