VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWD #0459/01 3451111
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111111Z DEC 09 ZFF3
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0001
INFO SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000459 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
DEPARTMENT FOR INL/AAE (LYLE), AF/S (GWYN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:    
SUBJECT: NAMIBIA: 2009-2010 INCSR PART I 
 
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 I. Summary 
 
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 1. (SBU) While occasionally used as a drug transit point, Namibia 
is not a major drug producer or exporter.  Statistics for 2009 
showed a marked decrease in illegal drug seizures compared to 
previous years, with approximately $300,000 worth of drugs (589 
kilograms of marijuana, plus extremely small quantities of Mandrax 
(methaqualone), cocaine, and Ecstasy) seized between April 2008 and 
March 2009.  Drug abuse remains an issue of concern, especially 
among economically disadvantaged groups.  Narcotics enforcement is 
the responsibility of the Namibian Police's Drug Law Enforcement 
Unit (DLEU), which still lacks the manpower, resources and 
equipment required to fully address the domestic drug trade and 
transshipment issues.  Namibia ratified the 1988 UN Drug Convention 
in March 2009.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
--------------------- 
 
II. Status of Country 
 
--------------------- 
 
 
 
 2. (SBU) Namibia is not a significant producer of drugs or 
precursor chemicals.  No drug production facilities were discovered 
in Namibia in 2009. 
 
 
 
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III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2009 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
 
 
Policy Initiatives. 
 
 
 
 3. (SBU) Namibia has requested United Nations (UNODC) assistance in 
reviewing the 2003-2008 National Drug Master Plan.  The 1988 UN 
Drug Convention requirements are reflected in Namibian law, which 
criminalizes cultivation, production, distribution, sale, transport 
and financing of illicit narcotics.  Namibia's Parliament passed 
the Prevention of Organized Crime Act (POCA), designed to combat 
organized crime and money laundering, in 2004, and it entered into 
force in May 2009.  In July 2007, Parliament passed the Financial 
Intelligence Act (FIA) and the law entered into force in May 2009. 
The Combating of the Abuse of Drugs Bill was tabled in Parliament 
in 2006.  However due to non compliance with certain provisions of 
the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the Bill was withdrawn from parliament 
and is currently under review with the Namibian Legal Drafting 
Directorate in the Ministry of Justice.  If passed, it would ban 
the consumption, trafficking, sale and possession of dangerous, 
undesirable and dependence-inducing substances.  Namibia is also a 
signatory to the International Convention for the Suppression of 
the Financing of Terrorism.  The Namibian Anti-Terrorism Activities 
Bill and Drugs Control Bill are still under consideration.  Once 
dully implemented and harmonized, the new legislation will allow 
for asset forfeiture and other narcotics-related prosecution tools. 
 
 
 
Law Enforcement Efforts. 
 
 
 
 4. (SBU) Namibia fully participates in regional law enforcement 
cooperation efforts against narcotics trafficking, especially 
through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the 
Southern African Regional Police Chief's Cooperative Organization 
(SARPCCO).  The Minister of Safety and Security and working level 
officials meet regularly with counterparts from neighboring 
countries to discuss efforts to combat cross border contraband 
shipments (including narcotics trafficking). 
 
 5. (SBU) According to official statistics (published in April every 
year), police made the following seizures: 
 
 
 
                  2009*  2008** 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
Cannabis           589   1383    kilograms 
 
Cocaine powder   9.284     32    kilograms 
 
Crack cocaine      410    528    dosage units 
 
Ecstasy             92    394    tablets 
 
Methaqualone       800    381    tablets 
 
 
 
*  Statistics collected April 2008 to March 2009 
 
** Statistics collected April 2007 to March 2008 
 
 
 
 6. (SBU) The Namibian Police's Drug Law Enforcement Unit (DLEU), 
continues to lack the manpower, resources and equipment required to 
fully address the domestic drug trade and transshipment issues. 
For example, the DLEU only has drug detection dogs in Windhoek to 
carry out its enforcement activities, while other transit points 
lack coverage. 
 
 
 
 7. (SBU) The Nineteenth Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law 
Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA), Africa, organized by the United 
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was hosted by the 
Government of Namibia, in Windhoek, Namibia, October 12 through 16, 
 2009. 
 
 
 
Corruption. 
 
 
 
 8. (SBU) As s matter of government policy, the Government of 
Namibia does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or 
distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled 
substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug 
transactions.  Similarly, no senior government official is alleged 
to have participated in such activities. 
 
 
 
Agreements and Treaties. 
 
 
 
 9. (SBU) In March 2009 Namibia ratified the 1988 UN Drug 
Convention.  In addition it is a party to the 1961 UN Single 
Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN 
Convention on Psychotropic Substances.  Namibia also is a party to 
the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and its 
protocols against migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons, and 
to the UN Convention against Corruption.  The United States and 
Namibia do not have a bi-lateral extradition or mutual legal 
assistance treaty.  In 2006, however, Namibia designated the United 
States as a country to which Namibia could extradite persons.  In 
addition, there has been excellent cooperation regarding legal 
assistance between both countries. 
 
 
 
Drug and Flow/Transit 
 
 
 
 10. (SBU) Namibia's excellent port facilities and road network, 
combined with weak border enforcement, make it a likely 
transshipment point for drugs en route to the larger and more 
lucrative South African market.  DLEU personnel believe much of the 
transshipment takes place via shipping containers either off-loaded 
 
at the port of Walvis Bay or entering overland from Angola and 
transported via truck to Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. 
Inadequate staffing and training, inadequate screening equipment, 
and varying levels of motivation among working-level customs and 
immigration officers at Namibia's land border posts all prevent 
adequate container inspection and interception of contraband. 
However, during 2009 the Namibian Customs Directorate in the 
Ministry of Finance procured scanning equipment, which will be 
commissioned at major ports and land borders to enhance the 
capacity of border interdiction for illegal drugs and other 
contraband.  Inconsistently applied immigration controls also make 
Namibia an attractive transit point for Africans en route to or 
from Latin America for illicit purposes.  The current maritime 
security posture does not allow the Namibian police, naval, and 
port authorities to monitor maritime activities outside the 5 km 
outer anchorage area of Namibia's major ports in Walvis Bay and 
Luderitz.  It has been reported that drug traffickers have been 
able to exploit this weakness by using small crafts to meet larger 
vessels outside these controlled areas.  The Namibian Navy assists 
the police and customs officials with better patrolling of 
Namibia's Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs).  Six additional patrol 
ships have been procured from Brazil.  Only one ship "Brendan 
Simbwaye" has been received and is currently in use.  It is 
uncertain when the other five ships will be delivered to the 
Namibian Navy. 
 
 
 
Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction. 
 
 
 
 11. (SBU) Drug treatment programs are available from private 
clinics, and to a lesser extent from public facilities.  The vast 
majority of treatment cases in Namibia are for alcohol abuse, with 
the remainder divided evenly between cannabis and Mandrax 
(methaqualone).  There is also increasing evidence of the problem 
of cocaine use in Namibia. 
 
 
 
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IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
 
---------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
 12. (SBU) The USG continues to support Namibian participation in 
law enforcement training programs at the International Law 
Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Gaborone, Botswana.  Many of these 
training programs include counternarcotics modules. 
Representatives of several Namibian law enforcement agencies 
(Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement, Prison Service, the Namibian Police, and the 
Anti-Corruption Commission) and prosecutors have participated in 
ILEA training.  The police have repeatedly state their willingness 
to cooperate with the USG on any future narcotics-related 
investigations.  In July 2007 the Financial Intelligence Act (FIA) 
was passed.  Both POCA and the FIA entered into force in May 2009. 
The FIA serves as the cornerstone of Namibia's anti-money 
laundering and counter terrorist financing (AML/CTF) regime in 
concert with the POCA.  FIA requires both bank and non-bank 
financial institutions, called accountable institutions, to 
identify customers and to report suspicious transactions to the 
Bank of Namibia (BoN), as well as to provide relevant documents and 
other investigations.  The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has established 
the Financial Intelligence Center (FIC) to carry out the FIA.  The 
U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Technical Assistance 
provided assistance in implementation of FIA and the establishment 
of the FIC. 
 
 
 
The Road Ahead. 
 
 
 
 13. (SBU The USG will continue to coordinate with relevant law 
enforcement bodies to allow them to take advantage of training 
opportunities at ILEA Botswana and elsewhere, and will assist the 
Government of Namibia in any narcotics investigation with a U.S. 
nexus. 
MATHIEU