UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2007-04237 Doc No C06502235 Date 08 02 2018 RELEASE IN FULL il111 l1111 lllfll'ill vepari llb ACT 10 N PAGE 91 OF 03 BOGOTA 03990 261527Z ACTION INL-01 INFO LOG-00 ACDA-10 ACDE-00 INLB-01 ANAD-01 ARA-00 CASY-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 OIGO-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ADS-00 NSAE-00 1015W ------------------B4125F 261521Z 49 R 25185OZ APR 97 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO AMEMBASSY BRASILIA AMEMBASSY LIMA AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY QUITO INFO SECSTATE WASHDC 6133 DEA WASHDC CNC LINEAR WASHDC -r ° E BOGOTA 003990 SE2REf NOFORN ORCON DEA NOS FOR OF HORN OFL SALAMENt MPSL EILER HIIAROLAH NIIH RIVERS SECSTATE FOR INL ARA IRR CIA FOR CNC LAD OTC SA THIS IS AN ACTION CABLE E O 12958 DECL 4 25 61 TAGS SNAR REVIEW AUTHORITY Senior Reviewer SUBJECT BOGOTA COUNTRY TEAK'SUBMISS'ION°FOR'• ANDEAN PRESENTATION AT UPCOMING'LINEAR CONFERENCE REF A LIMA 0031261 B BOGOTA 2893 1 THIS CABLE IS CLASSIFIED BY BOGOTA COUNTRY ATTACHE LARRY N LYONS REASON 1 5 2 AS ASSIGNED DURING THE APRIL ANDEAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN LIMA THE FOLLOWING ARE THE BOGOTA COUNTRY TEAM'S CT'S MUSINGS ON THE STATUS OF TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE POST-CALI WORLD WE NAVE FOCUSED OUR THOUGHTS LARGELY ON COLOMBIAN ORGANIZATIONS ALTHOUGH WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST TO INCORPORATE THOUGHTS GLEANED FROM INPUT OFFERED BY THE QUITO PERUVIAN AND BOLIVIAN CT'S MUCH OF THE FOLLOWING IS TAKEN FROM BOGOTA 28931 WITH ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THE HEROIN TRADE INSURGENTS AND MONEY LAUNDERING THOUGHTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUR ANDEAN COLLEAGUES ARE OF COURSE ENCOURAGED AND WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE FINAL PRESENTATION PLEASE FORWARD THESE CONTRIBUTIONS BY 30 APRIL 3 AS AN ASIDE U S AMBASSADOR TO COLOMBIA MYLES R R FRECHETTE IS-ALSO PLANNING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION ON THE NARCOTICS SITUATION IN COLOMBIA WE ASSUME OTHER AMBASSADORS WILL WISH TO ADDRESS THE CONFERENCE AS WELL IS CNC LINEAR SETTING ASIDE TIME FOR SUCH PRESENTATIONS OR ARE THE AMBASSADORS EXPECTED TO PRESENT FOR THE COUNTRIES DURING THE 50-MINUTE ANDEAN RIDGE REGIONAL PRESENTATION PLEASE ADVISE 4 NO ONE IS GOING TO BE DINWITTED ENOUGH TO FORM OR HEAD UP BIG CARTELS AGAIN WHEN THE MEDELLIN CARTEL RUN BY PABLO ESCOBAR LET ITS PRESTIGE AND LEADING ROLE EXPAND ESCOBAR DIED THEN THE CALI CARTEL GOT TOO BIG AND THEY ARE ALL IN JAIL -CNP DIRECTOR ROSSO JOSE SERRANO DECEMBER 1996 SOD7299 CIAE-00 JUSE-00 P - 0 TNzIbP INCOMING TEL EGAAY Ij j BOGOTA 03990 2615271 5 THE FOREAGH COUNTERDRUG•ST RATEGIES EMPLOYED BY THE • U S GOVERNMENUOVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS HAVE BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ALWHAT THEY WERE IIESIGNED TO DO PRINCIPALLY TOITARGET 'AND ARREST THE LEADERSHIP OF MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS-IN THE ANDEAN RIDGE REGION WE HAVE DISMANTLED THE MEDELLIN AND CALI CARTELS AS THEY WERE ONCE KNOWN WHERE ONCE THE DRUG MAFIAS VIEWED THEMSELVES AS INVINCIBLE THEIR LEADERSHIP IS EITHER DEAD OR IN PRISON THIS WAS NEVER THE ULTIMATE GOAL HOWEVER THE OBJECTIVE ALWAYS HAS BEEN TO ATTACK ALL ELEMENTS OF THE DRUG TRAFFICKING ENTERPRISE TO HAVE -ANY REAL IMPACT DESTROYING THE COMPLETE ORGANIZATION AND REDUCING THE FLOW OF DRUGS TO THE U S SH97299 6 NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING IN THE REGION HAS BEEN UNDERGOING A STEADY CHANGE SINCE MID-1995 IN THE WAKE OF ARRESTS OF THE RODRIGUEZ OREJUELA BROTHERS AND OTHER TOP CALI TRAFFICKERS DURING THE 1980'S AND INTO THE 1990'S THE CALI-BASED DRUG MAFIA HAD CONSTRUCTED A RIGID AND VERTICALLY ORGANIZED BUSINESS HIERARCHY I•TS TOP LEADERS MAINTAINING A FIRM GRIP ON ITS EVERY ASPECT MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ OREJUELA MRO AND PACHO HERRERA PERSONALLY BUILT AND CONTROLLED THEIR EXTENSIVE DRUG EMPIRES WHICH BECAME THE LARGEST AND MOST SOPHISTICATED COCAINE ODUCING SELLING TRANSPORTING AND DISTRIBUTING Paul Hilburn GANIIATIONS IN THE WORLD 7 WITH THElOWNFALL OF THE CALI MAFIA -THE-ANDEAN RIDGE'S NEW GENERATION OF LEADING TRAFF•ICKERS AS PREDICTED 31S4PERATING'klORE DIRUSE'AND DECENTRALIZED DRUG BUSINESS 'THE CALI MAFIAS' VERTICALLY COMPARTMENTED TIGHTLY CONTROLLED IMMENSE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN REPLACED BY SMALL LOOSE CONFEDERATIONS CHARACTERIZED BY SHIFTING ALLIANCES AMONG SPECIALIZED GROUPS AS PRODUCERS SUPPLIERS TRANSPORTERS AND DISTRIBUTORS THROUGH LESS FIXED BUSINESS ARRANGEMENTS ALL SEEK i0 MINIMIZE EACH INDIVIDUAL'S RISK WHILE CONTINUING TO TRAFFIC AS A RESUVTj OFOE BREAKUP OF THE CALI MAFIA MONOLITH _THE NORMIS NOM S MALLER LOWERoPROFILE AND FAIRLY -INSULATED ORGAN IZAU 011S '00-TELLING SIGN OF THE CHANGE IN OPERATING STYLE IS THAT COLOMBIAN TRAFFICKERS NOW TEND TO SHY AWAY FROM THE LEGIONS OF BODYGUARDS WHICH WERE A MUST-HAVE ACCESSORY DURING THE CALI KINGPIN HEYDAYS THESE TRAFFICKERS WANT TO AVOID THE RISK OF TOO MANY PEOPLE TOO CLOSE WHO MIGHT LEAK INFORMATION SUBMIT TO BRIBERY OR BE ARRESTED NOR ARE OVERT POLITICAL AND SOCIAL TIES AS ACTIVELY SOUGHT AS IN THE PAST AGAIN TO MAINTAIN A LOW PROFILE AND AVOID THE SECURITY RISKS THAT COME WITH NOTORIETY 8 IT IS IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT THE NEW LOOSER ARRANGEMENT DOES NOT REPRESENT DISARRAY IN THE TRAFFICKING WORLD INDEED THE LOSS OF CENTRALIZED CONTROL EXERTED DURING THE REIGN OF THE CALI MAFIA HAS NOT DIMINISHED THE FLOW OF COCAINE TO THE U S THE MULTITUDE OF THEN-DEPENDENT TRAFFICKERS DID NOT MISS A BEAT WHEN THEIR CALI BOSSES WERE JAILED MOREOVER THE LACK OF CONTROL ALLOWS FOR EVER MORE PLAYERS TO JOIN IN THE GAME FURTHER DIFFUSING THE BUSINESS AND EVEN POTENTIALLY INCREASING COCAINE FLOWS 9 THE DIFFUSION OF TRAFFICKING CAN BE GRAPHICALLY ILLUSTRATED IN THE CASE OF BOLIVIA HISTORICALLY THE BOLIVIAN DRUG TRAFFICKING SCENE HAS BEEN HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY THE COLOMBIAN NAFIAS AHD THEIR REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAVE PERSONALLY DIRECTED BOLIVIAN ORGANIZATIONS HOWEVER THE BOLIVIAN CT NOW BELIEVES UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2007-04237 Doc No C06502235 Date 08102 2018 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2007-04237 Doc No C06502235 Date 08 02 2018 j I NCOMI H TELEGRAM SECRET Department of State PAGE 02 OF 03 BOGOTA 03990 261527Z THAT BOLIVIAN TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS ARE BECOMING MORE AUTONOMOUS AND IN SOME CASES HAVE ELIMINATED THEIR COLOMBIAN MIDDLE MEN BOLIVIAN TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS ARE CURRENTLY DEALING DIRECTLY WITH OTHER TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS IN MEXICO BRAZIL ARGENTINA PARAGUAY EUROPE AND ULTIMATELY THE UNITED STATES 10 IN ADDITION THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN HCL PROCESSING OUTSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL COLOMBIAN LAB REGIONS BOLIVIA AND QUITO'S COUNTRY TEAMS NAVE NOTED INCREASES IN-HCL PRODUCTION IN THEIR COUNTRIES THE PERU CT REPORTS THAT 90-PERCENT OF PERUVIAN DRUG EXPORTS REMAIN BASE AND OR PASTE HOWEVER IDENTIFYING TARGETS ON THE NEW FIELD I i SHB7299 BOGOTA 03990 261527Z ECUADORAN TRANSPORTATION GROUPS FACILITATE BOTH THE TRANSPORT OF COCAINE BASE FROM PERU TO COLOMBIA AND THE TRANSPORT OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT FROM COLOMBIA FOR ONWARD MARITIME SHIPMENT DIRECTLY TO THE UNITED STATES OR MORE OFTEN VIA MEXICO IN ADDITION MEMBERS OF- THE BOGOTA CT HAVE DESIGNATED THE BERNAL MADRIGAL ALIAS • JUVENAL TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATION AS A LINEAR TARGET THE COLOMBIA CT IS FOCUSING ADDITIONAL TARGETING AND INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION EFFORTS AGAINST ORGANIZATIONS USING AIRCRAFT TO TRANSPORT HCL AND COCAINE' BASE SOUTH OF THE ANDES MOUNTAINS GIVEN THERE ARE NO RAILROADS THE RIVERS RUN EAST AND WEST AND THE LACK OF AVAILABLE • ROADS WE VIEW THE AIRPLANE AS THE ONE INDISPENSABLE AND THEREFORE VULNERABLE LINK IN THE NARCOTICS TRANSPORTATION CHAIN 11 AS A RESULT OF THESE CHANGES IN TRAFFICKER OPERATING STYLE IDENTIFYING THE MOST IMPORTANT NEW TARGETS HAS NOT BEEN AS SIMPLE A MATTER AS IN THE PAST INDEED THE JOINT COLOMBIAN-U S EFFORT TO IDENTIFY THE TOP PRIORITY OF NARCOTRAFFICKER GROUPS AND TO TARGET THEM FOR INVESTIGATION PROSECUTION AND DISMANTLEMENT WAS AN EXERCISE THAT PREOCCUPIED WASHINGTON AND COLOMBIAN COUNTERDRUG AGENCIES IN 1996 15 BY FOCUSING ON AERIAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS IN SOUTHERN COLOMBIA WE WILL IDENTIFY MAJOR COCAINE HCL PRODUCTION FACILITIES AND THE ORGANIZATIONS RESPONSIBLE OUR EXPERIENCE THUS FAR INDICATES THAT COCAINE PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS IN COLOMBIA HAVE LOCATED MOST LARGE HCL' LABS IN THE VICINITY ON THE MOST WIDELY-USED CLANDESTINE AIRSTRIPS OUR FOCUS IS ON THE ORGANIZATIONS TRANSPORTATION AND HCL PRODUCTION WHICH WILL IDENTIFY THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS TRYING-70 SHIP COCAINE NORTH 12 AS THE FOCUS SHIFTED TO IDENTIFYING THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAFFICKERS OPERATIONAL EMPHASIS SHIFTED AWAY FROM PURELY RAID AND CAPTURE-FOCUSED OPERATIONS SO CHARACTERISTIC OF THE DAYS IN 1994 AND 1995 WHEN THE ARMY AND POLICE SEARCH UNITS IN CALI MOUNTED HUNDREDS OF RAIDS AGAINST KINGPIN TARGETS THOSEHFAST-PACED HIGH-PROF ILV- OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN-REPLACED'BY'THE SLOMERi OFTEN PAINSTAKING ' DETAILSWORf 'OF GA BER ING INU'IUIDUAL -PIECES OF INTELLIGENCE AND'PUTTINGhTOGETHER•A'PICTURE OF r TRAFFICKERS THE-1R ASSOCIATESf'AND MODUS' OPERANDI-- -IN A DECEMBER MEETING-COLOMBIAN PROSECUTOR GENERAL VALDIVIESO PREDICTED THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO -PROSECUTE THE SECOND GENERATION FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING SINCE NO DRUG CHARGES ARE CURRENTLY PENDING AGAINST THEM IN THE U S OR COLOMBIA HE'SAID THAT THE FISCALIA WOULD AT LEAST TRY TO PROSECUTE THEM ON ILLICIT ENRICHMENT AHD MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES 16 ALSO IN EARLY 1997 CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN TO UPDATING THE ENTIRE BOGOTA COUNTRY TEAM TARGETED ORGANIZATIONS LIST AS SUCCESSFUL COUNTERNARCOTICS OPERATIONS HAD WHITTLED DOWN THE ORIGINAL LIST CONSIDERABLY AS A RESULT THE BOGOTA CT'S NEW TARGET LIST CONSISTS OF ONLY SEVEN ORGANIZATIONS FOUR OF WHICH INCLUDE DESIGNATED LINEAR TARGETS THE ABOVE MENTIONED JUVENAL TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATION AND THE NORTHERN VALLEY TRAFFICKING GROUP DIRECTED BY THE HENAO MONTOYA BROTHERS CURRENTLY ARE RECEIVING THE HIGHEST PRIORITY BY THE COUNTRY TEAM IN ADDITION REMNANTS OF THE RODRIGUEZ OREJUELA ORGANIZATION A LINEAR TARGET REMAINS A BOGOTA COUNTRY TEAM TARGET NON-LINEAR TARGETS INCLUDE NORTHERN VALLEY TRAFFICKER JOSE NELSON URREGO VICENTE RIVERA GONZALEZ AND THE DON CELSO ORGANIZATION THE SEVENTH REVISITING THE PRIORITIES MEMBER OF LIST NOTED TRAFFICKER JUSTO PASTOR PERAFAH WAS CAPTURED BY VENEZUELAN AUTHORITIES ON APRIL 18 1997 13 OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO DEARTH OF TRAFFICKING TARGETS IN COLOMBIA 'IN SEPTEMBER 1996 AMONG THE LINEAR TARGETS IN THE REGION 12 WERE CONNECTED TO COLOMBIA THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE MYRIAD OF TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY NOR ALL THE TARGETS THAT THE COLOMBIANS THEMSELVES WANT TO PURSUE WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF U S COUNTERDRUG INTERESTS A CONTINUAL EFFORT MUST BE MADE TO STAY FOCUSED ON A DEFINED AND RELATIVELY SMALL GROUP OF TRAFFICKERS IN ORDER TO HAVE ANY SUCCESS IN DISRUPTING AND DISMANTLING KEY GROUPS AND SUPPORTING IMPORTANT U S DOMESTIC LAW ENFORCEMENT CASES IT IS ALSO VITAL AS WELL TO TRY TO KEEP THE COLOMBIANS WITH WHOM THE EMBASSY--DEA AND ROAL--WORKS FOCUSED 14 TO HAVE'THE GREATEST IMPACT ON THE FLOW OF NARCOTICS FROM THE REGION THE ANDEAN RIDGE COUNTRY TEAMS ARE REDOUBLING EFFORTS AGAINST IRAN SPORTATION ORGAN IZATIONS h FOR EXAMPLE THE QUITO CT IS FOCUSED ALMOST ENTIRELY AGAINST TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS AFFILIATED WITH MAJOR COLOMBIAN AND PERUVIAN TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS THESE SHB7299 A WORD ABOUT MONEY LAUNDERING I 17 MONEY LAUNDERING REMAINS A TRANSNATIONAL PROBLEM WHOSE SCOPE COMPLEXITY AND MAGNITUDE MAKES UNILATERAL ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WHILE THE VARIOUS ANDEAN RIDGE COUNTRIES WILL CONTINUE TO TARGET MONEY LAUNDERING ORGANIZATIONS IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ON THIS FRONT WILL HAVE ONLY MINIMAL EFFECT ON THE FLOW OF DRUGS FROM SOUTH AMERICA AND WILL NOT DESTROY OR DISMANTLE A TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION NEVERTHELESS THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL POSITIVE STEPS TAKEN BY NATIONS OF THE REGION ON THE MONEY LAUNDERING FRONT IN EARLY MARCH 19911 FOR EXAMPLE THE BOLIVIAN CONGRESS APPROVED A PENAL CODE REFORM BILL WHICH CRIMINALIZED MONEY LAUNDERING WHILE THE CURRENT BOLIVIAN LAW IS TOO BROAD FOR EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT AT PRESENT BOLIVIAN FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT AUTHORITIES ARE WORKING-CLOSELY WITH U S TECHNICIANS TO FORMULATE REGULATIONS UNDER THE LAW THAT WILL GIVE CRIMES INVESTIGATORS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO COMBAT LAUNDERING IN THE BANKING SYSTEM UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2007-04237 Doc No C06502235 Date 08 02 2018 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2007-04237 Doc No 006502235 Date 08 02 2018 CRET epartinent of State PAGE 03 OF 03 BOGOTA 03990 261527Z 18 A USEFUL BYPRODUCT OF MONEY LAUNDERING INVESTIGATIONS IN OUR ESTIMATION CONTINUES TO BE INFORMATION ON THE ASSETS OF TRAFFICKERS FOR POSSIBLE FORFEITURE THE NEW COLOMBIAN ASSET FORFEITURE LAW IS ENABLING NEW ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST OLD TRAFFICKERS HEROIN TRAFFICKING GROUPS IN THE ANDEAN REGION 19 THE THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES POSED BY SOUTH AMERICAN HEROIN HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN RECENT YEARS WITH THE LION'S SHARE OF THE OPIATE FROM SOUTH AMERICA BEING SENT FROM COLOMBIA ALTHOUGH SOME VERY LIMITED OPIUM POPPY CULTIVATION--SEVERAL HUNDRED HECTARES IN VENEZUELA AND A FEW HECTARES IN PERU--MAY BE FOUND ELSEWHERE HEROIN PRODUCTION OUTSIDE OF COLOMBIA IN SOUTH AMERICA APPEARS TO BE NEGLIGIBLE IN ADDITION ANDEAN RIDGE NATIONS HAVE SEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN HEROIN SMUGGLING PARTICULARLY BY NIGERIAN TRAFFICKERS SOB7299 INCOMING TELEGRAM BOGOTA 03990 261527Z 23 ANDEAN RIDGE COUNTRY TEAMS CURRENTLY TARGET AND WILL CONTINUE TO TARGET TRAFFICKERS 17 JUDGES TO HAVE THE MOST IMPACT ON THE FLOW OF COCAINE TO THE U S THEY ARE AND WILL BE LIMITED IN NUMBER IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE NECESSARY OPERATIONAL AND ANALYTIC FOCUS THE WASHINGTON COMMUNITY CAN ALSO HELP THE REGION'S COUNTRY TEAMS MAINTAIN FOCUS ON PRIORITY TARGETS BY MORE CLOSELY COORDINATING TASKING AND INFORMATION UPDATES FOR THE COUNTRY TEAMS MEMBER AGENCIES PREFERABLY THROUGH THE LINEAR CHANNEL FOR EXAMPLE IN THE INSTANCES IN WHICH LINEAR INVESTIGATIONS HERE IN COLOMBIA MAY SUPPORT SHB7299 U S -BASED LAW ENFORCEMENT CASES THE COUNTRY TEAM WOULD APPRECIATE SPECIFIC INPUT AND FEEDBACK FROM THE U S SIDE 24 QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO BCD I A JEFF MOFFATT OR GS MARK S JOHNSON AT #011-571-315-0811 X2532 OR FTS 381-985-9343 ' FROM COUNTRY-ATTACHE LARRY N LYONS SECRET IIS-ZE-97-00822 FRECHETTE 20 THE STATUS OF HEROIN TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS TODAY MIRRORS THE COCAINE TRAFFICKING GROUPS OF THE 1970'S • MOST HEROIN SMUGGLED FROM LATIN AMERICA INTO THE UNITED STATES CURRENTLY IS TRANSPORTED VIA COURIERS ON COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS OR HIDDEN IN KILO-SIZED QUANTITIES IN LUGGAGE OR AIR CARGO TO DATE NO SINGLE TRAFFICKING GROUP IN THE REGION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A PRINCIPAL SUPPLIER OF HEROIN TO THE U S IT IS NOT CLEAR WHY THE REGION'S DRUG MAFIAS HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO DOMINATE SOUTH AMERICA'S HEROIN TRADE IN TIMEe HOWEVER SOME CALI AND NORTH VALLEY COCAINE TRAFFICKING GROUPS PROBABLY WILL ATTEMPT TO EXERT MORE CONTROL OVER OPIATE PRODUCTION IN THE REGION AND THE WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION OF SOUTH 'AMERICAN HEROIN IN THE U S 21 IN DEA BOCOTA'S ESTIMATION U S SUPPORT FOR AERIAL ERADICATION IS THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON COLOMBIA'S ESTIMATED 6 508 HECTARES OF OPIUM POPPY CULTIVATIONS AND THEREFORE THE FLOW COLOMBIAN HEROIN INTO THE U S LATE LAST YEAR HOWEVER THE U S DEPARTMENT OF STATE SUSPENDED THE USE OF U S AIR ASSETS AGAINST THE OPIUM CROPS BECAUSE IT DETRACTED FROM THEIR EFFORTS ON COCA ERADICATION THE ROLE COLOMBIA'S INSURGENTS IN THE DRUG TRADE 22 FURTHER COMPLICATING EFFORTS AGAINST TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS IN COLOMBIA IS THE PRESENCE OF LARGE RURALBASED GUERRILLA GROUPS THE FARC IN PARTICULAR MANY OF WHOSE FRONTS ARE EXPLOITING DRUG-RELATED ACTIVITIES TO FILL THEIR COFFERS AND ARE DIVERSIFYING THEIR ROLES IN THE NARCOTICS TRADE AVAILABLE INFORMATION INDICATES INVOLVEMENT BY FARC UNITS IN ALMOST ALL ASPECTS OF THE DRUG TRADE IN THE SOURCE ZONE OF COLOMBIA WITH THEIR PRIMARY ACTIVITY CENTERED ON SUPPORTING TRAFFICKER OPERATIONS AND PROVIDING SECURITY WHILE ASSERTIONS BY THE COLOMBIAN ARMED FORCES THAT THE GUERRILLAS HAVE BECOME A THIRD CARTEL ARE EXAGGERATED THE FARC IN RECENT YEARS HAS MORE AGGRESSIVELY PROTECTED ITS DRUGRELATED INTERESTS BY ATTACKING COUNTERNARCOTICS OPERATIONS AND BY ORGANIZING PROTESTS AGAINST GOVERNMENT CROP ERADICATION EFFORTS A FINAL WORD ABOUT TARGETING AND THE LINEAR STRATEGY UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2007-04237 Doc No 006502235 Date 08 02 2018 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2007-04237 Doc No C06502235 Date 08 02 2018 SECRET Department of State COM I litl TELEGRAM IN THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK I UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2007-04237 Doc No C06502235 Date 08 02 2018