US embassy cable - 05ANKARA3369

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003369 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NKWG 
TREASURY FOR ZARATE AND LEBENSON 
JUSTICE FOR HAYDEN 
BUCHAREST FOR SECRET SERVICE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2009 
TAGS: KCRM, EFIN, KN, TU 
SUBJECT: NO KNOWLEDGE OF NORTH KOREAN COUNTERFEITING IN 
TURKEY 
 
REF: SECSTATE 97058 
 
Classified By: Economic Counselor Thomas C. Goldberger for reasons 1.4( 
b) and (d). 
 
1.(C) Summary: Neither Police nor Central Bank officials had 
any knowledge of North Korean-origin counterfeit currency or 
were aware of the Interpol notice either.   Both asked for 
additional information in order to determine whether 
counterfeit dollars found in Turkey are from North Korea. 
Separately, there has been illegal activity by North Korean 
diplomats in Turkey: two North Koreans accredited to Bulgaria 
were caught in Istanbul in December with 700,000 amphetamine 
tablets.  End Summary. 
 
No Knowledge of North Korean Counterfeiting in Turkey: 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
2. (C) Econoff and econ specialist met separately with 
Central Bank and Turkish National Police officials 
responsible for anti-counterfeiting.  Neither had seen any 
"supernotes" nor were aware of any North Korean 
counterfeiting of U.S. or any other currency, nor had they 
been informed of the Interpol orange notice.  The Central 
Bank officials showed examples of counterfeit one hundred 
dollar notes made using silkscreen technology but they were 
not aware of the origin of the notes.   The officials 
wondered why the company that produced the ink used by the 
North Koreans could not identify the counterfeit notes 
through a code used in the ink.  Though there is a problem 
with counterfeit dollars in Turkey, the Central Bank 
officials say counterfeit Euros or other currencies are much 
rarer.  Econoff  provided both the police and Central Bank 
with the circular numbers from reftel.   Both the Central 
Bank and police officials asked for more information with 
which to be able to determine whether counterfeits came from 
North Korea. 
 
Other Examples of Illegal Activity by North Korean Diplomats: 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
3. (SBU) On December 5, 2004 two North Korean diplomats, 
Ryang Wae WON and Kim Song JIN,  were caught in Istanbul with 
 700,000 amphetamine tablets in their possession.  The two 
diplomats, Ryang Thae WON and Kim Song JIM, were both 
reportedly assigned to the Foreign Commercial Services 
section of the North Korean Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, where 
WON is reportedly the Attach, while JIN is a secretary. 
Although WON and JIN were not accredited to Turkey, they were 
not prosecuted but were expelled. 
 
4. (SBU)  WON and JIN traveled from Bulgaria to Turkey, both 
separately and together, on numerous occasions in 2004, using 
the same diplomatic- plated vehicle in which they were 
detained.  Each trip was for a very short period of time, 
usually only one day in duration.  Turkish law enforcement 
believes that they may have served as couriers on these 
previous visits. 
EDELMAN