US embassy cable - 03HANOI376

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000376 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; INL/AAE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, PREL, PGOV, PINS, VM, CNARC 
SUBJECT: TAIWAN-VIETNAM DRUG COOPERATION 
 
REF:  A.  Hanoi 117  B.  Hanoi 362 
 
1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  The drug connection between Vietnam and 
Taiwan is a "chronic, but not large" problem."  A large 
heroin seizure in Taiwan last May was "unprecedented." 
Relations between the Taiwan Ministry of 
Justice/Investigative Bureau (MOJ) liaison officer based in 
Ho Chi Minh City and his GVN counterparts are "good," but 
cooperation is limited.  There is no apparent connection 
between growing tourism and marriage links and drugs.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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DRUG CONNECTION - IT'S THERE 
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2.  (SBU)  Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office Special 
Assistant Chiang Tsung Cheng told poloff on February 13 that 
while there was "definitely" a drug connection between 
Vietnam and Taiwan, the problem was "much less serious than 
the one we have with the PRC."  (Note:  Despite Chiang's 
official title, he said that he was actually from the Taiwan 
MOJ/Investigative Bureau liaison.  While based in Ho Chi 
Minh City, Chiang spends a "few days" in Hanoi about every 
two months.  End note.)  Chiang called the seizure of 60 
kilograms of heroin in Kaohsiung Harbor coming from Vietnam 
last May "significant."  However, he noted that it was "not 
that large" compared to a 200 kilogram heroin seizure in 
2000 that Taiwan authorities traced back to the PRC.  Taiwan 
authorities viewed the seizure from Vietnam as "very unusual 
- really unprecedented," he asserted.  Taiwan was also 
increasingly concerned about heroin shipped directly from 
Cambodia to Taiwan, Chiang added. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Chiang said that there was a "slow, but steady" 
trickle of heroin coming into Taiwan from Vietnam.  He noted 
that the heroin does not transit Taiwan; rather, it is 
consumed locally.  While he declined to estimate how much 
heroin entered Taiwan from Vietnam or how much was seized, 
Chiang said that Taiwan law enforcement authorities were 
"quite certain" that the heroin originated in the Golden 
Triangle, transited Vietnam, and made its way to Taiwan 
either via sea or sometimes via air couriers. 
 
4.  (SBU)  Note:  DEA's Hanoi country office views the 
Taiwan connection more seriously than Chiang, noting that 
Taiwanese nationals organized the only clandestine lab ever 
seized in Vietnam.  In addition, DEA regional investigations 
suggest that Taiwanese groups are involved in significant 
drug trafficking in and through Vietnam.  End note 
 
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LIMITED COOPERATION 
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5.  (SBU)  Chiang said that while relations with counterpart 
GVN law enforcement authorities were "good," there had been 
little genuine cooperation on the Vietnamese side.  Without 
going into specifics, Chiang said that over the past 16 
months, he had provided "good information quite a few times" 
to counterparts, but he claimed to have "no idea" what, if 
anything, they did with it.  He added that he had "never 
received feedback" from GVN law enforcement authorities on 
what, if any, results had been achieved with information he 
passed to them. 
 
6.  (SBU)  Chiang said that when he did have information 
worth passing along, he was "reluctant" to pass it to the 
counternarcotics police; he said that he preferred to either 
work through Interpol or the Standing Office of Drug Control 
because "relations are better with those offices."  However, 
Chiang added that, whenever possible, he most preferred to 
provide actionable information back to Taiwan authorities, 
whom he trusts to follow through, make an arrest and/or 
seizure, and give him a full and accurate accounting.  "In 
general, our policy is to make arrests in Taiwan," he added. 
During his tenure, he has not attempted to engage GVN law 
enforcement authorities in any joint investigations. 
 
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TOURISM AND MARRIAGE HAVE LITTLE IMPACT 
--------------------------------------- 
 
7.  (SBU)  In recent years there has been a major surge in 
tourism from Taiwan as well as in marriages of Vietnamese 
women to Taiwanese men (ref b).  Chiang said that 
authorities had not seen any significant increase in the 
drug trade despite the growing amount of "people traffic" 
between Vietnam and Taiwan.  Chiang added that there had not 
been any "documented cases" of marriages leading to drug 
connections or smuggling. 
 
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COMMENT 
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8.  (SBU)  Chiang's comments regarding law enforcement 
cooperation were much in line with what those of other 
foreign law enforcement liaison officers based in Vietnam, 
including DEA (ref a).  The Taiwan official's experience 
confirms our assessment that the lack of Ministry of Public 
Security cooperation with DEA is not directed only at the 
USG; others are also frustrated in their efforts to engage 
the GVN in meaningful law enforcement cooperation. 
BURGHARDT