US embassy cable - 02COLOMBO2314

UNCLAS COLOMBO 002314 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS, INL 
 
JUSTICE FOR OIA, AFMLS, AND NDDS 
 
TREASURY FOR FINCEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, PGOV, PREL, CE 
SUBJECT:  2002 International Narcotics Control Strategy 
Report for Sri Lanka, statistics update 
 
Refs:  (A) Colomobo 2304 
 
-      (B) State 240035 
-      (C) State 240015 
 
1.  Please find attached Mission's statistical update 
for the 2002 International Narcotics Control Strategy 
Report (INSCR). 
 
2.  Per instructions in Ref C, Mission is providing the 
following statistics for Section V of the 2002 INSCR. 
((NOTE:  The statistical information was not yet 
available from the Sri Lankan government when Ref A was 
submitted.))  The Police Narcotics Bureau provided the 
following from its collation of data from all government 
organizations involved in counternarcotic arrests and 
seizures.  Figures for 2001 and 2002 cover the first 
eleven months of the year.  Because of the relatively 
small quantities of narcotics involved, units are 
kilograms and acres, rather than metric tons and 
hectares.  ((NOTE:  The National Dangerous Drugs Control 
Board and the PNB issue slightly different statistics 
for the same period, Mission does not have the capacity 
to determine which is more precise.)) 
 
3.  Keyed to instructions in Ref C 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
V. Statistical Tables 
 
-- Opium 
                  2002          2001          2000 
 
     seized       16.77kg       0kg           36.4kg 
 
-- Heroin 
     seized       60.13kg       81kg          87.1kg 
 
-- Cannabis 
     cultivation  unknown       unknown       unknown 
     eradicated   15acres       6acres        15acres 
     harvested    unknown       unknown       unknown 
     seized       19,885kg      34,700kg      20,800kg 
 
-- Arrests        15,976        8,593         12,600 
 
-- Users:  The NDDCB estimates 50,000 addicts, the PNB 
estimates over 100,000, and some NGOs place give 
estimates of over 200,000.  The Sri Lankan government 
currently does not have a tracking means to identify 
users or to track those that have been identified 
because they have gone to a government run 
rehabilitation clinic.  Until there is a standardized 
means of measuring the number of users in Sri Lanka the 
estimates on the amount of users will continue to vary 
drastically. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
WILLS