Russia teaching Latin American police to fight drugs, may supply firearms
MOSCOW. Dec 6 (Interfax) - Russia is ready to supply firearms and anti-drug hardware to Latin America, Federal Drug Control Service Director Viktor Ivanov replied to an Interfax question in Moscow on Thursday.
"We do not rule out cooperation in that field," Ivanov said. He had held negotiations with El Salvador Justice and Public Security Minister David Victoriano Munguia Payes.
The sides signed an interdepartmental cooperation agreement in Moscow on Thursday. "The agreement will accelerate the exchange of sensitive reconnaissance information in the suppression of cocaine trafficking," Ivanov said.
He added that no agreement had been reached on the supply of firearms as yet.
Ivanov declared the option during his visit to Latin America in October. "This is the question of firearms, specialized uniforms and police hardware," he said on October 1 after negotiations with Nicaraguan police.
Meanwhile, Russian security services report an increase in attempts to smuggle South American cocaine into Russia.
"Cocaine smuggling into Russia is on the rise, alongside growth in trade and economic relations with that continent. Drug lords see their chance," Ivanov said.
In his words, Russia will continue to train drug police officers for Latin America. More than 100 policemen from Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Panama and Honduras were trained by Federal Drug Control Service specialists in Managua from May 28 to June 28 and from September 21 to October 26, he said.