Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 05MADRID2523, DRUG TRAFFICKING AND POSSESSION TRENDS CHALLENGE

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.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

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. #05MADRID2523.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05MADRID2523 2005-07-05 10:49 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Madrid
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 MADRID 002523 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE, EUR/ERA, ALSO FOR INL 
JUSTICE FOR OIA, AFMLS, NDDS 
TREASURY FOR FINCEN 
DEA FOR OILS AND OFFICE OF DIVERSION CONTROL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR KSEP PINR PGOV PREL SP
SUBJECT: DRUG TRAFFICKING AND POSSESSION TRENDS CHALLENGE 
SPAIN'S WAR ON DRUGS 
 
REF: 04 MADRID 4793 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
1.  (SBU) The Government of Spain's National Drug Plan (PND) 
latest Annual Statistical Report on Drugs reports increases 
in total drug seizures (29%), trafficking arrests (11%), and 
arrests for drug possession (22%) between 2003 and 2004. 
Officials consider these statistics to be an indication that 
Spain is making a sustained effort in its war on drugs. 
However, these statistics obscure more disturbing trends in 
drug trafficking and possession in Spain.  Drug traffickers 
are beginning to choose alternative strategies to delivering 
drugs to Spain over the high seas, where they face inclement 
weather conditions and Spanish maritime patrols.  Now, some 
smugglers more frequently traffic drugs first by storing 
shipments in West Africa and then flying shipments to Spain 
through third countries.  Spanish traffickers also profit 
from the strong Euro exchange value to buy drugs cheaply, 
mainly from Latin America and North Africa, and sell them in 
Spain and other European countries.  The flow of drugs into 
Spain is creating a domestic drug market made up of mostly 
young Spanish users aged 19 to 25.  Spain ranks second in the 
European Union in cocaine use, and Spanish youth began 
experimenting with drugs (typically marijuana) before the age 
of 14, according to EU and Spanish government sources. 
 
2. (SBU) Government officials agree that the PND has proved 
ineffective at reducing drug use, especially among Spanish 
teens.  They have proposed to revise the PND to improve how 
Spanish Police and Civil Guard coordinate their enforcement 
efforts and to provide more support for drug abuse programs 
targeting Spanish youth.  The Zapatero government ranks the 
war on drugs with the fight against organized crime and 
terrorism.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
Updated Statistics & Recent Reports on Drug Seizures 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
3.  (U) Following the publication of the 2004 International 
Narcotics Control Strategy Report, the Spanish Minister of 
Interior's State Cabinet of Analysis and Prospective on Drug 
Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Related Crimes released 
its 2004 Annual Statistical Report on Drugs.  The guide 
updates statistical trends on seizures of drugs and related 
assets, and arrests for drug trafficking and possession. 
According to the report, the Spanish National Police and 
Guardia Civil (Spain's national guard) seized 33 metric tons 
(mt) of cocaine (down 32% from 2003), 794 mt of hashish (up 
14%), 804 mt of cannabis (up 2.4%), 797,000 units of ecstasy 
(up 3%), and 271 kilograms of heroin (up 14%) in 2004.  The 
report notes that 53% of all seizures in 2004 involved 
cannabis, 32% cocaine, 6% opium, and 6% involved stimulants. 
These quantitative trends are summarized in the statistical 
chart below: 
 
Statistical Chart 
----------------- 
 
Drug Category                  Year 
                  2001       2002     2003     2004 
Heroin  (kg)       631        275      242      271 
Cocaine (mt)        34         16       49       33 
Hashish (kg)       514        564      727      794 
MDMA (pills)   860,000  1,200,000  771,875  797,000 
 
 
4.  (SBU) Government officials have stated that the 2004 
seizures statistics represents significant gains in their 
counter-narcotics efforts, especially their enforcement 
efforts to prevent drug deliveries on the high seas and along 
Spanish coasts.  Police now have evidence that Latin American 
drug cartels are also collaborating with Moroccan drug 
smugglers to transport cocaine into Spain using traditional 
hashish routes through the Strait of Gibraltar.  In Galicia, 
traditional tobacco smuggling routes, which were used during 
the Franco era, and heavy port activity continue to attract 
drug traffickers to the Galician coast, where illicit drugs 
can easily be transported to other parts of Spain or across 
its borders to other parts of Europe. 
 
5.  (SBU)  Madrid DEA notes that Spanish Customs Service and 
Guardia Civil agents have good enforcement control to patrol 
maritime drug trafficking.  However, these patrols and last 
year's poor maritime winter weather conditions caused some 
drug traffickers to alter their traditional delivery routes 
by sea.  Traffickers increasingly store drug shipments in 
West African countries such as Equatorial Guinea, Sierra 
Leone, Togo, and the Ivory Coast, and fly them from third 
countries to Spanish airfields, where there are fewer police 
patrols.  DEA also notes how drug traffickers, typically 
nationals of Latin American countries, are using more 
sophisticated methods to deliver drugs, especially cocaine, 
through luggage and container shipments brought to Spain's 
international airport in Madrid and Barcelona by traffickers 
posing as visitors.  In one example this year, police agents 
at Madrid's Barajas airport discovered cocaine concealed in a 
container shipment of rubber fenders, which are used at 
marine ports to protect ships from being damaged when they 
are docked.  The thickness of the rubber fenders prevented 
drug-sniffing dogs from detecting the cocaine inside.  Police 
only discovered the cocaine shipment through previous 
surveillance of the trafficker. 
 
Recent Cocaine Seizures 
----------------------- 
 
6.  (U) Several notable cocaine seizures have been reported 
specifically in Barcelona and Galicia since the publication 
of the 2004 INCSR.  On January 27, Spanish police seized 
1,700 kilograms of cocaine shipment from Venezuela in 
Barcelona and arrested four Spanish nationals in the 
incident.  On March 22, police seized 2,000 kg of cocaine in 
an industrial park warehouse in Barcelona; eight Mexican 
nationals were arrested in the incident.  On March 30, 
policed arrested one Colombian national and three Spanish 
permanent residents on possession of 170 kg of cocaine in an 
apartment.  There have also been two major cocaine seizures 
along the coast of Galicia.  On May 31, Spanish police seized 
a boat carrying an estimated 5,000 kg of Colombian cocaine 
valued at USD 496 million (EUR 400 million) that was en route 
to Britain through Spain.  Spanish Minister of Interior 
Antonio Alonso stated that this seizure was the result of a 
three-month, joint operation with British drug enforcement 
agents to disrupt a Scotland-based drug-trafficking ring 
between Morocco and Britain.  On June 12, the Spanish Civil 
Guard and Customs Service reported a seizure of 3 metric tons 
of cocaine aboard a sailing vessel near Galicia.  Police 
arrested 13 Spanish nationals in the case. 
 
Hashish 
------- 
 
7.  (U) Hashish, and increasingly cocaine, enter Western 
Europe primarily through Spanish territory from Morocco.  The 
Spanish press has cited reports from the UN Drug Office 
stating that more than 3,000 mt of hashish is cultivated 
annually on more than 350,000 acres of land in Morocco, 
primarily in its northern Rif mountain territory.  The press 
has noted that Morocco is one of the largest producers of 
hashish in the world.  In August 2004, Spanish National 
Police discovered links between Colombian drug cartels and 
Moroccan traffickers to introduce cocaine into Spain though 
the well known "hashish route" between Morocco and the Strait 
of Gibraltar.  On June 18, Spanish police also seized 916 kg 
of "double zero" hashish from Afghanistan and 1,008 kilograms 
in cocaine stashed in containers in Valencia.  Police agents 
arrested twelve individuals who were nationals from Spain, 
Uruguay, and Argentina. 
 
Drug Related Asset Seizures & Money Laundering Operations 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
8.  (U) According to the 2004 Spanish drugs report, police 
seized USD 27 million (EUR 20 millions) in cash and 52 
million dollars in drug-related assets last year.  Most 
officials acknowledge that money laundering is a 
multi-million dollar underground economy that closely is 
linked with drug trafficking in Spain.  The amount reported 
in the 2004 PND report appears low considering the assets 
seizures that Spanish National Police have uncovered thus far 
this year.  In fact, Spain concluded its largest anti-money 
laundering operation "Ballena Blanca" in March 2005 in the 
provinces of Malaga, Cadiz, and Alicante (Valencia).  More 
than 300 Spanish National Police had been involved in this 
operation over the last two years.  The Ministry of Interior 
announced that police agents seized numerous bank accounts 
containing tens of millions of euros, 200 properties, two 
aircraft, 42 luxury vehicles, and approximately USD 553,000 
(EUR 410,000) in cash.  According to Spanish officials, the 
money-laundering ring involved nationals of Spain, Morocco, 
France, Finland, Russia, and Ukraine.  Officials reported 
that this criminal network has laundered more than USD 325 
million (EUR 250 million) in proceeds from drug trafficking, 
weapons sales, prostitution, tax evasion and other financial 
crimes since 2003.  Madrid DEA notes that, in many money 
laundering cases like Ballena Blanca, the Spanish government 
does not calculate what portion of seized money and assets 
relate specifically to drug trade, making it difficult to 
provide accurate statistics on money laundering in official 
drug reports. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Arrest of Drug Traffickers and Users 
------------------------------------ 
 
9.  (U) In 2004, Spanish police arrested 9,071 Spanish 
nationals and 4,838 foreigners for drug trafficking.  The 
total number of arrested increased nearly 10% from 2003. 
Among the 4,838 foreigners arrested for drug trafficking, 40% 
were Moroccans, 13% were Colombians, 21% were other European 
nationals, and 1% were nationals of Asian countries.  Spanish 
nationals have accounted for 70% all of individuals arrested 
for drug trafficking over the last four years.  However, the 
statistics show that, over the last ten years, arrests of 
Spanish drug traffickers has decreased 25% while arrests of 
non-Spanish nationals has remained constant.  Regarding drug 
possession, Spanish national police arrested 150,193 
individuals for illegal possession or consumption of drug, up 
10.8% from last year's figure.  The statistics show that more 
than half of those arrested for illegal possession and 
consumption of drugs were Spanish males between the ages of 
between the ages of 19 and 25. 
 
10.  (SBU) Officials at the National Drug Plan state that the 
latest arrest statistics are one indication that Spanish law 
enforcement is making a strong effort to battle drug 
trafficking and illegal possession of drugs.  They also 
emphasize that Spain maintains strong international law 
enforcement cooperation with drug enforcement officials in 
Morocco and Latin America.  PND officials often cite joint 
police training programs with Moroccan police and joint 
Spain-Morocco police patrols along the Gibraltar straight as 
evidence of their cooperative effort on drug trafficking. 
However, Spanish enforcement agents carry out most all 
investigation and seizure activity without Moroccan 
involvement.  In fact, the PND's 2005 report includes no 
examples of Spanish-Moroccan collaboration in the 22 "most 
relevant cases" it cites in the section on international 
cooperation. 
 
11. (SBU) The 2004 arrest statistics suggest that drugs 
continue to be a lucrative trade in Spain, and many, if not 
the majority of traffickers, as well as consumers, are 
Spanish nationals.  A higher percentage of Spanish 
involvement in the drug trade may be the result of the fact 
that Spanish traffickers profiting from the difference in low 
price of drugs from source countries in the Americas and high 
sale price in Europe, where the euro is strong and domestic 
demand is high.  Madrid DEA notes that a kilo of cocaine 
bought at in Latin America may sell for two to three times 
its purchase price in Spain or the United Kingdom, 
respectively.  Hashish is also sold in Spain at as much as 
three to four times its purchase price in Morocco.  Spanish 
nationals involved in trafficking are more likely to set up 
small operations in which they buy drugs from foreign 
traffickers and make profit from selling it to domestic users 
rather than from smuggling it across Spanish borders on 
behalf of foreign traffickers. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Drug Abuse and Drug-related Deaths in Spain 
------------------------------------------- 
 
12. (U) The Ministry of Health noted that Spain has the 
highest rate of cocaine and cannabis use among school 
children aged 14-18 in the European Union.  Other government 
studies revealed that school children began to experiment 
with marijuana before the age of 14.  More than 20,000 
individuals died prematurely from excessive drug and alcohol 
consumption in 2004, according to official studies.  Health 
Minister Salgado also noted a 420% increase in the number of 
reported cases of psychosis caused by drugs between 1993 and 
2002.  In Madrid, a July 2005 study by the city's Counter 
Narcotics Agency attributed 158 deaths in 2004 to overdoses 
or adverse reactions to cocaine or heroin.  There were 3,553 
individuals who received emergency treatment hospitals in 
Madrid due to excessive drug or alcohol consumption. 
Eighty-six death cases involving minors who had overdosed on 
drugs or alcohol:  26 cases involved hashish or marijuana and 
12 involved cocaine.  Most deaths were the result of 
individuals who experienced an adverse reaction to taking 
illicit drugs but were unable to receive emergency treatment 
in time.  Many cases also involved individuals who took a 
combination of several drugs and alcohol, according to the 
report. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Spain Tackles Drug Abuse Through the National Drug Plan 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
13. (U) Officials at the Ministry of Health have stated that 
Spain's current National Drug Plan has been ineffective at 
reducing drug abuse among Spanish youth.  In a March 17 
testimony before the Joint Commission for the Study of the 
Drug Problem in the Spanish Congress, Minister of Health 
Elena Salgado acknowledged that government statistics on 
consumption of drugs, especially among Spanish youth, 
demonstrated that PND had only partially met its objectives 
in the areas of preventing drug use.  She presented a new 
Plan of Action for final trimester of 2000-2008 National Drug 
Plan (PND) (covering 2005 to 2008) to make more aggressively 
efforts targeting drug prevention, awareness, and 
rehabilitation programs on Spanish youth. 
 
14. (U) Salgado stated that the Government's anti-drug abuse 
efforts had ineffective, in part, because it lacked funds for 
public information campaigns on demand reduction.  She also 
noted that Spanish law enforcement officials were not 
cooperating as effectively as possible on supply reduction 
measures and enforcement activities.  The Health Minister 
introduced announced a new Plan of Action to strengthen the 
Government's demand and supply reduction efforts.  The plan 
adds 12 new action priorities to the National Drug Plan for 
2005-2008 in the areas of coordination, prevention and 
awareness, research on drug abuse, and rehabilitation 
programs.  It recommends strengthening the participation of 
state security agencies and law enforcement in preventing 
drug flow, and calls for greater Spanish government 
participation with the European Union on drug policy and with 
Latin America and Morocco on supply reduction.  However, the 
Ministry's plan did not elaborate on specific measures, 
funding, or joint international cooperation to combat 
international drug trafficking into Spain.  Salgado also did 
not comment on the status of Socialist Party's 2004 campaign 
proposal to hire provide 34,000 special police agents in 
Spain's autonomous communities to assist in breaking up 
organized drug mafias. 
 
----------- 
Conclusions 
----------- 
 
15.  (SBU) Recent statistics on drug seizures and trafficking 
arrests from the Spanish National Drug Plan show that Spain 
has made modest gains over the past year in fight against 
drugs trafficking and abuse.  The Spanish Health Ministry has 
adopted a tougher stance toward drug consumption and 
contemplated a number of new measures to strengthen its harm 
reduction efforts.  The Zapatero government has made the 
fight against drugs one of its top priorities, according to 
Minster of Interior Antonio Alonso, who stated in Parliament 
in September 2004 that the Government would combat drugs 
trafficking with the same intensity and give it the same 
priority as the fight against terrorism and organized crime. 
 
16.  (SBU) Despite improving its record on drug seizures and 
arrests and strong international counter narcotics 
cooperation, Spain does not yet cooperate fully with Morocco 
in curbing the flow of hashish and cocaine through Spain's 
southern borders.  Spain continues to be a primary transfer 
point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and other illicit drugs 
to other parts of Europe.  It is also becoming a lucrative 
domestic market for drugs consumption, especially among 
Spanish youth. 
AGUIRRE