

Currently released so far... 6230 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Amsterdam
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Browse by tag
ASEC
AF
AE
AR
AORC
AJ
AU
AM
ABLD
AL
AMGT
ASUP
AFIN
APER
ABUD
AVERY
APCS
AEMR
ADCO
APECO
ASIG
AG
AA
AS
AFFAIRS
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AMED
AO
ACOA
AX
AROC
ATFN
ASEAN
AFGHANISTAN
AFU
AER
ALOW
AODE
ATRN
AID
AC
AGMT
CH
CO
CS
CE
CU
CLINTON
CG
CVIS
CMGT
CI
CJAN
CF
COM
CASC
CA
CBW
CM
CDG
CR
COUNTER
CD
CWC
CKGR
CN
CPAS
CJUS
CV
CONS
CT
CY
COUNTERTERRORISM
CIA
CACM
CDB
CAN
COE
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CACS
CONDOLEEZZA
CARSON
CL
CIS
CODEL
CTM
CB
ECON
EFIN
EAIR
EUN
EINV
ENRG
EG
ETRD
EPET
ETTC
ELAB
EU
ER
ET
EAGR
ECPS
ECIN
ELTN
EAID
EMIN
EWWT
EFIS
EIND
EC
ES
EN
EI
ENVR
ENGR
ENIV
EUNCH
ENVI
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ELN
EZ
EXTERNAL
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EINT
EUR
ECINECONCS
ENNP
EFINECONCS
EK
ELECTIONS
ECUN
EINVEFIN
ECIP
EINDETRD
EUC
EREL
ECA
ENERG
ENGY
ETRO
EFTA
ECONCS
ECONOMICS
ECONEFIN
EINVETC
EINN
ESA
ETC
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ESENV
ETRDECONWTOCS
IN
IC
IR
IZ
IS
IAEA
IT
ICTY
IO
IA
IWC
ID
ICRC
ILC
INTELSAT
IMO
ISRAELI
IACI
ILO
ITRA
IBRD
IMF
ICJ
ICAO
ITALY
ITALIAN
IRAQI
INTERPOL
IV
IQ
IPR
INRB
ITPHUM
IIP
IL
INR
ITPGOV
IZPREL
IRC
INRA
INRO
IRAJ
IEFIN
IF
KDEM
KCRM
KJUS
KTIA
KWBG
KPAL
KIPR
KTIP
KE
KNNP
KGHG
KICC
KV
KTFN
KU
KCFE
KDRG
KWMN
KSCA
KGIC
KCOR
KFRD
KPKO
KSUM
KPRP
KPAO
KBCT
KIRF
KCFC
KISL
KREC
KSPR
KHIV
KBIO
KMCA
KMPI
KFLU
KSTH
KBTR
KS
KOMC
KOMS
KSEP
KPRV
KFLO
KHLS
KN
KWWMN
KUNR
KLIG
KSTC
KZ
KG
KRAD
KOLY
KTBT
KTDB
KOCI
KAWK
KCIP
KNPP
KWAC
KMDR
KAWC
KIDE
KSAF
KX
KWMNCS
KNEI
KCRS
KVPR
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KACT
KO
KFSC
KR
KPWR
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KFIN
KGCC
KPIN
KPLS
KIRC
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KGIT
KBTS
KERG
KWMM
KRVC
KNSD
KVIR
KNUP
KTER
KDDG
KHSA
KMRS
KHDP
KTLA
KPAK
KNAR
KREL
KPAI
KTEX
KCOM
KNNPMNUC
KPOA
KRFD
KHUM
KDEV
KNUC
MOPS
MARR
MASS
MNUC
MO
MX
MCAP
ML
MTCRE
MR
MP
MY
MU
MIL
MAR
MC
MRCRE
MTRE
MA
MEPI
MV
MPOS
MD
MZ
MEPP
MOPPS
MAPP
MASC
MT
MERCOSUR
MK
MDC
MI
MAPS
MCC
MASSMNUC
MQADHAFI
MUCN
MTCR
MG
OREP
OVIP
OFDP
ODIP
OPDC
OAS
OTRA
OSCE
OECD
OIIP
OEXC
OPCW
OPIC
OPRC
OVP
OSCI
OTR
OSAC
OIC
OFFICIALS
OIE
PHUM
PREL
PGOV
PREF
PTER
PARM
PBTS
PINR
PINS
PHSA
PK
POL
PM
PINT
PE
PINF
PEL
PA
PARMS
PO
PLN
PROP
PALESTINIAN
PAO
PL
POV
PG
POLITICS
PEPR
PSI
PSOE
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PBIO
PECON
PAK
POGOV
PINL
PKFK
PMIL
PY
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PRAM
PMAR
PGOVLO
PUNE
PORG
PHUMPREL
PF
POLINT
PHUS
PGOC
PNR
PGGV
PNAT
PGOVE
PRGOV
PRL
PROV
PTERE
PGOF
PHUMBA
SENV
SY
SZ
SOCI
SO
SR
SNAR
SA
SP
SW
SMIG
SU
SCUL
SC
SAN
SN
SL
SG
SYR
SEVN
SF
SI
STEINBERG
SIPRS
SH
SNARCS
SOFA
SANC
SHUM
SK
ST
TRGY
TU
TBIO
TH
TS
TSPL
TT
TPHY
TSPA
TI
TK
TIP
TERRORISM
TZ
TX
TW
TD
TP
TC
TO
TNGD
TINT
TRSY
TR
TFIN
TURKEY
UK
UNGA
UN
UNHRC
UNMIK
UNO
UZ
UNSC
UP
UG
UNHCR
UNDC
US
UNAUS
USTR
UV
UNEP
UY
UNESCO
USUN
UAE
USEU
UNDP
UNCHS
UNVIE
UNCHC
UE
UNDESCO
USAID
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 08ACCRA1005, GHANA-- UPDATE ON COUNTER-NARCOTICS ACTIVITIES
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08ACCRA1005.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
08ACCRA1005 | 2008-08-05 16:04 | 2010-12-14 21:09 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Accra |
VZCZCXRO3952
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHAR #1005/01 2181608
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 051608Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6833
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001005
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/W, INL FOR JOHN LYLE
EO 12958 DECL: 07/30/2028
TAGS PINR, PGOV, PREL, SNAR, GH
SUBJECT: GHANA-- UPDATE ON COUNTER-NARCOTICS ACTIVITIES
Classified By: Charge d’Affaires Sue K. Brown for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d)
¶1. (U) Summary: The construction of an AFRICOM funded airport interdiction facility moved a step closer on July 29 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Charge Sue K Brown and Ghana Narcotics Board Executive Secretary Ben Botwe. Five convicted cocaine traffickers received long prison sentences. Officials from western embassies participated in a “mini-Dublin” session to discuss narcotics interdiction efforts.
MOU Signed for Airpor Facility;
--------------------------
¶2. (U) CDA Sue K. Brown and Ghana Narcotics Board (NACOB) Executive Secretary Benjamin Botwe July 29 signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a $75,000 airport interdiction facility. The AFRICOM funded facility, to be located at Kotoka International Airport, will provide a climate controlled space to house sensitive equipment used in drug detection. (Note: Two USG purchased itemizers, capable of detecting drug residue, are currently not functioning. The machines do not operate well in non-air conditioned spaces. End Note.) Executive Secretary Botwe used the event to lobby for an x-ray machine for airport interdiction efforts against “swallowers” who ingest pellets of cocaine. (Note: Post is working with INL and AFRICOM to obtain an x-ray machine for the airport and to support maintenance of the itemizers. End Note.)
NACOB Officials Talk Shop
----------------------------
¶3. (SBU) Following the signing, POLOFF, OSC Chief,IO and LES Political Specialist met with Botwe and top NACOB officials for a discussion on the state of the Narcotics Board. Botwe, who was appointed Secretary on an interim basis last year, told POLOFF that he was negotiating his return to his permanent position as Deputy Chief Executive of the Ghana Food and Drugs Board. (Note: A source at NACOB told EMBOFF that Botwe’s successor has been selected and an announcement could be made soon.) Botwe lamented NACOB’s position as a subordinate agency within the Ministry of Interior. He said that its status made it difficult to deal authoritatively with other Ministries and the Police Service, as NACOB needed to work within a chain of command that slowed operations and diverted resources. Botwe believes the Board needs independent status, such as an agency within the Office of the President. He added that any progress on an independent status for NACOB would need to wait until after the elections. Botwe noted that NACOB had grown significantly under his time as Executive Secretary, and its 150 member staff was projected to reach five hundred by 2010.
4.(SBU). POLOFF asked Botwe about the planned Africa Partnership Station, a US Navy maritime security program. The NACOB head said that he hoped his agency could participate in the training, nad added that participation would serve as an opportunity for the NACOB to enter into talks with the Ghana Armed Forces (and in particular the navy) on inter-agency cooperation, which is currently limited.
5.SBU) POLOFF asked Botwe about the recent seizure of a large shipment of cocaine that originated in Guinea. The shipment was stopped outside of Accra by police, but other than the three individuals in the vehicle, no arrests have been made. Botwe and his officials agreed that more patience in conducting investigations was needed in order to arrest those higher up in trafficking circles. He cited the need for better cooperation among Ghanaian law enforcement organizations.
Cocaine Traffickers Receive Long Sentences
------------------------------------------
¶5. (U) A Ghanaian court sentenced five traffickers each to twenty-five year prison terms. The five, involved in the MV Benjamin cocaine case, attempted in 2006 to land 2,300 kilograms of cocaine to Ghana. (Note: Some of the confiscated product later disappeared, mysteriously, from the Ghana Police Service’s secured evidence storage facility. End Note). The five included three Ghanaians and two Chinese; a South Korean originally indicted was found not-guilty. The trial judge, Justice Anin Yeboah, said that the harm caused
ACCRA 00001005 002 OF 002
to the country by the rise in narcotic trafficking made it imperative for the court to issue lengthy sentences as a deterrent.
Accra Mini-Dublin Meeting Held April 24
---------------------------------------
¶6. (SBU) POLOFF attended the April 24 Mini-Dublin session. Representatives from the UK, French, Canada, the EU, Dutch and other western missions participate regularly in the committee. The French DCM reported that her Mission had arranged for a year’s supply of drug test kits to be provided to Ghanaian authorities. The Ghanaians had allowed their inventory of kits to run out, requiring a last minute rush to obtain new kits. The UK representatives said that SOCA (Serious Organized Crime Agency) was increasing its presence in West Africa and will be posting in September or October a liaison officer in Accra. A Royal Navy vessel (HMS Endurance) will visit Ghana approximately August 20 as part of a maritime security program. The leader of the UK Project Westbridge (which conducts drug interdiction operations with NACOB at Ghana’s international airport) described a training package available through the UN, currently used in Nigeria. He has held discussions with NACOB officials about using the modules in Ghana, and possibly expanding training to drug officials from other West African countries. The EU representative said that a team of narcotics experts were in West Africa. POLOFF told attendees that the DEA’s plans to open an Accra office later this year were still on schedule.
¶7. (C) The French embassy official expressed concern over Ghanaian traffickers increasing use of Lome as a trans-shipment point for narcotics to France, via the regular Air France flights. The UK official who directs Project Westbridge described recent operations, which have included six seizures in the past month. He has observed NACOB agents at the airport (particularly Ghana Police Service officers on loan to NACOB) directing passengers away from flights receiving extra interdiction scrutiny. On one occasion, he returned unexpectedly to the airport at 4 a.m. to screen a flight. An arrested trafficker told the UK official that the trafficker had been told that Westbridge was not operating that night. A test by Westbridge officials of the cell phone SIM card of a trafficker found the phone numbers of senior NACOB officials. The UK official lamented that Ghanaian authorities return to arrested traffickers their EU identity cards, which allow entry and residence in the EU. He noted that depriving traffickers of their EU permits “hurts them worse than prison.”
¶8. (C) Comment. The Project Westbridge team’s concerns over the integrity of NACOB personnel at the airport are neither new nor surprising. Nor is the concern limited to the NACOB-- the MV Benjamin’s missing cocaine from the Police Service evidence room shows that corruption is an issue throughout Ghana’s counter-narcotics program. The ease of fast money in the narcotics trade is a powerful incentive for corruption. Until the authorities expand beyond interdiction, to arresting middlemen and the so-called drug barons, it is difficult to see how the drug problem will be controlled. Initiatives such as the airport facility, x-ray machine and Project Westbridge are important and should be supported, but are not sufficient alone. End Comment. BROWN