INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Nas Brazil Activity Report, November 2007

Published: Mon 10 Dec 2007 01:06 PM
VZCZCXRO7761
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #2244/01 3441306
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101306Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0604
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6438
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 4402
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 5157
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3891
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ 5795
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 7128
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 2358
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0031
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 7469
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 5540
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 1290
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHOND/DIR ONDCP WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 002244
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR INL, WHA/BSC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR EAID KCRM PREL BR
SUBJECT: NAS BRAZIL ACTIVITY REPORT, NOVEMBER 2007
Sensitive but unclassified -- please protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Thanks to ongoing NAS support, the Brazilian
Federal Police (DPF), with operational assistance from DEA Brazil,
culminated operation "Fenix" an investigation that made significant
progress toward dismantling a major drug trafficking organization
run by Luis Fernando da Costa, a notorious and violent criminal who
controls the most dangerous areas of Rio de Janeiro. The DPF served
34 search warrants in four Brazilian states, seized financial
documents, drugs, cash and other assets, and arrested eleven people
-- including da Costa's wife -- on charges of money laundering and
trafficking in illicit narcotics and arms. To date, our support has
assisted DPF agents to seize assets estimated to be worth US$ 7.5
million, and arrest 29 suspects for drug trafficking. On the demand
reduction front, NAS attended a general assembly for "Amor Exigente"
-- an international behavior modification and drug demand reduction
program modeled after "Tough Love" in the United States. Amor
Exigente is looking for continued INL financial and technical
support as it embarks on an ambitious expansion project in Northern
Brazil. END SUMMARY.
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DISMANTLING THE BEIRA MAR DRUG ORGANIZATION
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2. (SBU) On November 22, 2007, the Brazilian Federal Police (DPF)
Special Investigation Unit (SIU) based in Rio de Janeiro culminated
a year and a half investigation, dubbed "Operation Fenix", of one of
the major drug trafficking organizations in Brazil headed by Luis
Fernando da Costa, alias Fernandinho Beira-Mar, a notorious and
violent criminal who controls the most dangerous areas of Rio de
Janeiro. Da Costa, who previously was indicted in the United States
for violation of U.S. Federal drug laws, has been in a Brazilian
prison since 2000 on drug and homicide charges, but has continued to
control and manage his criminal organization through visitors such
as his wife and his attorney. Nearly 300 Federal Police agents
served 34 search warrants in four Brazilian states, seized financial
documents, drugs, cash and other assets, and arrested eleven people
-- including da Costa's wife -- on charges of money laundering and
trafficking in illicit narcotics and arms. Brazilian authorities
have provided arrests warrants for eight other suspects currently in
Paraguay and also requested Paraguayan authorities to seize a farm
with livestock estimated to be worth US$ 2.5 million.
3. (SBU) The investigation revealed that that Da Costa's
organization was operating in Bolivia and Paraguay, smuggling arms,
cocaine, and marijuana into Brazil. Da Costa's wife, Jacqueline
Alcantara de Morais, passed as controller and supervisor of ordering
drugs, negotiating with suppliers in various neighboring countries,
opening numerous bank accounts in Brazil, and incorporating many
"shell" companies used for money laundering. She also conducted
negotiations with contacts in Colombia and Venezuela.
4. (SBU) Since February 2006, thanks in major part to ongoing NAS
and DEA support, Federal Police agents have been able to seize
assets -- 750 kilograms of cocaine, 3.3 tons of marijuana, four (4)
tons of ammunition, 20 vehicles, and one aircraft -- estimated to be
worth US$ 7.5 million, and arrest 29 suspects for drug trafficking.
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DEMAND REDUCTION: TOUGH LOVE IN BRAZIL
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5. (U) NAS Director and the Program Assistant for demand reduction
attended a general assembly on November 30 for "Amor Exigente" held
at their headquarters, in Campinas, state of Sao Paulo.
Approximately one hundred people attended, representing virtually
every state in Brazil, as well as several international participants
from Argentina and Uruguay. (Note: Amor Exigente, or AE, as it is
known locally, is the Brazilian version of the "Tough Love" behavior
modification and drug demand reduction program that exists in the
United States. End note.) Amor Exigente seeks to establish its
presence in nine states in Northern Brazil, where the program is
nearly non-existent, by May 2010 through a campaign it has dubbed
"Project Amazonas."
BRASILIA 00002244 002 OF 002
6. (U) INL provided funding for several representatives from the
Community Anti-drug Coalition of America (CADCA), including the
Director for International Programs, to participate in this
train-the-trainer Amor Exigente assembly. INL is currently working
with CADCA to implement community coalitions in countries in South
and Central America, and the CADCA representatives provided a
well-received briefing on best practices in forming and developing
community coalitions. Amor Exigente is hoping to build on
partnerships with NAS, INL, and others to strengthen their drug
prevention network.
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STATISTICS ON SEIZURES AND ARRESTS
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7. (U) The following information on drug seizures and arrests,
provided by the Brazilian Federal Police, represents activity from
January 1 - December 7, 2007, and is in kilograms, unless otherwise
noted.
Current 2007 totals
Marijuana 168,674
Cocaine 15,200
Crack 560
Cocaine base 1,240
Heroin 10
Hashish 16
Ecstasy (units) 157,523
Arrests (total) 2,021
CHICOLA
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