Pubdate: Fri, 27 Jan 2006
Source: Cayman Net News (Cayman Islands)
Copyright: 2006 Cayman Net Ltd
Contact:  http://www.caymannetnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3700
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

MODERN DRUG WAR NOW WAGES IN CYBERSPACE

On 25 January 2006, Jerome Harris - Special Agent with the US Drug
Enforcement Agency (DEA), based in Puerto Rico - said millions of
dollars are moving around the world via the Internet and, "these are
the kind of investigations we have to become involved with."

Mr Harris - who is Caribbean Field Director and as such, in charge of
officers based in many countries throughout the Caribbean - was
speaking to his fellow delegates on the first day of the Pre-IDEC
(International Drug Enforcement Conference) being held at the Marriott
Hotel on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman.

He was making reference to the fact that years ago when IDEC was
formed, the world was a lot different.

However, over the last 22 years "NAFTA, Outsourcing, and a number of
other factors have been driven by the development in global
communication."

He said that with an additional 2.5 billion people "showing up on the
scene" over the period, the use of the Internet to facilitate the
"cashless" movement of "millions of dollars" has grown.

Mr Harris made the statement about the use of electronic territories
of the Internet, World-wide Web and other cyberspaces in the drug
trade against the background of one of the targets of IDEC groups
during the period leading up to the upcoming IDEC XXIV Conference,
which is the sharing of information about suspicious money movements.

The IDEC XXIV is to be held in Montreal, Canada from 8-12 May
2006.

Mr Harris went on to give an indication of the sizeable amount of
virtually invisible money that had to accompany trading in huge
amounts of drugs when he spoke of the size and popularity of
methamphetamine use in the US.

"Methamphetamine use is ripping the very heart out of our country," he
said. Mr Harris referred to IDEC's growth and how it reflected its
importance globally. He said that when the group started there were
approximately eight member-countries as part of a working group.
"Since its inception, IDEC has grown from a regional to a global
forum, with approximately fifty-four member countries and 27 observer
countries," he added.

In opening the Conference H.E The Governor of the Cayman Islands,
Stuart Jack, said that even though Cayman had a low crime rate by
international standards, "there is crime here."

Linking criminal activity to drugs he said that crime, "including
recent criminal activity, is in one way or the other, drug related."

Mr Jack said that at the local level, Customs, the Police, the
Government and all related agencies would "make every possible effort"
in the fight against criminal activity. He added, however, that apart
from addressing "criminals we have here" we have to address those
sitting around our shores.

"To the extent that we recognize this, we are also conscious of the
international component in relation to ganja and cocaine coming from
overseas," Mr Jack noted.

He linked this overseas component of the drug trade to the importance
of the 23-year-old IDEC group and the cooperation amongst countries on
the matter.

Mr Jack acknowledged the contribution Derek Haines made to the group
for many years.

Mr Haines has the distinction of working in the field of narco-crime
through IDEC, on behalf of the Cayman Islands, since 1995. At that
time, Cayman had Observer status with the Conference.

Mr Haines had actually worked with the Conference since 1994 from
another territory. He moved Cayman from Observer to Membership status
in 1997, and has been the IDEC representative ever since. Mr Haines
also has the distinction of being IDEC Secretary for 11 years.

Also extending kudos to Mr Haines for his work on behalf of the Cayman
Islands in Drug Enforcement was Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan.

"I echo the Governor's thanks to Derek for organizing this event,"
said Mr Kernohan.

At this Pre-IDEC Conference for the Caribbean group - attended by some
40 delegates - topics included bi- and multi-lateral intelligence-led
operations and targets.

David Schudel and John Faris of Cayman Forensic Laboratory led
discussions on Forensic Science and Drug Investigations. There was
also a presentation from an Intelligence Analyst.

This group was meeting against the background that at the last
international Conference - IDEC XXIII - each working group selected
regional targets in three areas.

These areas were international drug trafficking organizations, money
laundering organizations, and diverters of essential and precursor
chemicals.

Each regional working group set goals, developed a work plan,
identified resources and responsibilities, and developed plans to
overcome weaknesses and constraints.

The majority of the IDEC agenda is devoted to working group sessions
where senior-level drug law enforcement officials identify common
targets based on intelligence and coordinate regional and global
attacks on these targets.

According to Mr Harris, delegates in attendance at the this 25-26
January 2006 should "walk away from the Conference working smarter."
Membership in IDEC is by country and this list now includes
Afghanistan, Israel, Antigua and Barbuda, Italy, Argentina, Jamaica,
Aruba, Korea, Australia, Malaysia, Bahamas, Mexico, Barbados, New
Zealand, Belize, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Nigeria, Brazil, Pakistan,
Canada, Panama, Cayman Islands, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, Colombia, St.
Kitts and Nevis, Costa Rica, St. Lucia, Curacao, St. Vincent,
Dominica, South Africa, Dominican Republic, Spain, Ecuador, Suriname,
El Salvador, Thailand, France, The Philippines, Grenada, Trinidad &
Tobago, Guatemala, Turkey, Guyana, Turks and Caicos, Haiti, United
States, Honduras, Uruguay, India and Venezuela. Observer countries are
Austria, Netherlands Antilles, Bulgaria, Poland, China, Romania,
Denmark, Russia, Egypt, St. Maarten, Germany, Singapore, Ghana,
Switzerland, Greece, Tajikistan, Hong Kong, Ukraine, Indonesia, United
Arab Emirates, Japan, United Kingdom, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,
Malaysia, Vietnam and Netherlands. 
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MAP posted-by: Tom