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(S//SI) SIGINT Contributes to Massive Cocaine Seizure
FROM:
CANYONDUST Program Manager (S33124)
Run Date: 09/01/2004
(S//SI) On 12 July 2004, International Maritime Satellite Organization (INMARSAT) collection
and geolocation systems (SEADIVER and CANYONDUST ) contributed to the largest Eastern
Atlantic seizure of cocaine made possible by SIGINT. First, British cryptologists at GCHQ
successfully broke encrypted faxes from the vessel's INMARSAT terminal, the "Africa 1". This
intercept identified the ship as a smuggler. Next, the ship was geolocated by CANYONDUST and
the coordinates were passed to Spanish Customs for interdiction.
(S//SI) A total of 5.4 tons of cocaine with a United Kingdom street value of 378 million pounds
(~$ 689M USD) was seized. Four Greek and one Italian crew members were arrested, and three
additional arrests were made in Greece. Operations continue to locate the principal Greek
target, to identify additional vessels associated with the organization, and to identify links with
South America.
(U//FOUO) For further information, contact
at
@nsa,
.
(U//FOUO) See a previous SIDtoday article CANYONDUST Goes Global .
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108