Counternarcotics and Law Enforcement Country Program: Honduras

Challenges

Honduras’ geographic location and the Government of Honduras’ (GOH) limited interdiction resources contribute to the continued transshipment of drugs, primarily cocaine, through Honduras at an alarming rate. Transshipment is facilitated by direct air and maritime links to U.S. cities and the Pan-American Highway, which crosses southern Honduras. Honduras is not a significant producer of drugs or precursor chemicals. Drug abuse in Honduras appears to be on the rise, with availability and usage up in 2004.

Limited resources remain the largest obstacle to Honduras’ ability to implement its national counternarcotics policy, yet the GOH remains committed to stemming the flow of illegal narcotics transiting its territory. While the police and military lack sufficient assets to comprehensively attack drug trafficking in Honduras, there were nonetheless significant drug seizures this year. While seizures were slightly down in 2004 compared to last year’s record levels, Honduran authorities did successfully disrupt one of the most active trafficking organizations in the country, dealing a significant setback to organized crime in the region.

Both the police and military take an active part in Honduras’ counternarcotics strategy, with the Honduran Navy responding particularly well given its limited resources. While many arrest are made, the Public Ministry (PM) has had little success in prosecuting these individuals. Corruption within the police, PM, and the judiciary, however, continues to hamper law enforcement efforts.

• Create more professional and capable Honduran law enforcement agencies to interdict drugs transiting the country, fight organized crime, and combat international terrorism, illicit arms transfers, special interest alien smuggling networks, and trafficking in persons.
  
  
• Assist in GOH implementation of its money laundering law and establishment of financial investigative unit.
  
  
• Support drug prevention, anti-gang activities and mentoring efforts for youth-at-risk through judicious use of Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) prevention fund grants to communities and civil society organizations.

U.S. counternarcotics assistance to Honduras is intended to augment GOH efforts to strengthen the rule of law, increase police, judicial, and investigative efficiency, reduce corruption, and build strong counternarcotics institutions. In 2004, assistance was primarily directed to the Frontier Police, Ministry of Public Security, and the Public Ministry, although the U.S. also provided limited funds to assist Honduras in demand reduction efforts. The GOH has made a firm commitment to combat drug trafficking and the U.S. will continue to assist Honduras in its fight to reduce narcotics trafficking in the region and associated corruption. INL monies are used in the following programs:

Special Investigative Units: The two Special Investigative Narcotics Units which are incorporated within the Directorate of Special Investigations (DGSEI) and the Directorate of Investigations (DGIC). These two conternarcotics units are made up of investigators from the Ministry of Security. Funds are used to enhance and strengthen the units’ abilities to investigate narcotics related crimes by providing training, technical assistance, supplies and equipment.

Joint Information Coordination Center (JICC): The JICC is also known in Spanish as the Centro de Información Conjunto (CEINCO). Funds are provided to update and improve computer and communication systems by purchasing a server, new work stations and software and providing connectivity capabilities as well as additional training, supplies and technical assistance.

Frontier Police: Funds are used to provide support, technical assistance and training to the Frontier Police Canine unit as well as to their land and maritime border protection programs to strengthen the interdiction and investigative capabilities of the Frontier Police.

Demand Reduction: INL provides support to programs that provide technical assistance, training, supplies and funds to promote demand reduction projects that focus on the prevention of illegal narcotic use by minors.

Combined Operations: Project funds are used to fund joint training and operations undertaken by the Ministry of Security, The Defense Ministry and the Public Ministry as well as various law enforcement and military agencies with counternarcotics initiatives to strengthen and enhance combined coordinated narcotics investigations and interdictions.