THE NETHERLAND ANTILLES AND DRUG TRAFFICKING

The Government of the Netherlands (GON) is responsible for the defense and foreign affairs of the entire Kingdom and assists the Government of Aruba (GOA) and the Government of the Netherlands Antilles (GONA) in their efforts to combat narcotics trafficking.


The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, and all three parts are subject to the Convention. Both Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles are active members of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).


The islands of the Netherlands Antilles (NA), which include Curacao and Bonaire off the coast of Venezuela and Saba, Saint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten east of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serve as transshipment points for cocaine and heroin coming from South America; chiefly Colombia, Venezuela, and to a much lesser extent, Suriname.


These shipments typically are transported to U.S. territory in the Caribbean by "go-fast" boats, although use of fishing boats, freighters, and cruise ships is becoming more common. Direct transport to Europe, and at times to the U.S., is by "mules" (drug couriers) using commercial flights. Drugs entering the United States from the Netherlands Antilles are not in sufficient an amount to have a significant effect on the United States.



The crackdown at Curacao's Hato International Airport on "mules,"-travelers who either ingest or conceal on their bodies illegal drugs-which began in 2002 continued during 2005. Historically, most of the courier traffic (current estimate is 95 percent) has been destined for Europe.



Aruba is a transshipment point for heroin, and to a lesser extent cocaine, moving north, mainly from Colombia, to the U.S. and secondarily to Europe. Drugs move north via cruise ships and the multiple daily flights to the U.S. and Europe. U.S. agencies reported more than 100 kilograms of heroin seized in the U.S. that had originated in Aruba. Drugs entering the U.S. from Aruba were not in sufficient an amount to have a significant effect on the U.S. As a result of the successes in Curacao during 2005, traffickers looked for other transit points in the region which included Aruba.

While Aruba enjoys a low crime rate, reporting during 2005 indicates that some prominent drug traffickers are established on the island. Additionally, Arubans worry about the easy availability of inexpensive drugs. The most visible evidence of a drug abuse problem may be the homeless addicts, called "chollars" who number about 300 and whose photographs routinely appear in publications to increase public awareness to drug abuse and to stem an increase in crime. Drug abuse in Aruba remains a cause for concern.

Private foundations on the island work on drug education and prevention and the Aruban government's top counternarcotics official actively reaches out to U.S. sources (with their hands out for money) (Ask the US for money? Go figure....) for materials to use in his office's prevention programs. The police also work in demand reduction programs for the schools and visit them regularly.

Available drug seizure statistics for calendar
year 2005 as of 12/12/2005 are as follows:

Aruba seized 2752.265 kilograms of cocaine (this includes a single maritime seizure event involving 2040 kilograms from the MV Sea Atlantic during October 2005); 68.645 kilograms of heroin; 526.605 kilograms of marijuana; and 38 tablets of MDMA (ecstasy). Arrests: 123. The NA seized 2595.803 kilograms of cocaine; 51.610 kilograms of heroin; 682.438 kilograms of marijuana; and 270 tablets of MDMA (ecstasy). Arrests: 509.

Corruption

During 2005, the NA identified links from prominent traffickers in the region to law enforcement officials, which prompted additional investigations. The NA has been quick to address these issues through criminal investigations, internal investigations, new hiring practices, and continued monitoring of law enforcement officials that hold sensitive positions.

The judiciary system has close ties with the Dutch legal system including extensive seconding of Dutch prosecutors and judges to fill positions for which there are no qualified candidates among the small Antillean and Aruban populations.


(Source)

http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2006/vol1/html/62108.htm