US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA2483

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 002483 
 
SIPDIS 
 
JUSTICE FOR OIA, AFMLS, AND NDDS 
TREASURY FOR FINCEN 
DEA FOR OILS AND OFFICE OF DIVERSION CONTROL 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, HO 
SUBJECT: HONDURAS MINI DUBLIN REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 209560 
 
1. Status:   Honduras still remains as one of Central 
America's transient countries for drugs, weapons, and 
other illegal contraband transshipments. The DEA Honduran 
Vetted Unit has successfully disrupted and dismantled 
entrenched drug trafficking organizations moving large 
quantities of cocaine and heroin to the United States. 
They have also been effective in the collection of drug 
intelligence information relevant to International 
Trafficking organizations. Other USG initiatives include 
strengthening the police and prosecutors through training 
and support of interdiction operations. 
 
2. With regard to ongoing assistance programs, 
participants offered the following: 
 
Taiwan: In 2005, Taiwan donated a total of 59 assorted 
vehicles to the GOH Ministry of Public Security in support 
of the various National Police Units. The donated 
equipment is valued at approximately one million dollars. 
Taiwan also offers law enforcement training to various 
members of the GOH National Police. 
 
Spain: The Spanish government has provided support to the 
GOH National Police consisting of technical assistance and 
training in the amounts of one hundred and sixty thousand 
dollars along with the donation of computers and equipment 
valued at six thousand Euros. An amount of nineteen 
thousand dollars was donated to the National Police 
Training Academy to assist in the construction of an 
education facility. 
 
United States: During the period of 2003 thru 2005, the 
U.S. State Department Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) has 
provided law enforcement training, technical assistance, 
and donated equipment to assist in counter narcotics 
efforts to Honduras in the amount of almost two million 
dollars. 
 
Countries offering assistance in various law enforcement 
and judicial training topics include El Salvador, 
Guatemala, Mexico, Japan, Germany, Nicaragua, and 
Colombia. 
 
3. Major recent anti-drug success by DEA and the GOH 
Vetted Unit include the first bilateral court authorized 
telephone intercept investigation in Central America. This 
first-ever operation contributed directly to the arrest of 
top narcotics dealers and enough evidence to put a major 
International drug ring out of commission, thereby 
dismantling major drug trafficking operations which 
operated in Honduras for several years.  Millions of 
dollars in cash and assets were also recovered as a result 
of other drug investigations and operations as conducted 
by DEA, the Vetted Unit, and Frontier Police forces. 
 
4. The GOH counter-narcotics Vetted Unit has been 
instrumental in the ongoing fight against shipment of 
drugs as exemplified by the following list of 
accomplishments to date. The figures represent 23% of 
drugs seized in Honduras over the past three years. 
-Dec. 2002, $460,000.00 cash seizure from a vessel used 
for illegal drug shipments, 
-July 2003, 22 kilos of cocaine and 1 kilo of heroin 
seized in Miami, shipped from Honduras, 
-July 2003, 432 kilos of cocaine seized in Honduras, 
-Sept. 2003, 13 kilos of heroin seized in El Paraiso, 
Honduras, 
-October 2003, 14 kilos of cocaine seized off a shipping 
vessel, 
-June 2004, 1,460 kilos of cocaine seized in Baja Mar, 
Honduras, 
-March 2004, 25 kilos of cocaine seized in Tegucigalpa, 
Honduras, 
-Sept. 2005, 9 kilos of cocaine seized in La Entrada, 
Honduras. 
 
5. The Honduran National Police, thru various land, sea, 
and air interdiction operations, have confiscated a total 
of 8411.83 kilograms of cocaine from 2003 to the present. 
These figures were supplied by the GOH National 
Intelligence Unit known as CEINCO. Along with these 
effective initiatives, the GOH continues engaged in 
active joint police and military counter narcotics 
interdiction operations. In March 2005, the U.S. Coast 
Guard vessel Gentian conducted a maritime training 
exercise known as "Round Up".  This first time training 
exercise consisted of several Central American countries 
such as Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and 
Nicaragua as participants. Training included maritime anti- 
narcotics ship boarding and search exercises. Among other 
exercises, the countries participating conducted joint 
drug interdiction and communications exercises. The "Round 
Up" event was a major success and future similar training 
activities are being coordinated for the near future. The 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Special Ops 
BORTAC Team continues to provide technical assistance, 
training, and limited logistical support to the GOH 
Frontier Police in border security and drug smuggling 
check point operations as well. 
 
6.The new proposed draft of the Government of Honduras 
counter narcotics law has yet to be reviewed or approved 
by the Congress, due to the current elections which took 
place in Honduras in November 2005. This law would 
significantly expand the authority of law enforcement 
agencies to initiate undercover and other covert 
operations. It is expected that the Congress will review 
and pass the proposed law after the elections.  These 
counter narcotics laws and revisions in the new Code of 
Criminal Procedures will greatly enhance law enforcement 
and drug prosecution efforts within the country of 
Honduras. 
 
7. There is currently an anti-corruption effort within the 
GOH National Police and Public Ministry Special 
Investigative Units which is applying the use of polygraph 
testing to directly address issues of internal security 
issues within these elite units. Members which do not 
successfully pass these tests will be re-assigned to other 
non-sensitive and critical entities to ensure 
confidentially in the investigations of counter narcotics 
 
SIPDIS 
and other major crimes involving organized criminal 
organizations. According to DEA information, there is no 
rise in synthetic drug usage or production of synthetic 
drugs in Honduras at present and no new synthetic drug 
transport routes or methods have been noted. It is 
generally agreed that cocaine use is rising in Honduras 
and gangs are controlling the dispersing rings. USAID 
offers training to all prosecutors of the GOH Public 
Ministry along with some judges involved in the 
prosecution of various crimes. Specialized training is 
also provided to units involved in the prosecution of 
crimes in the areas of Anti-corruption and Organized 
Crime. 
 
8. The USG still continues to be the major donor in 
providing training and technical assistance to the GOH, 
particularly the Public Ministry and National Police, to 
include the Frontier Police and other special 
Investigative Units operating under the Ministry of Public 
Security. Basic and Advanced Drug training courses, along 
with Money Laundering training, is being offered to the 
GOH in an effort to strengthen counter narcotics 
investigations and prosecutions. Demand reduction efforts 
by the U.S. include supporting and funding an NGO umbrella 
organization which serves to support over seventy drug 
demand reduction programs within the country of Honduras. 
 
 
9. Recommendations: (1) Expand the limited funding and 
resources to both the USG military and law enforcement 
entities involved with the GOH in combined counter 
narcotics operations and training activities.(2) Provide 
logistical support to the Honduran counter narcotics units 
such as air, sea, and land equipment and resources to 
assist in stemming the flow of illegal drugs, contraband, 
and other illicit organized criminal activities. (3) 
Continued support to the Organized Crime Unit of the GOH 
Public Ministry which has had numerous recent successes in 
the investigation of drug trafficking. 
 
FORD