US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION1281

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASUNCION 001281 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR INL ABBY SMITH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, KCRM, PA 
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY'S 2005 THIRD QUARTER INL REPORT 
 
1.  (U) Summary: 
 
- QUARTERLY ACTIVITIES 
- PROGRAM DISCUSSION 
- QUARTRLY SENAD STATISTIC 
 
QUARTERLY ACTIVITIES - COUNTERNARCOTICS 
 
2. (U) On August 13, it was reported that retired police 
officer Zunilda Roig, her brother Jaime Ruben Roig Baez and 
12 other individuals were imprisoned after being arrested on 
August 9, when SENAD seized 336 Kilograms (KG) of Marijuana 
during raids on properties in Lambar, Villa Elisa, San 
Lorenzo and Capiata.  All 14 are suspected of being part of 
an international drug-trafficking organization. 
 
3. (U) On August 26, the Canine Unit detected and sized 7.3 
Kilograms (KG) of cocaine and detained Pedro Adrian Venero 
Murillo, a Mexican national, the cocaine with an estimated 
value of USD 51,018, was woven into the clothing and found in 
three (3) suitcases. SENAD believes the drugs were bound for 
the United States via Mexico. According to a news report on 
August 28, Colombian National, Julio Cesar Ramirez Gutierrez, 
was also detained in connection with Venero Murillio. 
 
4. (U) On September 27, during a routine inspection of TAM 
airlines at Asuncion International Airport, the National 
Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD) With the assistance and 
detection by a Canine Unit, arrested Cristian J. Galeano 
Oviedo for cocaine trafficking.  Oveiedo was captured with 2 
kilos of cocaine that were hidden in the compartments of 
Oviedo,s luggage.  According to SENAD agents the cocaine 
destination was Valencia, Spain.  The prosecutor in charge of 
this case is Gilda Villalba of the district of Luque. 
 
5. (U) On August 11, SENAD and Chilean law enforcement with 
the assistant of Bolivian authorities, conducted the first 
joint operations to capture members of an international drug 
ring as part of a controled delivery. Law enforcement 
officials in Santiago, Chile apprehended 13 suspects and 
seized two (2) tons of marijuana. SENAD arrested 11 in 
Asuncion and Colonel Oviedo, seizing 371 Kilograms (KG) of 
Marijuana in Coronel Oviedo and 337 in Asuncion. 
Additionally, SENAD seized four (4) vehicles and currency. 
This operation began in Santiago in June, when authorities 
learned of the truck hauling the drugs. The operation 
demonstrated excellent cooperation and strengthened 
intelligence sharing among Paraguay, Bolivia and Chile. 
 
6. (U) On July 12, During a raid one block away from the 
DCM's residence, SENAD captured Brazilian national, Luis 
Alberto Da Cunha, alias Barba, who was on on Brazil's Ten 
Most Wanted List. In cooperation with Brazilian National 
Police, SENAD seized weapons, cars, cellular telephones and 
false documents. Da Cunha was one of the largest drug 
traffickers in the country and is connected to Ivan Mesquita. 
Brazil is seeking extradition of Da Cunha. 
 
 
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) 
 
7. (U) On July 11, Paraguayan Ambassador to Argentina, 
Orlando Fiorotto, announced that two minors exploited in the 
sex trade would be returning to Paraguay soon. These young 
girls were among 33 women and children rescued in the suburbs 
of Buenos Aires. Two others were repatriated a week before, 
one of whom was pregnant. According to Eugenio Ambrosi from 
the International Organization of Migration (IOM),trafficking 
of children and women has increased by 27 percent in the last 
five years in Paraguay. 
 
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) 
 
8. (U) The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) 
announced that the INL-Funded IPR Enforcement Unit (UTE) had 
seized pirated CDs, DVDs, PlayStation 2 games as well as 
cases and labels with an estimated valued of $2 million USD. 
UTE coordinated the operation with prosecutors, Finance 
Ministry Officials and the National Police. Seven people were 
detained and arrest warrants were issued for two others. MIC 
Minister Raul Vera highlighted the operation as an evidence 
of government,s continued resolve to fight IPR violations. 
 
9. (SBU) On September 15, During a U.S. Treasury Department 
training Course, Col. Felix Cruz, the director of the 
Ministry of Industry and Commerce,s (MIC) INL-Funded 
Specialized Technical Unit (UTE) coordinated with prosecutors 
to arrest Customs official Luis Alberto Panza Benitez, a 
member of the Customs Verification and Technical Unit 
(UTAVE), on bribery charges. Panza is reportedly well 
connected to former Senator and Ambassador to Spain, Nelson 
Argana. A private sector dispatch agent who is a Colorado and 
ran for a governorship in the last election was also arrested 
as an accomplice to bribery. This success demonstrated that 
US-trained investigators and vetted units could make a 
dramatic difference. 
 
 
10. (U) Program Discussion: 
 
    a.  Demand Reduction 
 
The Prevention Program continues to reach hundreds of schools 
each month. The program is coordinated and directed by 
Esmelda Acosta Ortega and eight program assistants. It 
includes formal training, informal sessions, public seminars, 
teacher-instructor sessions and the dissemination of 
informative drug awareness materials. The drug awareness and 
prevention talks are given to children from fourth to 
eleventh grade. The last report records from September 2004 
to September 2005 show that in the central district alone the 
drug awareness program has reached a total of 44,710 students 
and formal training was provided to 1,068 schoolteachers. A 
total of 219 public educational institutions have been 
reached. 
 
    b.  Narcotics Detection Canine Program 
 
The canine program continues to enhance the overall efforts 
of SENAD,s drug interdiction program.  The program consists 
of a Coordinator, 12 guides and 12 canines, thanks to new a 
canine that was added to the program in late August. This 
should allow for enhanced efforts for specific operations. 
The canines continue to be used in the international Airport 
in Asuncion as well as checkpoints throughout the country, 
including Ciudad del Este on the Paraguayan-Brazilian Border, 
Mariscal Estigarribia and Pedro Juan Caballero 
Paraguayan-Brazilian Border. 
 
    C. Law Enforcement 
 
      1.Counter Narcotics 
 
The Government of Paraguay, through SENAD, has continued to 
make advancements in its drug enforcement activities, 
including the seizure of cocaine and marijuana and the 
destruction of marijuana crops. 
 
11.  (U) Training 
 
From September 12 to October 07, the U.S. Treasury 
Department,s Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) provided 
Basic Economic Crime Investigation training. This training 
aims to teach investigative techniques that apply to complex 
economic crime investigations in a variety of areas such as 
trademark, copyright, piracy, tax evasion, corruption and 
money laundering to select members of SENAD, SEPRELAD, the 
Finance Ministry, the Revenue Department and Customs. INL 
provided logistical and financial support. 
 
12.  (U) Miscellaneous Issues 
 
                                 Quarterly SENAD statistics 
 
                       1st        2nd       3rd       4th 
 
 
Cocaine                105.9 Kg  12.39 Kg  5.64 Kg     0 
Seized (kg) 
 
Marijuana 
Seized (kg)            25.601Kg   26,737 Kg  9,000Kg    0 
 
Marijuana 
Crops                  761 Ha      219 Ha   3000 Ha    0 
Destroyed 
 
Arrests 
(total)                 317         45       97        0 
 
- Cocaine                10         11       25        0 
- Marijuana 
(cultivation)            0           1       1         0 
 
- Marijuana              6           32      58        0 
 
- Counterfeit            0           0        0        0 
  Currency 
 
- Int'l Trafficking      1           0        0        0 
  Firearms 
 
- Trafficking            0           1        2        0 
  Narcotics 
 
- Illegal Entry          0           0        2        0 
 
- Money Laundering       0           0        9        0 
 
- Result of Investigation 
KEANE