

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 06SANJOSE2671, COSTA RICA MINI-DUBLIN GROUP REPORT
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. #06SANJOSE2671.
VZCZCXYZ0006
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSJ #2671/01 3281336
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241336Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6727
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SAN JOSE 002671
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR INL/PC MCKECHNIE AND INL/LP MARTIN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL KCRM CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA MINI-DUBLIN GROUP REPORT
REF: STATE 179116
¶1. Summary: Post convened a mini-Dublin Group meeting on
November 17, 2006 with representatives of the embassies of
Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the
Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The U.S.
counternarcotics program remains the largest among Dublin
Group members in Costa Rica. End Summary.
Drug Situation and Policy Initiatives
-------------------------------------
¶2. Costa Rica continues to serve as a transit point for
illegal narcotics destined for the United States and Europe
from production sites in South America. Costa Rica's
geographic position astride important sea routes, its large
maritime area (10 times larger that its land mass), and its
short distance from Colombia combine to make the country a
convenient logistics platform for trafficking organizations
moving narcotics, primarily to the United States.
¶3. Narcotics continue to be shipped through Costa Rican
territory by land, sea, and air. The Pan-American Highway
serves as a major thoroughfare for large land shipments of
illicit drugs and other contraband while a lack of detection
and enforcement resources at Costa Rica's international
airports provide opportunities for smuggling drugs--notably
heroin, but increasingly cocaine through the use of
"mules"--to the United States and Europe. Use of package
couriers such as DHL for smuggling small narcotics shipments
was a concern to European members of the group. London,
Madrid, and Amsterdam were identified as primary destinations
for Costa Rican "mules" due to lack of visa requirements and
direct air connections. All participants agreed that the use
of Costa Rican flagged fishing vessels to smuggle narcotics
and to refuel "go-fast" boats is a growing problem.
According to the Canadian representative, cocaine smuggling
is common enough within the region's fishing fleets that it
is referred to as "white lobster."
¶4. Costa Rican authorities had seized a record 7,950
kilograms of cocaine as of November 2006. Costa Rican
officials have increased their seizures of cocaine every year
since 2001. (Note: 2006 statistics on cocaine seizures do
not include neaQ 17 metric tons seized at sea by U.S.
assets under the terms of the bilateral maritime
counternarcotics agreement.) The drug control police (PCD in
Spanish) launched a major offensive against small-time drug
dealers and have increased seizures of crack cocaine to date
by a factor of six (111,698 "rocks" compared to just over
18,000 for all of 2005). Destruction of marijuana plants
dropped substantially, however, in 2006 to 353,500 plants
from over one million in 2005. In every other category the
PCD dramatically increased seizures: 2,464 kilograms of
marijuana (881 in 2005), 60.6 kilograms of heroin (49.38 in
2005), and 5,963 tablets of MDMA/Ecstasy in 2006 compared to
only 41 tablets in 2005. Costa Rican authorities seized over
$4 million in suspect currency as opposed to $850,000 in 2005.
¶5. Costa Rican officials continue to demonstrate
professionalism and reliability as partners with the
international community in combating narcotics trafficking.
Costa Rica aggressively investigated allegations of internal
corruption and successfully prosecuted officials in 2006.
U.S. law enforcement agencies consider the public security
forces and judicial officials to be full partners in
counternarcotics investigations and operations.
¶6. Costa Rica is compliant with all UN drug conventions and
continues to implement its comprehensive national drug plan,
drafted in 2003. Costa Rica has strict controls on precursor
chemicals, although money laundering legislation has
significant loopholes. There were no legislative initiatives
to address these loopholes in 2006, nor were there
significant changes to Costa Rica's counternarcotics policies
or institutions beyond a change in leadership of the Costa
Rican drug institute (ICD in Spanish). Other policy
initiatives include ongoing but still unsuccessful efforts to
bring the multilateral "Agreement Concerning Cooperation in
Suppressing Illicit Maritime and Aeronautical Trafficking in
Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in the Caribbean
Area" into force. Costa Rica and the Netherlands are joint
sponsors of the agreement but neither country has yet
ratified. Dublin Group members who have ratified the
agreement include the United States and United Kingdom. The
U.K. representative mentioned a EU-Latin American
intelligence sharing initiative that has produced two
meetings to date and the French representative said that a
similar effort is currently underway in Colombia involving
law enforcement liaison officers throughout the region.
External Assistance
-------------------
¶7. The United States continues to be the largest donor of
counternarcotics assistance among Dublin Group members in
Costa Rica. Total U.S. counternarcotics assistance to the
government of Costa Rica in 2006 was around $400,000
including training, equipment, conferences, and seminars.
Besides the U.S. mission, only the French and Spanish
embassies maintain a full-time law enforcement presence in
Costa Rica.
Levels/Examples of Cooperation
------------------------------
¶8. The French embassy finances the participation of 12 -15
Costa Rican officials per year in regional training courses
as well as providing advice and assistance related to
narcotics trafficking, organized crime, dignitary protection,
and crisis management. Currently, the French police attache
in San Jose also covers Panama. Beginning next year, this
attache will cover all of Central America, including Panama
(further diffusing French law enforcement attention
throughout the region). The German, Canadian, Italian and
British embassies have police attaches who cover Costa Rica
from other countries in the region. The Netherlands provided
$10,000 in computer training to police officials in 2006.
Canada provided a regional seminar for narcotics police
through the OAS/CICAD and plans a similar event in Panama
next year. Belgium conducted occasional counternarcotics
patrols (at times jointly with the Dutch) in the Caribbean
and the French Navy intercepted two Panamanian vessels
carrying multi-ton loads of cocaine during 2006.
Recommendations
--------------
¶9. All the participants agreed again this year to recommend
that the Costa Rican government take urgent action to remedy
serious vulnerabilities in the area of money laundering. We
agreed to look for opportunities to jointly and separately
urge the government to close loopholes in anti-money
laundering legislation. Participants also agreed that we
should continue to focus our shrinking resources on helping
Costa Rica to help itself by improving inter-institutional
cooperation within the GOCR.
Follow Up
---------
¶10. The government of Costa Rica took no action in 2006 to
follow up on similar money laundering recommendations made by
the members of the Dublin Group the year before.
FRISBIE