US embassy cable - 04HANOI2284

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HANOI 002284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; INL/AAE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, KCRM, SOCI, VM, CNARC 
SUBJECT:  TALKING THE TALK AND WALKING THE WALK DURING DRUG 
MONTH IN VIETNAM 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY.  June is "Drug Awareness Month" in Vietnam, 
and this year's campaign was billed as a success.  Typically 
energetic government-encouraged anti-drug publicity events 
were accompanied by atypically successful drug trafficking 
enforcement operations throughout the country, with several 
provinces recording "biggest ever" busts and other provinces 
concluding trials in high-profile drug cases.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 04: SO FAR, SO GOOD 
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2.  (U)  According to General Department of Police, Ministry 
of Public Security, in the first six months of 2004, 
authorities cracked over 5,600 drug cases, cleared 350 
"complicated hotspots", arrested 8,758 suspects and seized 
170 kilograms of heroin and 23,000 ATS tablets, an increase 
of 37.5 percent over the same period last year.    On the 
treatment front, recidivism remains "alarmingly high - 
between 95 and 98 percent", according to an official from 
the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs. 
Drug treatment centers are struggling to cope.  Nguyen Vi 
Hung, Director of Hanoi Department for Social Evils 
Prevention, said that the city was forced to cease accepting 
addicts into its rehabilitation centers temporarily due to 
overcrowding.  Addiction among government employees is also 
an emerging problem.  In Tua Chua district, Dien Bien 
province, police said that 24 cadres were addicted to drugs, 
including 8 from the district's education and training 
department, 7 from the health care center, and 1 from the 
district people's committee. 
 
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GVN HONORS NATIONAL DRUG AWARENESS DAY 
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3.  (U)  In response to the UN's "World Anti-Drug Day" June 
26, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai declared in June 2001 that 
the month of June each year would be dedicated to 
intensified counternarcotics activities.  During the month, 
the GVN orchestrates a "Drug Awareness Week" to coincide 
with the UN's Anti-Drug Day.  This year, according to Bui 
Xuan Hieu, Director of the International Cooperation and 
Project Management Division in the Standing Office for Drug 
Control (SODC) of the National Committee for HIV/AIDS, Drugs 
Control and Social Evils Prevention, SODC had coordinated 
various counternarcotics activities throughout the country. 
Hieu claimed that the month draws due attention from the 
public, leaders, and "brings about big law enforcement 
results." 
 
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BROAD RANGE OF ACTIVITIES 
------------------------- 
 
4.  (U)  Various counternarcotics activities took place from 
June 21-26 throughout the country, including meetings, 
exhibitions, street parades, contests, and signing of 
pledges and coordination plans, according to SODC Police 
Lieutenant Tran Viet Trung.  Trung said that these events 
were well attended by Vietnamese senior officials and 
leaders.  Beyond propaganda events, the action month also 
resulted in many cases and arrests, noted Trung.  Many of 
these activities were covered by Vietnam Television (VTV) 
and Radio (VOV), and highlighted in national and local 
press. 
 
5.  (U)  In Hanoi, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem, 
along with Minister of Health, Deputy Minister of Public 
Security, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, and 
representatives from mass organizations, civil associations 
and the UNODC Country Office attended a large rally on June 
26.  Around 5,000 students from 29 universities and colleges 
in Hanoi Noi , with the message "say no to drugs", attended 
the meeting.  Deputy Prime Minister Khiem stressed that the 
Government wouldwill "mobilize the entire political system 
and nation to prevent and combat the scourge of drugs." 
Meanwhile, in Thai Nguyen province, about 1,000 government 
workers took part in a street parade.  Mr. Do Duc Ngo, Vice 
President, General Labor Confederation, Major General Pham 
Van Duc, Deputy Director General, General Department of 
Police, Ministry of Public Security, and Mr. Nguyen Thanh 
Kinh, Vice Chairman of Thai Nguyen Party Committee and 
Chairman of Thai Nguyen People's Council, attended the 
event.  The leaders called on authorities at all levels to 
pay more attention to the drug fight among government 
workers.  On this occasion, the leaders sent the 
participants a message "do not discriminate against addicts, 
be with them, educate and help them to stabilize their 
lives, quit drugs and return to normal life." 
Simultaneously, in Ha Tay province, more than 1,000 youth 
union members gathered at a biglarge awareness meeting in 
Son Tay town.  During the day, all the union members signed 
anti-drug commitments, and distributed leaflets.  The 
province now has 86 anti-drug clubs, 400 anti-criminal 
mailboxes (for residents to report crimes such as drug use) 
and 20 "friends help friends" clubs.  In Danang Nang, the 
city youth union held a festival with the message "Danang 
Nang youth together push back drug crimes and social evils." 
According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Quang, president of Danang 
Nang youth union, 800 members attended the event. 
 
6.  (U)  In the common effortWorking together, two famous 
photographers opened an exhibition of 500 photos featuring 
drug addiction and treatment. Separately, the Voice of 
Vietnam launched a competition for short stories about drug 
abuse.  To highlight the "humanity" of drug users, VTV 
transmitted an exclusive program of addicts' music and dance 
festivals, sport and games in several drug treatment 
centers.  To facilitate the nation's propaganda campaign, 
the Youth Union dispatched volunteers on a five-day mission 
to different drug treatment centers to disseminate anti-drug 
information and support recovering drug addicts.  Also, 
Directors from Education and Training Departments in Hanoi, 
neighboring provinces and five universities signed a 
resolution on drug abuse prevention in all education 
institutions.  Additionally, all of Danang Nang University's 
youth union members and students signed non-drug use 
commitments. 
 
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DRUG BUSTS AND TRIALS AROUND THE COUNTRY 
------------------------ 
 
HO CHI MINH CITY 
 
7.  (U)  According to the "People's Police" newspaper, on 
June 3 Ho Chi Minh City counternarcotics police arrested 
twenty members of a drug ring.  The police seized 20.3 
kilograms of heroin, USD 57,770, 14 motorbikes, 16 mobile 
phones, one car and six6 houses.  The ring trafficked heroin 
from Nghe An to Ho Chi Minh City for distribution to "sales 
agents."  According to Colonel Le Thanh Liem, Ho Chi Minh 
City Police Department, this is a big ring that has 
trafficked heroin from border provinces to the city for 
consumption.  The bust had such an effect on supply that the 
retail price doubled, noted Colonel Liem. 
 
8.  (U)  In another case, on June 16, Ho Chi Minh City 
Supreme People's Court handed down 9nine death sentences, 
one life sentence and other lengthy sentences to drug 
organization head Ngo Duc Minh and his accomplices.  The 
defendants were convicted of trafficking about 36 kilograms 
of heroin, 50 kilograms of cannabis, 6,000 EstacyEcstasy 
tablets and 15 kilograms of synthetic drugs between 1993 and 
2002.  According to press reports, this is a transnational 
case connecting Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan and the 
Netherlands. 
 
9.  (U)  Additionally, Ho Chi Minh City People's Court tried 
an ATS case in early May.  Chung Quoc Minh was sentenced to 
death, and 20 other accomplices also stood trial.  According 
to police investigation records, between 1999 and 2001, 
Chung's organization trafficked 14,200 ATS tablets.  The 
Labor newspaper reported that this was Vietnam's largest 
ever ATS case. 
 
TAY NINH 
 
10.  (U)  During a "first instance" trial (i.e., subject to 
appeal), Tay Ninh's people's court handed down 6six death 
and 3three life sentences on June 18 in a transnational drug 
case, according to press reports.  The offenders were 
convicted of trafficking drugs across the border with 
Cambodia.  The initial seizure on May 28 was 3.3 kilograms 
of heroin.  Between June 2001 and May 2004, the syndicate 
trafficked 103.5 kilograms of heroin and 606 ecstasy 
tablets.  According to press reports, this the biggest drug 
case in the province.  Tay Ninh is considered one of 
Vietnam's drug "hotspots" due to its location on the border 
with Cambodia and the relative ease with which goods, 
including narcotics, are smuggled there. 
 
QUANG BINH 
 
11.  (U)  Police said that they arrested 8eight people for 
trafficking 79.6 kilograms of heroin into the country from 
Laos.  The seizure was made on June 26 after the police 
stopped two trucks at Cha Lo international border gate in 
Quang Binh province, said a local counternarcotics 
policeman.  Two drivers -- Hoang Van Tinh and Nguyen Van 
Duyet -- and six passengers were arrested.  The drugs were 
hidden among smuggled automobile spare parts, fabric, toys 
and scrap metal.  Police also seized a large amount of cash 
in US dollars, Vietnam dong, Laos kip and Thai baht, in 
addition to a loaded handgun.  This was the biggest seizure 
ever in Quang Binh, according to SODC 
 
NGHE AN 
 
12.  (U)  Colonel Vo Trong Thanh, Deputy Director of Nghe An 
Police Department, revealed on June 12 that the provincial 
counternarcotics police arrested 11 drug traffickers, 
including 4four foreigners, and seized 7seven kilograms of 
heroin in a transnational network headquartered in Laos. 
According to Colonel Thanh, the offenders had trafficked 
approximately 88 kilograms before they were caught.  The 
"People's Police" Newspaper ranks this transnational drug 
case as the most important in Vietnam because of the 
cumulative volume of trafficked narcotics.  In the first six 
months of 2004, Nghe An provincial counternarcotics police 
detected 290 cases with 349 offenders, and seized 23.892 
kilograms of heroin, 12.556 kilograms of opium and about 
5,000 ATS tablets.  The province's border with Laos makes it 
a haven for traffickers. 
 
SON LA 
 
13.  (U)  According to Vietnam News Agency (VNA), on June 7 
the provincial police cracked a major drug case in the 
Northwestern province of Son La.  This is the biggest haul 
in the province since early this year.  Police arrested two 
offenders and seized about 3.1 kilograms of heroin in Tan 
Phong commune, Phu Yen district.  The two traffickers are 
Tran Van Kien, 29, and Tran Quang Thang, 35, from Hanoi. 
Provincial police and the Ministry of Public Security are 
further investigating the case.  Earlier, provincial police 
seized 2two kilograms of heroin in two separate smaller 
cases.  In the first two months of 2004, Son La provincial 
police arrested 215 drug traffickers in 85 cases, seized 3.7 
kilograms of heroin, 6.6 kilograms of opium, 1,677 ATS 
tablets and confiscated other equipment.  According to SODC, 
Son La is another of Vietnam's hotspots.  Drugs come in 
through the border with Laos, and travel down Highway 6 (AKA 
"the Heroin Highway") to Hanoi and other destinations for 
consumption. 
 
HAI PHONG 
 
 
14. (U) Between July 12 and 20, Haiphong People's court 
tried the city's biggest ever drug case, according to the 
People's Police Newspaper.  The newspaper reported that 20 
out of 23 suspects standing trial could be sentenced to 
death.  tThe first member of the gang was arrested on April 
30, 2003, in Le Chan district, Haiphong City.  Before their 
arrest, the suspects had trafficked about 30 kilograms of 
heroin, newspaper reports said. 
 
PHU THO 
 
15. (U) Recently, Phu Tho police, in coordination with their 
counterparts in Son La province, detecteduncovered a huge 
drug case.  According to press reports, Phu Tho police 
arrested Kim Van Phuong in November 2003 on his way from Son 
La to Hanoi, and seized 1.3 kilograms of heroin and 1.3 
kilograms of opium.  Uusing information from this first 
suspect, in July 2004 the police made 23 more arrests.  The 
suspects confessed to trafficking about 30 kilograms of 
heroin thus far, through 7seven provinces and cities, press 
reports said.  In addition, the police confiscated 7seven 
cars, USD 45,000, and 9nine mobile phones.  Currently, Phu 
Tho police are coordinating with the Counternarcotics 
police, Ministry of Public Security, to expand the case. 
 
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COMMENT 
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16.  (U)  Though the usual caveats apply - Vietnam's drug 
forces are understaffed, poorly equipped, poorly trained, 
suffer from corruption, etc. - the numbers tell the clear 
story that, whether by intention or coincidence, Drug Month 
in Vietnam this year brought a sharp uptick in seizures and 
arrests.  Combined with the effective mobilization of the 
powerful and pervasive official propaganda machine to spread 
the anti-drug message, these seizures and arrests could make 
a difference.  This represents welcome good news that we can 
use as a positive message to sweeten the "Vietnam can and 
should be doing more on international cooperation" argument 
we have been making lately. 
BURGHARDT