TNAG-1709-FCO40-2384-Hong-Kong-narcotics-offences-and-drug-trafficking-1988 — Page 34

security lights around tie-downs.

-25-

hangars and installing aircraft

During the first half of 1987,

of 1987, INM sponsored evaluations/ studies of the aerial eradication program in Mexico. These evaluations, as well as a narcotics control plan elaborated by the Embassy in Mexico City, are under review in both Washington and Mexico.

The PGR sprayed 604 hectares of marijuana in the first five months of 1987 compared to only 451 hectares for the same period in 1986, an increase of 34 percent. Over 857 hectares of opium were eradicated. The PGR reported it manually destroyed 105 hectares of marijuana and 13 hectares of opium.

The Vanguard Program, a joint United States/Mexican effort to verify independently the PGR's efforts, confirmed that 3,844 of 3,863 fields sprayed in the first quarter of 1987 were actually destroyed. However, ground truth verification has not been possible, pending assignments of helicopters to the Vanguard program by the PGR.

The GOM seized 3,232 kgs. of cocaine in transit to the U.S. between January-May. Other significant seizures include:

marijuana opium morphine heroin

psychotropics

260,000 kilos

25 kilos

10 kilos

45 kilos 153,000 doses

Mexican authorities also confiscated a sizeable amount of property used by drug traffickers. This inventory includes 892 weapons, 683 land vehicles, 15 aircraft, and 7 maritime vessels.

Persons arrested for narcotics violations totaled 3,679 Mexicans and 106 foreigners, including 60 U.S. citizens.

The Ministry of Defense reports that the Mexican Army has destroyed 324,646 opium poppy plots on 75,489 acres and 198,729 marijuana plots on 73,000 acres by manual eradication in the first quarter of 1987. However, the U.S. cannot verify these statistics. The Army seized 1,412 kilograms of cocaine during the first five months of 1987.

The June 28-29 United States-Mexican Interparliamentary Meeting in Cancun recommended that both countries sign and ratify the draft Mutual

Mutual Legal Assistance

Assistance Treaty as soon as possible. It is under review by the Government of Mexico. The first practical opportunity for signing the treaty is the next Attorneys General Meeting, tentatively scheduled for fall 1987.