US PASSES JA'S DRUG EFFORTS

THE UNITED States Government has again given Jamaica a passing grade for
its counter-narcotics efforts but said that "corruption continues to
undermine law enforcement and judicial efforts against drug-related crime
and is a major barrier to more effective counter-narcotics actions."

The evaluation is made in the U.S. Department of State's International
Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), March 2004, which was published
on Monday by the department's Bureau for International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement Affairs.

But while acknowledging steps the Jamaican Government had taken "to protect
itself against drug trafficking and other types of organised crime", it
said the Government "needs to intensify its law enforcement efforts and
enhance international co-operation."

The report did not give details of its corruption allegations but it
stated: "There are a number of on-going investigations into alleged
drug-related corruption involving police personnel."

It stated that "the U.S., will work closely with the police and public
prosecutors to enhance the GoJ's (Government of Jamaica's) ability to
identify, investigate and successfully prosecute significant drug traffickers."

The Jamaica Constabulary Force-vetted unit continued to work with the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration on investigations targeting major
traffickers and although no major trafficker was arrested in 2003,
vetted-unit operations led to the arrests of several mid-level traffickers,
it said.

JAMAICA AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING

INCSR 2004 stated that the Jamaican Government had taken steps to protect
Jamaica against drug trafficking and other organised crime but "needs to
intensify and focus its law enforcement efforts and enhance international
co-operation in order to disrupt the trafficking of large amounts of
cocaine through Jamaica and its territorial waters."

"Needed actions include arresting and prosecuting major drug traffickers
operating in Jamaica, dismantling drug-trafficking organisations, and
increasing drug seizures and eradication," it said.

It promised that the U.S. would continue to provide equipment, technical
assistance and training to assist the Jamaican Government to strengthen its
counter-narcotics capabilities.

Jamaica is the leading transit country for cocaine destined for the U.S.
and European (primarily the U.K.) markets and the largest producer and
exporter of cannabis (ganja) in the Caribbean.

INCSR 2004 quoted Narcotics Division staff as saying that there was an
increase in cannabis cultivation in 2003 because of the absence of
sustained eradication efforts for several years, resulting from the lack of
manpower and equipment.

As a matter of policy, Jamaica does not use herbicides to eradicate ganja,
using manual cutting instead.

On money laundering, INCSR 2004 stated that Jamaica was not a significant
regional financial centre, tax haven or offshore banking centre, "but some
money laundering does occur, primarily through the purchase of real assets,
such as houses and cars. Cash couriers are also a significant concern."

The report suggested that "further action is required in the area of asset
forfeiture to permit the GoJ to take full advantage of the mechanism to
seize and forfeit the proceeds of criminal activities."

It observed that law enforcement authorities were hampered by the fact that
Jamaica had no civil forfeiture law and under the 1994 Drug Offences
(Forfeiture of Proceeds) Act, a narcotics trafficking conviction is
required as a prerequisite to forfeiture.

PRAISED THE JCF NARCOTICS DIVISION

INCSR 2004 praised the JCF Narcotics Division as "a competent and respected
unit", and said it was undergoing restructuring and expansion to increase
its staffing to 250 officers over the medium term.

It disclosed that in April, the JCF located a clandestine laboratory,
seizing approximately 44 kilograms of cocaine along with chemicals used in
its production, the first such discovery by Jamaican law enforcement.

It said that the Jamaica Fugitive Apprehension Team, with guidance from
U.S. Marshals, specialised training, equipment, and operational support,
was working on more than 200 cases, most involving drug or homicide charges.

Ten fugitives were extradited from Jamaica to the United States in 2003.