US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA12575

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BOGOTA 012575 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
DEPT FOR INL/RM, INL/LP 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/AND 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, EFIN, KCRM, PTER, CO 
SUBJECT: NAS Monthly Report November 2004: 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In November we sprayed 13,062 hectares of 
coca and completed the fourth poppy campaign of the year. 
Plan Colombia helicopters supported a request for a medical 
evacuation by the 9th Brigade.  During November the CNP 
destroyed 20 Cocaine HCL labs.  CNP also captured over 1.5 
metric tons of cocaine and cocaine base, and 34 kilos of 
heroin.   End Summary. 
 
ERADICATION AND INTERDICTION 
---------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Eradication: During the month of November, OV-10's 
operating from San Jose del Guaviare sprayed approximately 
4,834 hectares of coca, and AT-802's operating from 
Larandia, in Caqueta Department, sprayed approximately 4,779 
hectares.  T-65 aircraft operating from Villa Garzon, in 
Putumayo Department, sprayed approximately 3,449 hectares of 
coca.  This combined effort resulted in a total of 
approximately 13,062 hectares of coca for the month of 
November.  So far this year the T-65 aircraft have also 
sprayed 3,061 hectares of poppy. 
 
3. (SBU) Eradication and COLAR aircraft were involved in 12 
incidents involving hostile fire during November, and 
received a total of 27 impacts.  Eradication AT-802 aircraft 
received four impacts, T-65's received one impact, and OV- 
10D's received five impacts, while UH-1N aircraft received 
three impacts.  Plan Colombia UH-1 helicopters received 14 
impacts this month.  Both incidents and impacts received 
remain well below comparable levels from last year. 
 
4. (SBU) Anti-Narcotics Police (DIRAN): During the month of 
November, DIRAN conducted three joint operations.  DIRAN and 
the Colombian Air Force formed a Joint Task Force and 
conducted a raid against the FARC's 16th Front in Vichada 
Department.  Six FARC combatants were killed.  The Joint 
Task Force also conducted an operation near Miraflores, in 
Guaviare Department, against the FARC 1st Front.  DIRAN 
formed a Joint Task Force with the Colombian Navy, Colombian 
Marines and Colombian Air Force in Narino Department.  Under 
"Operation Mapale" they attacked a series of FARC and AUC 
base camps and destroyed three HCL labs and five base labs. 
 
5. (SBU) DIRAN's Jungla (Airmobile Special Forces) 
instructors trained three Carabinero (Rural Mobile Police) 
squadrons in airmobile and antinarcotics operations.  These 
Carabinero squadrons will be attached to DIRAN to support 
aerial eradication operations.  United States Army Special 
Forces conducted a three-week sniper course for 16 students 
from DIRAN's Jungla companies.  These sniper teams are 
equipped with INL-funded M24 Sniper Systems to support 
antinarcotics and antiterrorist operations. 
 
6. (SBU) During November, the CNP destroyed 20 Cocaine HCL 
labs and 71 Cocaine Base labs.  The CNP also captured over 
1.5 metric tons of cocaine and cocaine base, and 34 kilos of 
heroin. Thus far, during CY2004 the following have been 
captured and destroyed: 72.3 MT of cocaine HCL/coca base, 
515 kilos of heroin/opiates, 190 HCL laboratories, 475 coca 
base laboratories, and 6 heroin/morphine labs. 
 
CNP AVIATION (ARAVI) 
-------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) In November, the three largest components of 
ARAVI's fleet clocked 1,245 mission hours: the UH-1 
helicopters flew 842 mission hours with an operational 
readiness rate of 67 percent; Bell 212 helicopters flew 265 
mission hours with an operational readiness rate of 80 
percent; and UH-60 helicopters flew 138 mission hours with 
an operational readiness rate of 51 percent.  ARAVI 
participated in joint operations with COLAR, COLAF, COLNAV, 
NAS, and DEA that destroyed several HCL laboratories. 
 
COLOMBIAN ARMY (COLAR) AVIATION 
------------------------------- 
 
8. (SBU) During November, COLAR Plan Colombia helicopters 
continued to support Counter-Narcotics (CD) Brigade troops 
and eradication operations in Larandia, in Caqueta 
Department, Tame, in Arauca Department, San Jose del 
Guaviare, in Guaviare Department, and Neiva, in Huila 
Department, as well as conducted training operations in 
Tolemaida.  Plan Colombia helicopters flew over 2,240 hours 
during November.  This included 1,240 sorties that 
transported 3,318 passengers and 125,041 pounds of cargo. 
Eleven flight hours were dedicated to evacuating 15 medical 
patients. 
 
9. (SBU) During November, Plan Colombia Helicopters were 
also involved in training operations.  UH-60 Training Group 
VIII completed training on 5 November, while Group IX began 
training this month with 10 pilots.  In the current IERW 
class, 12 of the original 18 students remain. 
10. (SBU) On November 1, Plan Colombia Helicopters supported 
a medical evacuation for the counter-guerrilla battalion of 
the Ninth Brigade.  Three UH-1's flew 7.9 hours and 12 
sorties to evacuate four wounded soldiers.  During the 
operation, one helicopter received one impact without 
sustaining injuries. 
 
11. (SBU) On November 26 and 27, elements of the CD Brigade 
captured two FARC cocaine HCL labs near Miraflores, in 
Guaviare Department.  The first lab had two chemical 
recycling vats and 30 microwaves.  The lab had an estimated 
peak capacity of 10 metric tons of cocaine HCL per month. 
The second lab had chemicals and equipment for processing 
and packaging cocaine HCL. 
 
LAW ENFORCEMTNT/ PUBLIC SECURITY 
-------------------------------- 
 
12. (SBU) Interdiction: Base defense and road interdiction 
assessments were conducted in Cucuta, in Norte de Santander 
Department, Santa Marta, in Magdalena Department, and 
Mariquita, in Tolima Department.  Base Defense enhancement 
projects are planned for these locations during FY05. 
 
13. (SBU) Road interdiction operations and re-training 
continued in Cucuta and Santa Marta.  On November 30, DIRAN 
police officers from Villavicencio seized 211 kilos of coca 
base at an interdiction checkpoint near Granada, Meta 
Department.  The coca base was being transported in the roof 
of a bus traveling from San Jose del Guaviare on roads that 
by-passed military checkpoints. 
 
14. (SBU) The 2005 Base Defense and Road Interdiction 
Training Plan was approved for implementation.  The plan 
includes base defense maintenance and upgrades as well as 
road interdiction equipment training. 
 
15. (SBU) Carabineros: During November the Narino Squadron 
supported manual eradication in Llorente, in Narino 
Department.  Carabinero squadrons continue to provide 
security to the major lines of communications in Colombia, 
support manual eradication efforts, and provide security in 
the conflicted zones. 
 
16. (SBU) In October, Carabinero Squadrons captured 35 
narcotraffickers and 68 guerrillas.  They seized 201 
weapons, 150 kgs of coca base, and 10.8 kgs of marijuana. In 
Narino Department, five Carabineros were wounded in a 
firefight with the FARC. 
 
PORT SECURITY AND THE CULTURE OF LAWFULNESS 
------------------------------------------- 
 
17. (SBU) Port Security: NAS and ICE will fund and contract 
for training of a polygraph unit for DIRAN's port security 
unit.  NAS visited seaports in Buenaventura and Santa Marta 
to assess interdiction efforts by the ports and DIRAN. 
DIRAN started constructing dog kennels in Santa Marta to 
enhance their canine interdiction efforts along the northern 
coast. 
 
18. (SBU) Culture of Lawfulness: NAS delivered previously 
donated equipment to Surgir, a drug prevention NGO in 
Medelln.  This equipment supports both demand reduction and 
assisted in developing a culture of lawfulness by enhancing 
their ability to train schoolteachers in teaching the 
dangers of drug use. 
 
 
19. (SBU) Budget levels for NAS's 2005 grant to the National 
Security Information Center (NSIC), which administers 
Culture of Lawfulness (COL) programs in Colombia, were 
completed.  This enabled the COL program to maintain its 
current programs in schools and begin development of a COL 
curriculum at the Colombian National Police's officer 
academy. 
 
Environment 
----------- 
 
20. (U) In November, the environmental office met with GOC 
officials to schedule consultations with leaders of 
indigenous tribes prior to spraying coca fields in tribal 
reservations.  The NAS staff toxicologist began teaching a 
two-week course at the University of Rosario, in Bogot, to 
Colombian physicians and other health professionals to aid 
in recognizing and treating chemical poisoning. 
 
WOOD