17 December 1998
(Concludes 6th round of bilateral talks) (2370) WASHINGTON -- The Mexico-U.S. High Level Group for Drug Control concluded its two days of joint planning representing its 6th set of meetings on how to combat illicit drugs December 16. Following is the text of the joint communique issued December 17: (begin text) HIGH LEVEL CONTACT GROUP FOR DRUG CONTROL Washington, D.C., December 15-16, 1998 Communique The Governments of Mexico and the United States of America held the sixth meeting of the High Level Contact Group for Drug Control (HLCG) on December 15-16, 1998 in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Delegation was headed by Barry McCaffrey, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Attorney General Janet Reno, and Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin. The Mexican Delegation was co-chaired by Secretary of Foreign Relations Rosario Green and Attorney General Jorge Madrazo. The HLCG Plenary received reports from the technical working groups, identified areas of cooperation and challenges to address in both the short and long term. The Principals welcomed the HLCG meeting as a valuable opportunity for open and direct discussions between officials at the highest levels of the governments, bringing together the broad range of agencies dedicated to our common commitment to demand reduction and law enforcement. TECHNICAL GROUP REPORTS Demand Reduction The U.S. Delegation reported that more than one third of the U.S. federal drug control budget, ($5,900 million) is spent on demand reduction, and that overall U.S. illegal drug demand has fallen by 50 percent since 1979. Cocaine use in the United States has fallen by more than 70 percent since 1979 and spending on cocaine has declined by about one third during the same period. In more recent years, however, cocaine use has remained stable among adults. The Mexican Delegation reported that the country has not developed an endemic consumption problem. It has nevertheless decided to take preventive actions. The Demand Reduction working group provided a transcript of the proceedings of the U.S./Mexico HLCG Bi-National Demand Reduction Conference held in El Paso earlier this year. The Mexican Delegation proposed a follow-on conference in Mexico in the second quarter of 1999. The proposal was received positively by the U.S. Delegation and both delegations agreed to pursue the proposal. The group also highlighted accomplishments since the last HLCG plenary, including development of a bi-national website and finalization of Mexico's drug survey for the past year. Both delegations expressed a desire to formally discuss steps to improve demand reduction training. Money Laundering The Money Laundering Working Group reported that Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has joined the Egmont group, an international group of FIUs, and has become connected to a secure telecommunications net associated with that group. Both nations reported on their respective efforts to combat money laundering. Among other things, Mexico's Treasury reported that it has received more than four million currency transaction reports and 395 suspicious activity reports. The Mexican Treasury is working with the U.S. Treasury to improve its software and capacity to handle that volume of reports. The Mexican Treasury also is developing a system to analyze the reports received. As for the U.S., it reported that 42 percent of the more than 232,000 suspicious activity reports it has received since April 1996 have reported suspected money laundering or Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), violations. The U.S. also reported that 1,088 defendants were convicted in the U.S. on federal money laundering or BSA violations in FY 1997. Overall, based on reports from the field, the HLCG concluded that there has been good cooperation between the United States and Mexico in money laundering investigations. The Mexican authorities have spontaneously sent seven sets of compiled information about currency and money coming into Mexico from the United States. In response to Mexican requests for more of this kind of information from the U.S., both delegations agreed to meet immediately to consider how the U.S. could provide as much of the requested information as appropriate under U.S. law. The U.S. repeated its offer to train Mexican prosecutors in money laundering investigations and prosecutions. The U.S. Delegation expressed its general support for Mexico's application to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) as a full member and a Cooperating and Supporting Nation (COSUN) respectively. The U.S. offered to work with Mexico to assist it in meeting the requirements to enter both organizations, including undergoing mutual evaluation. Firearms Trafficking Bilateral cooperation and communication against arms trafficking is steadily improving. Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the growing exchange of information. The working group reported that points of contact between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement officers responsible for combating firearms trafficking were established in the border towns of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, both Nogales, San Diego and Tijuana. Cooperation on tracing of seized weapons continues. The two governments are working to find ways to increase the percentage of weapons that can be successfully traced. The governments anticipate that improved software, which the U.S. is working to provide in early 1999, will improve tracing results. In response to Mexican requests for information about firearms trafficking patterns, U.S. authorities are providing Mexico with information concerning illegal weapons originating from, or transiting through the United States to enter Mexico. Both governments now provide monthly updates of the names of citizens of the other nation detained or arrested for firearms and ammunition smuggling activities attempted across the common border. U.S. law enforcement also routinely shares investigative information necessary to interdict shipments of illegal fire earns into Mexico. The U.S. Delegation reported that the licensing period for firearms and ammunition export from the U.S. to Mexico had been shortened from four years to one year. The Mexican Delegation reported one hundred and nine Mexican officers have been trained by U.S. firearms investigators. The Mexican Delegation repeated its request for specialized weapons detection training. Chemical Control The Mexican Delegation reported that implementing regulations for recently approved chemical control legislation and are expected to take effect soon. In accordance with the new law, Mexican authorities have established a new database, which will permit a more effective administrative control of precursor and essential chemicals. The database will enable Mexico to enforce the law and share such information with other countries in accordance with international agreements. Both governments recognize that trafficking in precursor and essential chemicals continues to be a major law enforcement challenge. The U.S. Delegation proposed that efforts to stem the illicit diversion of pharmaceutical drugs in our countries be included in the Group's continuing cooperation. In considering ways to improve operational coordination and effectiveness, Mexico proposed its view that the United States and Mexico should negotiate a bilateral Chemical Control Memorandum of Understanding. The United States noted its preference for informal multilateral arrangements rather than formal bilateral agreements. Nonetheless both delegations agreed to explore what advantages a bilateral agreement might offer. SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PLENARY The Mexican and U.S. chairpersons of the Senior Law Enforcement Plenary, the principal forum for coordination on the full range of law enforcement issues, reported on progress in current cooperative counternarcotics efforts as well as its initiatives in other areas, such as intellectual property rights protection, "cybercrime" and asset forfeiture. The Mexican Delegation reported on its efforts against criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking and related crimes. In this regard, it highlighted the arrest of the Amezcua brothers, major international methamphetamine traffickers. Mexico also reported that marijuana eradication reached the highest level ever this year and poppy eradication reached the second highest level. In relation to overall drug seizures the Mexican government commented that the results achieved were similar to previous years. Ten thousand criminals were detained during the last twelve months on drug charges. Two major border sealing operations were initiated during this year by the Mexican government, one in the Yucatan Peninsula and the other in the Gulf of California. In response to a Mexican request at the August 1998 Plenary for more information about efforts against illegal drug trafficking organizations in the U.S., the U.S. Delegation provided a comprehensive package of statistical data on efforts against clandestine methamphetamine laboratories, domestic cannabis eradication and suppression activities, as well as prosecutions and sentences for federal drug trafficking offenses. U.S. law enforcement officials briefed the Mexican Delegation on actions against the Daniel Mejia/Ventura Contreras methamphetamine trafficking organization and the David and Darrell Young organizations. The latter was an example of a deployment of Mobile Enforcement Teams to support and assist local law enforcement authorities' efforts. The U.S. also provided information about drug-related anti-corruption actions undertaken in the United States. With regard to extradition this calendar year, the Plenary reported that as of December 1, 1998, Mexico had formally surrendered 11 fugitives to the United States through the extradition process (including three Mexican nationals, one of whom was charged with homicide and drug trafficking) and the United States had surrendered 13 fugitives (including three U.S., nine Mexican nationals, and a third country national). The Senior Plenary also acknowledged that reports on formal extraditions do not reveal the full scope of activity with regard to fugitives and that recognition must also be given to significant arrests, such as Luis and Jesus Amezcua, the approval of extraditions, and both countries' cooperation to effect the return, via deportation, of criminal fugitives, where appropriate. On asset seizure and forfeiture, the Law Enforcement Plenary reported that there continues to be a need for increased cooperation in tracing, freezing, and forfeiting the property and funds of transborder organizations and their principals, as well as enhancing coordination in asset investigations and improved legislative and procedural mechanisms for assisting each country. The Plenary Group oversaw the planning of a bilateral training seminar for members of the law enforcement community in both countries in Columbia, South Carolina November 9-13, 1998. Participants from both countries concluded that the session was among the most productive and positively interactive of any joint educational event to date between U.S. and Mexican prosecutorial and investigative authorities. The next in a series of these seminars will soon be scheduled and convened in Mexico. Both delegations expressed their concern for and interest in the handling of mutually shared sensitive information regarding investigations and prosecutions. They agreed to renew their efforts and to seek appropriate channels to protect such information in accordance with their respective laws. INTERDICTION AND SEIZURES The U.S. Delegation discussed its cocaine flow estimates for 1997 and 1998 which indicate that a significant amount of cocaine continues to transit through Mexico on its way to the United States. The U.S. Interdiction Coordinator briefed the HLCG on U.S. interdiction operations and on cooperative counter-drug agreements and operations undertaken with Caribbean governments. Highlighting the recent successes of U.S./Mexican cooperation in interdiction, he described a coordinated response involving the fishing vessel Lady Dounia. After an exchange of information between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy, the Mexican Navy pursued the suspect vessel which beached itself, and was boarded by Mexican Army personnel who found 2559 kilograms of cocaine. The U.S. Coast Guard also provided the Mexican Navy with training and technical assistance during dockside boardings that have resulted in a number of seizures. The HLCG Principals were also informed that a Mexican anti-drug (FEADS) officer has been assigned as liaison in the U.S. Customs Service Domestic Air Interdiction Coordination Center in Riverside, California. This liaison is enhancing the availability of new information to Mexican counter drug authorities. To better fight drag activities, Mexico's Army has reorganized its forces to improve its training and the intensive use of large amounts of human and material resources, representing 25 percent of its budget for the past four years. This enabled the capture of major drug traffickers and a 52 percent increase in eradication and 42 percent increase in interdiction since 1995. In the last three years, the military bilateral cooperation has reinforced Mexico's counter narcotics strategy. This cooperation was initially centered upon the transfer of 73 UH-1H helicopters that have been a useful tool in Mexico's counter drug programs, resulting in 2,500 successful counter narcotics operations and 9,000 flight hours. As of March, these helicopters were grounded due to a technical recommendation. In addition to solving the current technical problem, both governments are discussing the number of helicopters that will adequately support Mexico's counter drug strategy. PERFORMANCE MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS The HLCG Principals reviewed the status of the efforts to develop performance measures for the bi-national drug strategy. The HLCG had mandated these measures at its last meeting as a means of enhancing implementation of the strategy and providing objective criteria for evaluating progress. The Government of Mexico provided a completed draft text of its contribution to the performance measures to the United States in late November. The U.S. Government is now finalizing its draft performance measures which will be provided to the Government of Mexico in the next 30 to 45 days. The goal remains to have the unified text in early 1999. CONCLUSIONS AND ACTION AGREEMENTS Both delegations expressed their determination to strengthen U.S./Mexican counter drug cooperation through the High Level Contact Group. The Principals reviewed with satisfaction the progress that was achieved in key areas such as extradition and mutual legal assistance, chemical control, demand reduction and other areas, but encouraged the agencies involved on both sides to redouble their efforts to achieve greater results in implementing the joint strategy in the months ahead. They also emphasized the importance of intensified cooperation and coordination against the major trans-border trafficking organizations. They agreed to meet again in the first half of 1999. The HLCG concluded that the legislatures of both countries, as well as the general public should be informed of the concrete results achieved and the principal challenges to be faced through bilateral counter drug cooperation. (end text)