State/INL Cape Verde Program

Funding:

• FY 2008 - $496,000 (INCLE*)
• FY 2009 - $500,000 (INCLE*)
• FY2010 - $603,000 (INCLE*)
• FY2011 - $0

*INCLE: International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement Funds

Program Goals:

Assist Cape Verde in developing the capabilities of its law enforcement and justice sector institutions to combat international drug trafficking and other organized crime, including through cooperation with international partners and other nations in West Africa.

Program Components:

Cape Verde – an archipelago of ten islands -- is a transit zone for South American cocaine en route to Europe. The proceeds of the cocaine trafficked through Cape Verde flow back to and reinforce the financial strength of the same organizations that move cocaine to the United States. Policing Cape Verde’s expansive territorial waters and many isolated inlets and landing sites is a challenge to law enforcement and the justice sector. Cape Verde, however, plays an important role in regional counternarcotics efforts and in October 2011 the Cape Verdean police seized 1.5 tons of pure cocaine worth $100 million.

• Law Enforcement and Justice Sector Support
  The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has provided funding to support institutional capacity building of the Cape Verdean law enforcement and justice sector: FBI assistance in combating gangs and U.S. Coast Guard training in maritime interdiction. Additional assistance has been committed for further projects to develop Cape Verdean capabilities to play an increasing regional role in combating illicit trafficking and organized crime.