Vessel Was HQVX-3. B
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M9 DE Dl M9/009426 p o4L4r0z AUG 93 ZUr ASN-DO1216001456 FM CCGDONE BOSTON MA/ /OLE/ / TO M9ICOGARD MIO NEW YORK t{v p 3077472 .'UL 93 ZUr ASN-DO1211002092 FM CCGDONE BOSTON MA/ /OLE/ / TO COMLANTAREA COGARD NEV| YORK t{t//AL// INFO COGARD INTELCOORDCEN gIASHIT.IGTON DC BT UNCLAS E F T O FOUO / /NA384O/ / SIJBJ: POST SEIZIIRE ANALYSIS-I(/V GOLDEN VENTURE 1. THIS MESSAGE PROVIDES THE INITIATJ N{ATJYSIS RELATING TO INFORMATTON GT,EANED FROM CREIf,/PASSENGER DEBRIEFTNGS, Dl REVTEW OF EVIDENCE TAKEN FROM THE VESSEL, DISCUSSIONS TUITH INS PERSONNEIJ AND NUMEROUS INFORI,IATION EXCHAI'IGES WITH THE AUSA'S OFFICE IN NEW YORK CITY. IT{TERVIEWS TIITH OVER 1OO PASSENGERS ARE CURRENTLY ON. GOING. ON 01 JULY 1993. THE CAPTAIN AND CRET.{OF THE VESSEI, WERE INDICTED FOR CONSPIRACY TO SMUGGLE ALIENS INTO THE T'NITED STATES (8 USC 1324). AN OCTOBER TRIAIJ DATE IS ANTICIPATED. ADDITIONAL RETEVANT DATA RET/ATING TO THE COORDINATION A}ID CONTROL OF THE EVENT IS EXPECTED AS THE LEGAI, PROCESS CONTINUES. 2. CHRONOTOGY OF EVENTS A. ON 6 JUNE 1993 (APPROX 0145), M/V GOLDEN VENTT'RE RAN AGROUITIDOFF FORT TTLDEN, ROCKAWAY, I{Y. THREE HUNDRED FIVE (3O5) INDIVIDUALS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE ONBOARD (13 CREW MEMBERS,/zg2 ILLEGAL ATIENS). THE GOLDEN VENTURE IS A 23O FT LONG COASTAL FREIGHTER OF HONDURAN REGISTRY. THE HOMEPORT INDICATED ON THE STERN IS SAN LORENZO. COUNTRY OF REGISTRY HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY THE ICC DETACHMENT. SUITLAND, MD. OF THE VESSEIJ IS REPORTEDTO BE MR. HIS SHIPPING AGENT IS ROSSON SHIPPING ,-PACTruC FE. LIMITED. A MR. J} E OF ROSSON SHIPPING VIAS NOTED AS HAVING RECRUITED A NUMBER OF THE CREW FOR THIS VOYAGE. INTERNATIONAL CALL SIGN FOR THE vEssEL wAs HQVX-3. B. DURING MID-JANUARY OF ]-993, THE GOLDEN VENTURE, THEN KNOVIN AS THE M,/V ''TONG SERN" (PAI{AI"IANIAN REGISTRY), DEPARTED SINGAPORE FOR BANGKOK, THAII,AND. A MR. THE ORGANIZED CRIME VOYAGE COORDINATOR, JOINED THE CREVI PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM SINGAPORE. THE TONG SERN-; REMAINED IN BANGKOK FOR APPROX ONE MONTH, DEPARTING OOA 14 FEBRUARY ].993. PROVISTONS TAKEN ONBOARD IN BANGKOK WERE REPORTEDTY GUARDED BY TVIO TIIAI MILITARY NCO'S. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTI,'RE. IT.,LEGAL MIGRANTS WERE ONI,OADED IN AN AREA KNOWN AS PATTAYA, APPROX. ONE HOUR SOUTH OF BANGKOK. AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF NINETY-ONE (91) PRC ALIENS TTERE EMBARKED USING UP TO TEN SPEEDBOATS WHTCH MADE MULTIPTE TRIPS TO THE VESSEL. TIIIS EVENT TOOK PLACE UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS. TWO DAYS AFTER ONIJOADING, THE SHIPPING AGENT DIRECTED THE VESSETIS NAME BE CHANGED TO "GOT.DEN VENTURE" WITH HONDURAN REGISTRY. (NOTE: PRIOR OWNER OF TONG SERN WAS HIAP HOE PVT. tTD, SINGAPORE) C. FOTI,oYTING A FIVE (5) DAY TRANSIT, THE GOLDEN VENTURE MOORED rN THE VICTNTTY OF STNGAPORE (AREA KNOWN AS SULTHAN SHOAL) FOR APPROX TWELVE (L2') DAYS . DTJRING THIS TTME, THE VESSEL I S {ltr GENERATOR AND REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEM SYSTEM WERE REPAIRED. THE VESSEL CONTINUED EN ROUTE MOMBASSA, KBI{YA AFTER A BRIEF STOP IN THE VICINITY OF AN UNKNOWN INDONESIAN ISIAITD (LOCATED IN THE STRAIT OF MALACCA) TO PI,'RCHASE CIGARETTES AND BEER. D. THE GOLDEN VENTI'RE ARRIVED IN THE MOMBASSA AREA OOA 26 I4ARCH 1993. IfHILE AT SEA OFT THE COAST OF MOMBASSA. APPROX 2OO PRC NATIONAI,S WERE ONI.,OADEDFOR FURTHER SHIPMENT TO THE US. T!{O vEssELs ( NFI ) V|ERE IM/OTJVED IN FERRYING MTGRANTS TO THE cOtDEN VENTI.'RE. PASSENGER DEBRIETS HAVE INDTCATED SOME OF THESE II'IDIVIDUALS V|ERE STRANDED IN KEr,IYA YIHEN THE M/V NADJJ II [fAS TNABLE TO COMPLETE rrs VOYAGE. REPORTEDLY, MIGRANTS STRAhIDED tsy THE NN)JJ WERE EITHER PL,ACED ONBOARD THE GOLDEN VENTURE OR AFFORDED "OTIIER TRANSPORTATTON AND REACHED GUATEMALA" (NFr). INS,/CGI INTERVIEWS TTAVE ALSO INDICATED A KE}TYAN POI,ICE BOAT VIAS rM/OLVED IN RESUPPLY OF THE VESSEL OFF MOMBASSA. E. FROM KENYA, THE VESSEL TRANSITED TO THE VTCINITY OF CAPE INFANTA, SOUTH AFRICA (34285/2O52E). IIHILE IN THIS AREA THE VESSEL l{AS DTRECTED TO ONTOAD AN ADDTTTONAL FrFTY (5O) TO ErcHTy 1ao) MTGRANTS. TUE CAPTAIN REPORTEDLY REFUSED TO ACCEPT ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS DUE TO HIS CONCERN FOR THE I'POTENTIALLY INHI,'MANE CONDITIONS" THAT WOULD RESUI,T. IT IS MORE tIKEtY VESSEL SEAWORTHINESS VilAS THE ISSUE. F. AFTER ROTNDING THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, THE VESSET, CONTINUED UP IHE WEST COAST OF THE CONTINEMT EN ROUTE trHE OPEN OCEAN, A TRANSIT DELAY WAS EXPERIENCED DUE TO HEAVY STORM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. LAST BST POSITION ON THIS LEG OF THE JOrrRrvEy urAS OOOON,/1959W ON 03 MAY. 3. APPROACH TO THE T'NITED STATES A. ACCORDING TO CREW MEMBER STAIEMENTS. A MOTHERSHIP OPERATION TIAS PLANNED UTILIZING SMALT BOATS FOR OFFT,OADING OF MIGRANTS AT SEA. INS BELIEVES US-BASED FISIIING VESSELS }TERE TO BE IIVOLVED. MR. lII,, IN HrS CAPACTTY AS ENFORCER FOR THE ORGANTZED CRIME EI,EMENT, ATTEMPTED TO COORDINATE TWO SEPARATE RENDEZVOUS ATTEMPTS, NETTHER lfAS SUCCESSFUL. ALt COOFJ'TNATING COMMI,'NICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE VOYAGE I{ERE CONDUCTED USING HF RADIO/!4ARINE OPERATORS. A MR. l- (RESTDING IN TAIIIAN) vJAs REPORTEDLY THE OVERSEAS CONTROLLER OF THE EVENT. B. TO DATE, THE AUSA AND INS IIAVE BEEN UNABT.'E TO DETERMINE RENDEZVOUS SPECTFTCS SUCH AS LOCATION AND NAMES OF'VESSELS TNVOT,VED. Dl ANALYSIS OF NAVIGATION CHARTS FOT'ND ON THE VESSEL THE SEER LOCATED APPROX 72NM POSITION /693 UNSPECIFIED DATE. CGA ITION 4004N/ AT LEAST L6OO THAT DAY (BASED ON CHART P ), A RED RITTEN 4O37N/?11olr ( \^ no). THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE SECONDRENDEZVOUS LOCATION. OF THESB POINTS I{OULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INFORMATION RECEIVED Dl (OLE) IN APRIL INDICATING THE STRONG POSSIBILITY -BY OF A SMUGGLTNG EVENT IN THE BOSTON AREA DURING THIS TIMEFRAME. OF NOTE: THE PROBABLE MOTHERSHIP,/OFFLOAD VESSEL RDZV POINT FOR THE F/V LI'EN HING CASE (SEPT 92/NEW BEDFORD) WAS LOCATED IN THE vrcrNITY oF 3923N/6830Vf. c. AT SOMEPOINr rN THE FINAL STAGESOF THE VOYAGE(AFTER THE ABORTED OFFI,oAI) ATTEMPTS ), MR. t,EE AI.ID SOME OF THE CREI{ DETAINED THE CAPTAIN AND TOOK CONTROL OF THE GOLDEN VENTT'RE. THE DECISION WAS SUBSEOUENTLY IYIN)E TO GROUND THE VESSET IN TIIE VICINITY OF ROCKAWAY BEACH. THE CREW T{AS TOLD TO PREPARE FOR THIS EVENT PRIOR TO ITS OCCT.IRRENCE. MAKESHIFT FLOTATION DEVICES T{ERE CREATED FOR USE IN BRINGING THE MIGRANTS ASHORE. SIGNIFICN.IT DELIBERATE DNIAGE VIAS DONE TO trHE ENGINEERING PI,ANT AFTER THE VESSEL RAN AGROI'ND. THE MANNER IN WHICH THE VOYAGE COORDINATORS WOUTD CONTROI, THE II,LEGAL ALIENS (AND ULTIITIATELV THE ASSOCIATED PROFIT PER HEAD) }IHEN THEY REACHED SHORE REI,IAINS UNKNOVIN. THIS EVOTUTION TJOULD CLEARLY REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT LEVET OF SHORESIDE SUPPORT .(ADDITIONAIJ ENFORCERS, TRANSPORTATION, ETC. ). NO EVIDENCE HAS BEEN RECOVERED RETJATING TO PIANS FOR AN OPERATION SUCH AS THIS. FILLING THIS INFORTI{ATION GAP MAY SHE}- ADDITIONATJ LIGH1T ON RECENT T,NSI,BSTANTIATED REPORTING (SOURCE: INS HONG KONG) INDICATING THE GROI'NDING OF THE GOLDEN VENTURE MAY HAVE BEEN A DECEPTIVE TACTTC DESIGNED TO DRAT'I CG ASSETS AI{AY FROM THREE OFFI,OADS CONTruCTED FURTHER UP THE COAST. 4. COMMINTCATTONS/ELECTRONTCS GEAR .--z A. THE FOLLOWING EOUIPMENT WAS RETRIEVED FROM THE GOLDEN VENTURE: -KODEN GPS NAVIGATOR; MODET KGP-95 -KODEN FACSIMILE RECEIVER; TYPE F]f'-7zOO, SN: 72O38O -ICOM HF TRANSCEMR; MODEL IC-M7OO, SN: 23L4O -KING VHF TRAI.ISCEMRT MODETJ7001, SN: 019913 -SUPERSTAR CB FIADIO; MODEL SUPERSTAR 240 -ITAND-HELD 2 CHA}INEL VHF TRANSCEIVER; MODET SONY ICB 61H B. RADAR GEAR INCLTJDED: -II{DICATOR UNIT: OKI BRAND, MODEL ONX-3-4, UNIT #L64LL-7, II{ANUFACTURED BY NIPPON HAKUYO, SNz 4564, DATE OF rqAi{.- 11/1983 .ANTENNA UNIT! UNIT #1611D-X4, }I,AN. #456-4 C. THE GPS NAVIGATOR TJAS EKNVIINED BY GROUP NY PERSONNEI,. TJHEN ENERGIZED, THE IJAST RECORDED WAY-POINIT VISIBLE ON THE MONITOR EQUATED TO THE LOCATION OF THE VESSEL GROUNDING. THERE IttERE NO AEDITIONAL POINTS STORED IN THE UNIT'S MEMORY. THE FACEPI"ATE HAS BEEN PI,'NCTURED BY A SHARP INSTRI,'MENT (POSS A SCRETJDRIVER) INDICATING A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO DAIqAGE THE EQUIPMENT. ASrDE FROI{ THE SUPERFTCTAIJ DAMAGE NOTED ABOVE, THE UNIT AFPEARED RELATIVELY NET{ AND IN EXCELI,ENT CONDITION. D. THE HF RADIO WAS ALSO ENERGIZED AND EXPLOITED WITH TEST EOUTPMENT. OF THE SIXTEEN (16) CHANNELS IN ITS MEMORY, FIFTEEN (15) WERE SET TO A MARTNE RADIO OPERATOR LOCATED rN MANAHAtTKIN, NJ. THE REI4AINING CHANNEL WAS RESERVED FOR INTERNATIONAL DISTRESS AND CALLING. CGI, IN CONJTTNCTION t'tITH THE AUSA, IS WORKING WITH THE AT&T MARINE RADIO OPERATOR TO ENSURE A THOR,OT'GH TETEPHONE TOLT. ANALYSIS IS COMPLETED. THE CONDITION OF THE RADIO (DENTED BOTTOM, VOLI.'ME KNOB HISSING, FREO TI'NER ST'TASHED) INDICATES AN ATTEMPT }JAS PIADE TO RENDER IT USETESS AS WEtL. E. NOTHING OF INTEREST }JAS EXTRACTED FROM THE VHF RADIO. F. THE RADAR T'NIT RECENTLY ARRIVED AT THE RAO T{Y OFFICE ON GOVERNORS ISLA}iID. GROUP NY ETIS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING THE DATA NECESSARY TO SATISFY PREVIOUSLY STATED REOUIREIIIENTS/TASKING. A REPORT OF THEIR FINDINGS T{ILL BE TRANSMIITED WHEN THE ANALYSIS IS COMPLETED. 5. GENERAL COMMEI'ITS A. IT IS BEI.,IEVED GUO, LIANG OI (AKA AH KAY) WAS ULTIMATET,Y THE COORDINATOR OF THIS SMUGGI,ING BVENT. -INS BOSTON BELI THE IJED VOUS ATTEMPTS EXPERI VENTI,JRE CAN D OF AH KAYI B. THE REVERSE OSMOSIS FRESHgIATER MAKER WAS D4ANUFACTURED BY ADVANCED H-TWO-O SYSTEM PTE. LTD' rIONG BAHRU INDUST- ESIATE, SINGAPORE. IT APPEARS TO BE A RELATIVELY NEW MACHINE (IN SPITE OF THE NEED FOR REPAIRS OFF SINGAPORE}.