US embassy cable - 05SANSALVADOR2635

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SAN SALVADOR 002635 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL 
STATE FOR PRM RAMGOOLIE 
DOJ FOR OPDAT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN, ELAB, PHUM, SNAR, KCRM, KJUS, ES, INL 
SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: INL MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT FOR 
AUGUST 2005 
 
REF: A. SAN SALVADOR 02475 
     B. SAN SALVADOR 02357 
 
1. (U) The following summarizes Embassy INL activities in 
August 2005.  Unless otherwise indicated, all statistics 
refer to the month of August 2005. 
 
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ILEA 
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2. (U) On September 2, the International Law Enforcement 
Academy (ILEA) concluded the presentation of its six-week 
core program that began on July 25.  Later that afternoon, 
DHS U/S Randy Beardsworth presented diplomas to the 36 ILEA 
participants.  (See Refel A).  The graduation ceremony was 
attended by Salvadoran, Embassy, and U.S.-based officials, as 
well as the Ambassadors from Colombia and the Dominican 
Republic.  Subsequent press coverage was accurate and 
positive.  ILEA desires to present one or two specialized 
courses in El Salvador by the end of the calendar year. 
 
3. (U) On August 19, INLOff escorted members of the human 
rights community (NGOs) on a tour of ILEA and the National 
Police Academy.  They were permitted to question the 
students, and one even took the opportunity to give a brief 
class on the history of human rights in El Salvador.  They 
later told INLOff that they saw nothing to indicate that ILEA 
offered instruction in counter-insurgency.  They indicated 
their interest in continued monitoring to ensure that ILEA 
remains true to its civilian character.  INLOff assured that 
continued monitoring would be welcomed. 
 
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NARCOTICS INTERDICTION 
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4. (U) Operations:  Officers of the Anti-Narcotics Police 
(DAN) at the INL-constructed vehicle inspection facility in 
El Amatillo inspected 585 cars, 700 passenger buses, and 290 
commercial freight trucks; no narcotics were found.  In all 
operations throughout the country, the INL-supported DAN 
seized 8.3 kilograms of marijuana and one kilogram of 
cocaine, and arrested 73 individuals for trafficking 
offenses. 
 
5. (U) Training/Donations:  INL purchased and donated 20 
computers and eight printers to the Joint Intelligence 
Counter-Narcotics Center for use in drug trafficking 
operations and analysis. 
 
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MONEY LAUNDERING 
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6. (U) Operations:  The INL-supported Financial 
Investigations Unit (FIU) received 34 Suspicious Activities 
Reports, opened eight new investigations, and identified and 
removed 211 false dollar-denominated bills from circulation. 
See Reftel B for the sole money laundering arrest made during 
the month. 
 
7. (U) Training:  INL sponsored the travel of the Director of 
the Office of Banking Regulation (SSF) and the lead 
prosecutor for the FIU to Buenos Aires to attend a 
Hemispheric Conference on Financial Crimes Investigations. 
 
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HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING AND TRANSIT SECURITY 
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8. (U) Operations:  The INL-supported Border Police 
(Fronteras) arrested 33 individuals for human smuggling and 3 
persons trafficking in August.  Police operations rescued 15 
minors in the process of being smuggled or trafficked.  No 
convictions for trafficking or smuggling were realized in 
August. 
 
9. (U) Training:  From August 16 to 18, INL hosted OPDAT 
regional Trafficking in Persons (TIP) training.  In 
attendance were prosecutors, police, and foreign ministry 
officers from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, 
and Costa Rica.  The training focused on best practices, 
international cooperation, and investigative techniques. 
(See Septel from OPDAT). 
 
10. (U) On August 25, INLOff met with Norberto Giron of the 
International Migration Organization (IMO) to discuss 
establishing a TIP shelter in El Salvador.  In 2002, IMO 
received a grant from State PRM to establish a yet unrealized 
TIP shelter.  Giron agreed to pool resources with Post INL to 
make the TIP shelter a reality.  We are currently working 
with the GOES to find a suitable location.  (Septel). 
 
11. (U) Travel:  INL sponsored the travel of three police 
officers, one immigration official, and one prosecutor to 
participate in trafficking in persons training in Costa Rica. 
 
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ORGANIZED CRIME, RULE OF LAW, AND DEMAND REDUCTION 
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12. (U) Organized Crime:  In August, the PNC arrested 1,201 
individuals for gang-related criminal activity.  Of these 
arrests, 20 percent of the cases were dismissed for lack of 
evidence, 65 percent are incarcerated awaiting trial, and 15 
percent were assigned alternative sentencing (community 
service).  60 gang members were killed due to gang-related 
violence. 
 
13. (U) The NGO FundaSalva administered 67 tattoo removal 
sessions in August with the INL-donated laser tattoo removal 
machine.  Presently, there are 342 ex-gang members receiving 
free tattoo removal treatments with this machine. 
Butler