US embassy cable - 05LIMA2451

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LIMA 002451 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR CA/FPP, CA/EX, WHA/AND 
MEXICO FOR DHS 
DHS FOR CAO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFRD, CVIS, KCRM, ASEC, CMGT, CJAN, PE 
SUBJECT:  NEW PERUVIAN NATIONAL AIRPORT POLICE DIVISION 
 
Ref:  Lima 1543 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
1. (SBU) Post's Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) continues to 
actively engage with Peruvian officials to rout out 
corruption among the ranks of more than seven different 
police units operating at Lima's Jorge Chavez International 
Airport (JCIA).  These discussions led to the idea of one, 
overall division with responsibility for all security- 
related functions at the airport.  After months of 
coordination and negotiations, on April 22, 2005 the 
Interior Minister issued Ministerial Resolution # 0960-2005- 
IN/PNP creating the special Airport Police Division to 
centralize law enforcement at all international airports in 
Peru.  The first airport where the new Division will operate 
is Lima's Jorge Chavez.  Although the resolution has been 
signed and President Toledo supports the creation and 
installation of this Division, the selection of officers and 
location in which to house them as well as identification of 
funding, is ongoing.  End summary. 
 
Background 
---------- 
2. (SBU) For decades, Lima's International Airport Jorge 
Chavez had been administrated by a public institution, 
CORPAC.  Numerous interceptions of mala fide travelers at 
the airport and follow-on investigations demonstrated that 
the airport was ripe for corruption.  Alien smuggling and 
visa rings used the airport as a transit point for illegal 
immigration to the U.S. and Europe.  With cooperation from 
corrupt police and immigration officials, criminal 
organizations had easy access to restricted areas at the 
airport.  Mafias and official corruption had historically co- 
existed with smugglers of Chinese and Cuban travelers along 
with the smuggling of children and women via the Lima 
airport. 
 
3. (SBU) On February 14, 2001, Lima International Airport 
Jorge Chavez was privatized.  The new Lima Airport Partners 
[(LAP)- a consortium made up of Frankfurt Airport Co., 
Bechtel and Cosapi] invested USD180 million in a concession 
that they will hold for the next 30 years.  LAP has worked 
tirelessly to modernize the airport and improve security 
controls and customer service.  However, the airport still 
lacked a reputable law enforcement presence. 
 
4. (U) Consular officers routinely conduct airport spot 
checks, checking with counter personnel and airline pre- 
screeners.  FPU has trained most of the airline personnel 
extensively, with emphasis on recognition of fake documents, 
washed visas, and identity theft.  Our periodic presence at 
the airport serves to reinforce that training and allows 
airline officials to ask questions and share trend 
information.  In October 2003, at FPU's suggestion, the 
Peruvian Attorney General issued a resolution assigning two 
prosecutors to the airport to combat document fraud as well 
as alien smuggling.  The presence of these prosecutors has 
assisted in arresting and prosecuting malafide travelers 
attempting to board with fake visas, using false identities, 
and through other fraud-related efforts. 
 
New Airport Police Division 
--------------------------- 
5. (SBU) Since November 2004, FPU has been working closely 
with the Peruvian National Police (PNP) to create a new 
Airport Police Division that would operate under one 
command.  This division would gradually replace the seven 
different airport police units currently operating at Jorge 
Chavez.  FPU along with RSO, DHS, DEA and other Embassy 
agencies have attended several meetings with staff from the 
Peruvian Ministry of Interior and Peruvian Police 
Headquarters to push for its creation.  The project was 
driven by two Peruvian National Police (PNP) officers, with 
Post's senior FPI assisting by providing technical legal 
assistance.  The new Airport Police Division will be a more 
specialized and reliable police force, made up of vetted 
officers.  It will operate under one command at the airport, 
headed by PNP Col. Oswaldo HURTADO Caceres.  The Minister of 
Interior, Dr. Felix Murazzo, and PNP Director, General Marco 
Miyashiro, approved the project and Peruvian President 
Alejandro has come out in the press in support of the new 
Division.  The Embassy has supported the appointment of Col. 
Hurtado.  He is well and favorably known to us, having 
worked with a variety of Embassy offices and agencies for 
the last 15 years. 
 
6. (SBU) At a May 3, 2005 meeting at the Embassy, officers 
from the PNP, the Ministry of Interior and LAP established 
working groups to implement the project, with DEA 
spearheading the negotiations for the construction of office 
space, selection and training of officers, and security 
groups. 
 
7. (SBU) Comment:  Work on the project continues, as the 
Ministry tries to locate financial support.  Post firmly 
believes that the new Division will be successfully 
established in the course of the next year.  We will 
continue to report on developments in establishing the 
Division and we will continue our efforts with airline and 
airport officials to combat alien smuggling and document 
fraud.  End comment. 
 
Struble