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Viewing cable 06BOGOTA309, INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT FOR

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06BOGOTA309 2006-01-13 20:59 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Bogota
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 BOGOTA 000309 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL/LP, RICHARD HAWKINS 
DEPT FOR WHA/AND, STU LIPPE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR SENV KCRM PTER CO
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT FOR 
COLOMBIA 
 
REF: 05 BOGOTA 209560 
1. Below you will find AmEmbassy Bogota's submission for the 2005- 
2006 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report per Ref. 
 
I. Summary 
 
1. Colombia once again had a record year in eradication, 
interdiction, and extradition.  These efforts have led to an 
increase in the U.S. pure gram price of cocaine and heroin and a 
reduction in purity for both.  Despite continued impressive 
progress against narcotics trafficking during 2005, Colombia 
remains a major drug producing country. The country's Public 
Security Forces prevented hundreds of tons of illicit drugs from 
reaching the world market through interdiction, aerial spraying 
of coca and poppy crops, and manual eradication.  Colombia's 
police and military forces captured a record 228 metric tons of 
cocaine and coca base.  The U.S.-supported Anti-Narcotics Police 
Directorate (DIRAN) sprayed a record 138,775 hectares of coca 
during the year and 1,624 hectares of poppy.  Manual eradication 
accounted for the destruction of an additional 31,285 hectares of 
coca and 497 hectares of poppy. Colombia's military forces are 
continuing the successful "Plan Patriota," a major campaign 
against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), while 
the FARC continues to use the drug trade as its major financing 
source. Over 14,000 members of the paramilitary United Self 
Defense Forces (AUC) have demobilized, weakening its influence, 
although the AUC is still involved in the drug trade and 
continues to challenge the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia 
(FARC) for control of key coca and poppy cultivation areas.  In 
addition, almost 3,000 members of the FARC, AUC, and the National 
Liberation Army (ELN) deserted in 2005, providing invaluable 
intelligence.  Colombia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug 
Convention. 
 
II. Status of Country 
 
2. Colombia is the source of over 90 percent of the cocaine and 
almost 50 percent of the heroin entering the United States. It is 
also a leading user of precursor chemicals and the focus of 
significant money laundering activity. Developed infrastructure 
such as ports on both the Pacific and the Atlantic, multiple 
international airports, and an extensive highway system provide 
narcotics terrorists with many options. The presence of various 
illegal armed groups in Colombia that are involved in narcotics 
trafficking compounds the normal problems associated with 
narcotics trafficking. These groups include the FARC, the AUC, 
and the ELN. These groups control areas within Colombia with high 
concentrations of coca and opium poppy cultivation, and their 
involvement in narcotics continues to be a major source of 
violence and terrorism in Colombia. Drug use in Colombia is 
increasing, even though there are some very active demand 
reduction programs. The judicial system continues the transition 
to an oral accusatorial system, causing a change in the roles and 
responsibilities of the judges, prosecutors, and criminal 
investigators. The system is now functioning in Bogota and three 
municipal areas and is proving to be efficient and effective. 
Six new municipal areas will be added in 2006, including Medellin 
and Cali.  Over 17,000 prosecutors, judges, and criminal 
investigators received intensive training in the new accusatory 
system by the end of 2005. The GOC plans to have the system 
installed nationwide by 2008. 
 
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2005 
 
3.  Policy Initiatives.  The Justice and Peace Law, passed in 
July of 2005, provides a legal mechanism for individuals to 
demobilize with certain legal protections and assurances. 
Narcotraffickers, terrorists, and human rights abusers are not 
able to take advantage of this law and will be prosecuted if 
captured.  The new law has greatly accelerated the demobilization 
of AUC paramilitary groups, removing more than 14,000 members of 
armed groups enmeshed in narcotrafficking from the field.  This 
decrease in armed narcoterrorists in the countryside bodes well 
for our bilateral efforts to battle narcotrafficking, even though 
some supposed paramilitary members will remain narcotraffickers 
outside the law.  The GOC also increased the number of Manual 
Eradication Groups (GMEs) to 60 and is planning to implement a 
massive manual eradication operation in one of Colombia's largest 
national parks.  Lastly, the Congress has approved a "shock" 
reform package for the military justice system.  This package 
will improve the long-term functioning of the military, which is 
critical to successful efforts against narcoterrorists. 
4.  Demand Reduction.  The Colombian government is developing a 
national Demand Reduction Strategy.  The Ministry of Social 
Protection completed a comprehensive survey of school age drug 
use that will serve as a baseline for the strategy. Many private 
entities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) work in the 
area of demand reduction, and the DIRAN has an active DARE 
program.  The USG is currently coordinating with the National 
Directorate on Dangerous Drugs (DNE) to develop a registry of 
NGOs working in demand reduction.  Once completed, the USG plans 
to sponsor a national demand reduction NGO conference to 
synchronize efforts across the country, and to assist in the 
formation of a demand reduction NGO network. 
5. Culture of Lawfulness.  The USG continues to support respect 
for rule of law and civic responsibility.  The Culture of 
Lawfulness program has taught over 16,000 ninth-graders in 190 
schools using over 320 teachers who stress the importance of 
lawfulness in society.  The program is being integrated into 
Colombian National Police (CNP) basic training programs.  Already 
in ten cities, the program will train additional teacher trainers 
in 2006 to move the program closer to self-sufficiency. 
6. Port Security.  Various USG agencies work with DIRAN and 
private seaport operators to prevent narcotrafficking in 
Colombia's ports.  DIRAN provides police personnel, and the port 
authorities work to improve their own security and provide 
equipment and infrastructure support to the DIRAN units, while 
the USG provides coordination, technical assistance, and 
training.  In 2005, almost 5 METRIC TONS of cocaine and 26 kilos 
of heroin were seized in the four principal Colombian ports with 
38 arrests.  The USG works separately with DIRAN and Airport 
Police to prevent Colombia's international airports from being 
used as export points for drugs.  In 2005, airport agents 
confiscated 862 kilos of cocaine and 73 kilos of heroin, while 
making 55 arrests. 
7. Hundreds of Colombian companies participate in a USG Business 
Alliance for Secure Commerce (BASC) program, which seeks to 
increase the effectiveness of law enforcement by deterring 
narcotics smuggling in commercial cargo shipments.  All major 
port cities have an active BASC program. 
8. Environmental Safeguards.  The illicit crop eradication 
program follows strict environmental safeguards monitored 
permanently by several Government of Colombia agencies.  The 
spray program adheres to all GOC laws and regulations, including 
the Colombian Environmental Management Plan.  The USG also 
reviews the program on a yearly basis.  The OAS published a 
study in 2005 positively assessing the chemicals and 
methodologies used in the aerial spray program. 
9. Since the tracking of complaints began in 2001, the 
Government of Colombia has processed approximately 5,844 
complaints of crop damage by spray planes, with some 3,069 
complaints in 2005 alone.  Only 28 complaints of accidental 
spraying of food crops or pastureland have been verified and 
compensation paid.  To date, the program has paid a little more 
than $159,000 in total compensation for damaged crops. 
10. All claims of human health damage alleged to have been 
caused by aerial spraying are aggressively investigated by the 
Government of Colombia.  Since the spraying began, the Colombian 
National Institute of Health has not verified a single case of 
adverse health effects. 
11. Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance.  The number of 
extraditions from Colombia to the United States has increased 
significantly in recent years.  In President Uribe's 
administration, extraditions have increased dramatically with 304 
Colombian nationals and 11 non-nationals extradited by the end of 
2005. 
12. In early 2005, Colombia extradited FARC leader Anayibe Rojas 
Valderama (aka "Comandante Sonia") and other criminal associates 
for drug trafficking and terrorism charges.  Colombia also 
extradited Cali Cartel leader Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela in 2005. 
Other high-ranking drug trafficking targets arrested and/or 
extradited include Consolidated Priority Targets and members of 
the North Valley Cartel's Top 10 list, such as Gabriel Puerta 
Parra, Jose Rendon Ramirez, Jhon Cano Carrera, and Dagaberto 
Florez. 
13. There is no bilateral mutual legal assistance treaty between 
the UNITED STATES and Colombia, but the two countries cooperate 
well via mutual legal assistance provisions in multilateral 
agreements and conventions, such as the OAS Convention on Mutual 
Legal Assistance.  During 2005, 100 mutual legal assistance 
requests were submitted by the UNITED STATES and over 50 
responses received from the GOC.  We expect the responses to the 
other requests will be made in 2006.  The Colombian government 
also provides extensive cooperation with regard to U.S. 
investigations and prosecutions.  Several specialized Colombian 
law enforcement units work closely with U.S. law enforcement 
agencies to investigate drug trafficking organizations as part of 
our bilateral case initiatives, resulting in tremendous successes 
in the areas of intelligence information, illicit property and 
contraband seizures, and criminal prosecutions. 
14. Demobilization.  Colombia is home to three formally 
designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations.  The Justice and 
Peace Law passed in 2005 accelerated the pace of demobilization 
of at least one, if not two of these organizations.  Over 14,000 
AUC members had demobilized collectively by the end of 2005. 
Diego Murillo Bejarano, also known as "Don Berna," a prominent 
paramilitary commander who was part of the original 
demobilization negotiations with the Colombian government in late 
2002, turned himself in during May of 2005 to avoid his impending 
arrest.  Shortly afterwards, he ordered the demobilization of 
more than 2,000 of his troops.  The USG has provided limited 
assistance for the collective demobilization process and is being 
asked to do more by the Government of Colombia.  The ELN with a 
little over 2,000 troops has recently begun peace talks with the 
government. 
15. In addition, in 2005 almost 3,000 individual members of the 
FARC, AUC, and ELN voluntarily demobilized or deserted to 
government forces under a USG-supported MOD program that actively 
promotes desertion via information campaigns.  The program trains 
military and police units on the proper handling of deserters; on 
interviewing them for intelligence value; and on certifying them 
for transfer to the Ministry of Interior and Justice program for 
reintegration into civil society.  Since August of 2002, when 
President Uribe took office, almost 8,000 members of the 
terrorist groups have deserted individually, severely weakening 
the middle-management and rank and file of these organizations. 
The MOD estimates that at least 50 percent of all successful 
military and police operations are based on intelligence 
generated by this program. 
16. Public Security.  During 2005, the Colombian government 
continued consolidating control in all parts of the country, 
building on success in firmly establishing a police presence 
countrywide at the beginning of the Uribe Administration.  There 
are now police in all of Colombia's 1,098 municipalities, 
limiting the influence of illegal armed groups and denying their 
sources of income.  This increased government presence has 
contributed to the increasing desertion rates.  Other security 
indicators also were very positive in 2005: homicides down by 13 
percent, kidnappings down by 51 percent, overall terrorist 
attacks down by 21 percent, and the number of Internally 
Displaced Persons (IDPs) down by 15 percent. 
17. Law Enforcement Efforts. The CNP, led by DIRAN, again broke 
all interdiction records in 2005, with over 94 metric tons of 
processed cocaine (HCl) and coca base seized, 104 HCl 
laboratories destroyed, and 773 base labs destroyed. In addition, 
combined public forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Police) seized 
a record total of 228 metric tons of cocaine and coca base and 
destroyed 200 HCl laboratories.  DIRAN also conducted numerous 
joint operations with the military against high-value 
narcoterrorist targets.  Asset seizures were up by more than 500 
per cent in 2005.  This included the drugstore chain owned by the 
Rodriguez Orjuela brothers valued at several hundred million 
dollars. 
18. The CNP's Mobile Rural Police (Carabineros or EMCAR) reported 
impressive final results for 2005.  EMCAR squadrons captured 275 
narcotics traffickers and 1,639 guerrillas.  The squadrons also 
captured 3,127 common criminals.  They seized 1,655 weapons, 8.5 
metric tons of coca base, 46,600 gallons of liquid precursors and 
142.5 metric tons of solid precursors.  A total of 52 EMCAR 
squadrons have now been trained and deployed and their work along 
with the "Municipio" or hometown CNP units was largely 
responsible for the continued improvement in public security 
throughout rural Colombia. 
19. DIRAN's Jungle Commandos (Junglas) also had a great year. 
The Junglas are air mobile units that have received significant 
specialized USG training and are often the unit of choice for 
tough missions.  The Junglas primary mission is the destruction 
of HCl labs and interdiction missions.  The Junglas were 
responsible for the destruction of over half of the HCl and base 
labs destroyed by the CNP and a significant quantity of the 
seizures. 
20. The Colombian Army Counter Drug (CD) Brigade (BDE) seized 
over 3 metric tons kgs of cocaine and destroyed 14 HCl labs and 
209 base labs.  Over 168 tons of liquid precursors and 180 tons 
of solid precursors were destroyed by the CD BDE.  They also 
dismantled 22 narco-terrorist base camps and killed or captured 
78 narcoterrorists. 
21. Firewall Program.  This program on Colombia's north coast was 
quite successful in targeting go-fast boats leaving Colombia for 
the transit zone. While DEA has the lead, a number of other USG 
agencies, as well as several European governments, have 
contributed to this program's success.  A small USG-supported 
Colombian Navy unit (GREAS) is now providing targeting 
information on up to 80 percent of all maritime seizures along 
the north coast.  The GREAS also received significant training, 
equipment, and support from the United Kingdom.  During FY2005, 
Operation Firewall contributed to the seizure of over 47 metric 
tons of cocaine. 
22. Kingpin or "Cabecillas" Group.  The DIRAN permanent task 
force to target the Kingpin (Cabecillas) who are the leadership 
of the narcotics terrorist organizations continues to work 
towards capturing the more than 300 Kingpins.  The special police 
teams gather intelligence against the Kingpins and the DIRAN 
intelligence fusion center analyzes the intelligence and 
participates in operational planning.  Since the group was 
formed, numerous special operations have been conducted, 
resulting in the capture of several leadership targets. 
23. Operation Knockout.  In June of 2005, a multiagency operation 
seized 10.7 METRIC TONS of cocaine, 30 kilos of heroin, and over 
$142 million dollars worth of properties and currency.  This 
intelligence driven operation that attacked the source, transit, 
and target zones was successful due to the leveraging of all 
intelligence and operational resources from the USG and the GOC. 
24. High-Value Targets. In 2005, three FARC commanders were 
killed and many other important leaders were either killed or 
captured.  In addition, important narcotraffickers like Johnny 
Cano, Wescenlao Caicedo, Gordo Lindo, and Carlos Robayo Escobar 
were arrested and are now awaiting extradition to the United 
States. 
25. Corruption. The GOC does not encourage or facilitate illicit 
production or distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or 
other controlled substances or related money laundering.  The GOC 
has enacted appropriate legislation to combat money laundering 
and related financial flows associated with narcotics trafficking 
and has established a unit made up of officials of the Ministries 
of Justice and Finance that tracks the illegal flow of money. 
Allegations of corruption within the Office of the Prosecutor 
General have fallen off sharply in the last year.  Widespread use 
of polygraph exams has been a constructive tool in the fight 
against corruption. 
26. A specialized Anti-Corruption Task Force Unit exists to 
investigate and prosecute public corruption crimes. Corruption 
clearly plays a major role in the continued diversion of 
precursor chemicals.  Colombia is party to the Inter-American 
Convention Against Corruption. Colombia has signed, but not 
ratified, the UN Convention against Corruption. 
27. Agreements and Treaties. Colombia is a party to the 1988 UN 
Drug Convention, and the GOC's national counternarcotics plan of 
1998 meets the strategic plan requirements of that convention. 
The GOC is generally in line with the other requirements of the 
convention.  In September 2000, Colombia and the United States 
signed an agreement formally establishing the Bilateral Narcotics 
Control Program.  This effort provides the framework for specific 
counternarcotics project agreements with the various Colombian 
implementing agencies. 
28. Colombia and the UNITED STATES are signatories to the OAS 
Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance. The GOC and the United 
States are also parties to a Maritime Shipboarding Agreement 
signed in 1997, providing faster approval for shipboarding in 
international waters and setting guidelines for improved 
counternarcotics cooperation between the Colombian Navy and the 
U.S. Coast Guard. Colombia is a party to the UN Convention 
against Transnational Organized Crime, along with the protocol on 
trafficking in persons. 
29. Cocaine.  Based on the most recent CNC cultivation estimates, 
along with the DEA coca yield and laboratory efficiency data, 
Colombia had the potential in 2004 to produce 430 METRIC TONS of 
100 percent pure cocaine base from locally grown coca plants. 
This put estimated Colombian potential cocaine production below 
the historic levels of 1998.  Although the Colombian coca crop 
estimate remained statistically unchanged between 2003 and 2004, 
reductions in coca productivity through eradication of mature 
crops resulted in an estimated six percent reduction in cocaine 
production during that timeframe.  Based on average purities of 
bulk seizures in the United States, this equates to approximately 
515 metric tons of "export quality" cocaine. Colombian 
counternarcotics efforts have reduced Colombia's capacity to 
produce cocaine by 43 percent since 2001.  Export quality cocaine 
production has declined from 905 metric tons in 2001 to 515 
metric tons in 2004.  This success is reflected in the February 
to September 2005 19 percent increase in the price of cocaine. 
30. Heroin.  According to the latest USG estimates, Colombia had 
the potential to produce 3.8 metric tons of 100 percent pure 
heroin. Eradication has reduced Colombian opium poppy cultivation 
by 68 percent since 2001, from 6,540 hectares to 2,100 hectares. 
This marked reduction in opium poppy crop size in Colombia may be 
reflected in the most recent statistics on the price and purity 
of heroin in the United States:  DEA's Domestic Monitoring 
Program Report published in 2005, indicates that South American 
heroin samples declined in purity by 22 percent and increased in 
cost per pure gram by 30 percent between 2003 and 2004.  Longer- 
term trends demonstrate even greater progress.  The Domestic 
Monitoring Program Report shows a 37 percent reduction in purity 
and a 40 percent increase in price per pure gram of South 
American heroin in the United States during the span of 2001 to 
2004. 
31. Synthetic Drugs.  Both availability and consumption of 
Ecstasy in Colombia are steadily rising.  The majority of Ecstasy 
found in Colombia enters from Europe in powder form and is 
locally pressed into pills.  There has been no evidence of 
Ecstasy being smuggled from Colombia to the United States, and it 
is believed that almost all Ecstasy is for local consumption. 
Colombian production of Ecstasy is believed to be limited.  The 
Colombian National Police raided one Ecstasy lab and one 
amphetamine pill press facility in 2005. 
32. Drug Flow/Transit.  Cocaine and heroin are transported by 
road, river, and small civilian aircraft from the Colombian 
Source Zone to the Colombian Transit Zone north and west of the 
Andes Mountains.  Primary transportation nodes include the larger 
airports, clandestine airstrips, and seaports from which small go- 
fast vessels can transport cocaine.  A smaller, but growing, 
cocaine smuggling method is to use small civilian aircraft from 
clandestine airstrips in eastern and southeastern Colombia to fly 
cocaine to Brazil, Suriname, Venezuela, or Guyana.  From these 
countries the cocaine is either consumed domestically, or 
transferred to maritime vessels for shipment to the United States 
or Europe. 
33. Colombia's coastal regions are major transshipment points for 
bulk maritime shipments of cocaine.  The vast majority of the 
drugs shipped from the coastal regions originate from production 
areas in the south-central portion of the country, as well as 
from other less prolific growing areas in the northern third of 
Colombia.  Most shipments are organized by well-established 
trafficking organizations based in Cali, Medellin, Bogota, and 
elsewhere. 
34. Go-fast boats are then regularly used to on/off-load drugs 
onto fishing vessels or other "mother" ships at sea.  Go-fast 
boats also transport drugs to Central American and Caribbean 
transshipment countries, using refueling ships to extend their 
range. Fishing vessels and commercial cargo ships continue to be 
used to transport large quantities of drugs via both Atlantic and 
Pacific routes.  Fishing vessels usually travel to Mexico or 
Guatemala, while cargo ships can go directly to the United States 
or Europe.  The drugs are hidden in container cargo, bulk cargo, 
or hidden compartments built into ships. 
35. Cocaine is also transported from Colombia to the United 
States and other countries via commercial air cargo or concealed 
aboard commercial aircraft.  The use of "mules" (couriers) 
traveling as passengers on commercial airlines is frequent, 
though the quantities transported in this manner are relatively 
small. 
36. Heroin is often concealed in the lining of clothing or 
luggage. There is also ingestion by airline passengers, or 
"swallowers." The CNP/Airport Interdiction Group has experienced 
great success in identifying and arresting "swallowers" at the 
international airports in Bogota, Cali, and Medellin.  There are 
also significant quantities of heroin being shipped from 
Colombia's Pacific Coast, particularly from Buenaventura.  The 
trend of heroin shipments being combined with cocaine shipments 
on go-fast boats departing from the Atlantic coast continues. 
37. Colombian heroin transportation organizations use trafficking 
routes through Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, and 
Venezuela to move heroin to the United States. In many cases, 
couriers depart from Colombia through the international airports 
in Bogota, Medellin, Cali, and to a lesser extent, Barranquilla, 
and then transit one or more countries before arriving in Mexico. 
From Mexico, the heroin is typically transported across the 
border into the United States and transported by courier to its 
final destination. 
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
38. U.S. Policy Initiatives.  The aerial eradication spray 
program again set a new record in 2005.  The program sprayed some 
138,775 hectares of coca and 1,624 hectares of poppy in 2005, 
surpassing 2004's total for illicit crops.  The illicit coca 
cultivation eradicated would have yielded over 150 METRIC TONS of 
cocaine with a street value of over $15 billion.  Continued 
closer intelligence coordination and more intensive utilization 
of the CD Brigade has kept the number of hostile fire impacts on 
spray aircraft below historic levels, even though the program 
sprayed more hectares. Maintaining hits below historic levels has 
helped to sustain the operational tempo of aerial eradication 
operations by reducing time lost to repair damaged aircraft. 
During the year, one pilot was shot to death while engaged in a 
spray operation, and the spray plane was also lost. 
39. The Plan Colombia Helicopter Program (PCHP), consisting of UH- 
1N, UH-1H II, UH-60, and K-Max helicopters, continued to provide 
dedicated support to the CD Brigade and, when available, provided 
other support to human rights-certified Colombian military and 
Public Security Forces.  In 2005, PCHP aircraft flew 29,054 
 
hours, carried 36,782 passengers, transported 1,788,400 pounds of 
cargo, and conducted 188 medical evacuations of military and 
civilian personnel.  This year the program lost one UH-60 and one 
UH-1H II.  PCHP also participated in a number of high value 
target (HVT) missions.  The nationalization of the PCHP continues 
with more than 100 contract American pilots and mechanics leaving 
the program in 2005 to be replaced by Colombian Army (COLAR) 
personnel. 
40. The interdiction programs set new records in 2005, by seizing 
228 metric tons of cocaine, along with 718 kilos of heroin. 
These 228 metric tons are equivalent to 75 percent of the 
estimated amount of cocaine that enters the UNITED STATES and 
would have sold on the streets of the UNITED STATES for almost 
$23 billion.  These numbers combined with those from eradication 
mean that our eradication and interdiction efforts kept 378 
METRIC TONS of cocaine off the streets of the UNITED STATES with 
an estimated street value of over $38 billion. 
41. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs Border 
Patrol (CBP) continue to provide training and technical 
assistance to improve the ability of border control agencies in 
Colombia to combat money laundering, contraband smuggling, and 
commercial fraud. The emphasis has been on seaports and airports. 
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) provides 
technical assistance and training to numerous GOC entities to 
ensure that they can deal with the threat of explosive devices, 
and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has a small program that provided 
technical assistance and training to its GOC counterpart. 
42. The USG continues to support DIRAN's aviation unit (ARAVI), 
comprised of 19 fixed-wing and 61 rotary-wing aircraft. In 
addition to counternarcotics missions, ARAVI has, with Embassy 
approval, used USG-supported assets for humanitarian missions, 
targeted intelligence gathering, antiterrorism, antikidnapping, 
HVT missions, and public order missions. As part of our 
nationalization efforts, the USG continues to help ARAVI train 
more pilots and mechanics within Colombia and perform more 
maintenance and repairs in Colombia.  USG funds financed a modern 
state of the art maintenance hangar that allows ARAVI to perform 
depot-level maintenance on the 31 Huey IIs, reducing downtime due 
to shipment of aircraft back to the United States.  In addition, 
two of seven American technical advisors have been replaced with 
Colombians.  With USG assistance, ARAVI began training for Night 
Vision Goggle (NVG) use in 2005 after a long hiatus in their 
program due to previous accidents and aircraft losses.  Long-term 
work on the fleet to ensure full NVG compatibility is ongoing. 
43. The Air Bridge Denial (ABD) program completed 28 months of 
operations in 2005. ABD operations in 2005 contributed to the 
destruction of two aircraft, the capture of five aircraft in 
Colombia and three others in Central America, and the seizure of 
almost four metric tons of cocaine. 
44. USG and GOC joint efforts are having a major impact on 
illicit agriculture.  To encourage farmers to abandon the 
production of drug crops, USG programs have supported the 
cultivation of over 76,000 hectares of legal crops and completed 
more than 1,000 social and productive infrastructure projects in 
the last five years.  More than 64,000 families in 17 departments 
have benefited from these programs. 
45. In addition to combating drug production and trafficking, the 
USG is assisting Colombians in the areas that have been most 
ravaged by the drug trade.  For example, the USG has improved the 
delivery of public services in 156 municipalities, including the 
delivery of potable water and sewage treatment. To date, the USG 
has provided non-emergency support for over two million 
Colombians internally displaced by narcotics terrorism, including 
aid for over 2,600 former child soldiers.  A total of nine 
peaceful-coexistence centers have been created in small 
municipalities to provide onsite administrative and legal 
assistance, educational opportunities, and a neutral space for 
community meetings, discussions, and events.  Additionally, the 
GOC's presence in rural areas was expanded by the creation of 40 
Justice Houses, which offer access to justice and peaceful 
conflict resolution. 
46. The USG, through the Justice Sector Reform Program and rule 
of law assistance, is helping Colombia in reforming and 
strengthening its criminal justice system.  DOJ, USAID, and other 
USG agencies have provided training, technical assistance, and 
equipment to enhance the capacity and capabilities of the 
Colombian system and to make it more transparent to the public. 
In addition to the more than 17,000 police, prosecutors, and 
judges trained in the new accusatorial system, another 36,000 
have been trained in investigative and forensic areas like human 
rights, financial investigations, maritime interdiction, 
counterfeiting, anti-kidnapping, and VIP protection. 
47. The Road Ahead.  Colombia and the United States, working 
together, have had considerable successes against narcoterrorism 
since Plan Colombia began in late 2000.  Colombia and its 
President have demonstrated the political will to deal with the 
scourge of narcoterrorism.  If this joint effort is sustained, 
the trends of decreased cultivation and increased interdictions 
will continue favorably.  That, combined with the improved 
governance and decreasing criminality, continued demobilizations 
and desertions, and general economic and developmental 
improvement, will continue to weaken the illicit drug producing 
industry and reduce the flow of drugs into the United States, 
while diminishing the power and influence of narcoterrorist 
organizations. 
48. Challenges for 2006 include continuing transfer of greater 
responsibilities in counternarcotics funding and operations to 
the GOC, while maintaining operational results; countering the 
rapid replanting of coca in areas sprayed by program; dealing 
with increased illicit cultivation in Colombia's national parks; 
supporting the GOC's efforts to demobilize and reintegrate ex- 
combatants, while advancing reconciliation and victim reparations 
processes; increasing the number of police to deal with the power 
vacuum created by the demobilization of the AUC; maintaining 
political will; helping the Colombians gain control of the vast 
Pacific coastal zones; and maintaining an aging air fleet that is 
required to fly more hours every year. 
49. The benefits of USG efforts in Colombia are not limited to 
law enforcement and counternarcotics successes. Democracy, 
economic stability, respect for the rule of law and human rights, 
and regional security are all enhanced by our bilateral 
counternarcotics programs in Colombia. 
WOOD