Cablegate: Opening of New Police Base at Palma Pampa

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LIMA 005031

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR INL, WHA; ONDCP FOR GETTINGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT PE PREL SNAR
SUBJECT: OPENING OF NEW POLICE BASE AT PALMA PAMPA

REF: LIMA 4784

1. Summary: The new NAS-sponsored police base at Palma
Pampa was inaugurated November 16, although airborne
interdiction operations began in July. The base is in the
heart of the Apurimac/Ene Valley (VRAE) that is one of the
main source zones for coca cultivation -- around 14,000
hectares -- and cocaine production in Peru. The VRAE has
become an increasingly hostile environment for alternative
development in terms of both program potential and security.
In the past 4 months, police operations from the new base
have resulted in the destruction of over 400 cocaine base
laboratories, over 150 tons of essential chemicals, and over
800 tons of coca leaf. The disruption has scared off buyers
and reduced the price of leaf by half. Community support
programs will also be run out of the base as part of an
outreach effort to the hostile local community. End Summary.

----------------------------------
OPENING OF PALMA PAMPA POLICE BASE
----------------------------------
2. (SBU) On November 16, NAS Director Keogh joined PNP
Deputy Director General Vizcarra, Director of DIRANDRO Olivo
and other Peruvian Government officials for the formal
inauguration of a modern police base in Palma Pampa. Palma
Pampa is a remote village located in the heart of the
Apurimac/Ene valley (VRAE) in Southern Peru. The VRAE is one
of the major source zones for coca leaf in Peru, used to
cultivate approximately 14,000 hectares of coca annually of
the roughly 50,000 hectares under cultivation in Peru. While
the VRAE has rich agricultural land and a variety of crops,
in recent years the trend has been toward mono-cultivation of
coca and other illegal activities including logging. The
zone has become a cocalero stronghold. Reftel describes how
the area has become increasingly dangerous for legitimate
activity, including alternative development, as
narcotraffickers linked to subversive groups (Sendero
Luminoso) rule in the absence of state security.

3. (U) The NAS-sponsored police base project was developed,
designed and built over a two-and-a-half year time frame at a
cost of about 3.2 million USD, that includes helipads and
perimeter security. The construction services were provided
through the use of GSA, who contracted with US and local
sub-contractors. Initial airborne operations began in July,
prior to the inauguration.

4. (U) The purpose of building this secure base in one of
Peru's most notorious no-go zones is to reestablish police
presence and to change the climate of impunity. DIRANDRO
will for the first time be capable of maintaining long-term
interdiction operations in the VRAE. Newly graduated police
from the PNP/NAS Basic Training Academies have brought the
staffing of Palma Pampa, that previously had a small,
insecure police station, from 13 to 60 officers. These
police are trained and equipped to carry out operations in
remote areas. We anticipate that this base will serve as the
staging area for inderdiction of narcotics throughout the
Apurimac/Ene valley.

--------------------------------------------- --------------
INTERDICTION STRATEGY DISRUPTS PRODUCTION AND LOWERS PRICES
--------------------------------------------- --------------
5. (SBU) Eradication operations in the VRAE in the immediate
future are not feasible due to the civil unrest that such
action would precipitate, particularly in the run-up to
national elections next year. To disrupt cocaine production
and to lower the price of leaf, the police are implementing a
new interdiction strategy, capitalizing on the strategic
location of Palma Pampa and their increased presence there.
The goal is to reduce and maintain the price of coca leaf at
a low enough level to encourage communities of farmers to
voluntarily eradicate on order to receive support in
developing licit activities. Interdiction operations from
the Palma Pampa base in the last 4 months have resulted in
the destruction of 431 cocaine base laboratories, 152 tons of
precursor chemicals, and 872 tons of coca leaf. These
disruptive efforts, combined with interdiction of chemicals
and drugs by a recently established DIRANDRO Mobile Road
Group, have resulted in a 50 percent drop in the price of
coca leaf from 120 soles (36 USD) per arroba (11 and a half
kilos) to 60 soles as buyers are scared off. The price of
essential chemicals has tripled.

6. (SBU) Rolling interdiction operations are now the norm:
when there are signs that the price of leaf is rising, the
helicopters go out to disrupt and destroy drug-trafficking
activities. We are working to achieve a further reduction of
prices. (Note: In 1995, the price of coca leaf in Peru fell
to below 25 soles per arroba - one of the key factors in the
abandonment of fields. End Note). NAS is also working with
DIRANDRO to control river traffic. The FLIR-equipped C-26
aircraft recently handed over to the FAP will conduct night
time reconnaissance flights over the VRAE to locate cocaine
HCL laboratories.

-----------------------------
REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY
-----------------------------
7. The base has to be entirely self sufficient as the local
community remains hostile. NAS guardians report the
townsfolk will not even sell them water. To break down this
hostility, the old PNP base at Palma Pampa, located adjacent
to the new base, will be rehabilitated to initiate community
support programs designed to establish closer
police-community relations. A pre-Police Basic Training
Academy educational program is in the works to better prepare
local candidates to pass the entrance exams. Also planned is
a radio station that would include messages in support of
strategy goals among its programming. A health aid station,
staffed by police medics, will provide medical care to the
community.
STRUBLE

© Scoop Media