US embassy cable - 03HANOI1885

UNCLAS HANOI 001885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; INL/AAE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, KCRM, PREL, PINS, LA, VM, CNARC 
SUBJECT:  LARGEST DRUG BUST EVER IN VIETNAM (PART II) 
 
REF: HANOI 01504 
 
  1.  (U) SUMMARY.  Some of Vietnam's state-controlled 
  media have reported that a second comprehensive search of 
  the same truck seized on June 9 led to the recent 
  discovery of another 33 kilograms of heroin, in addition 
  to the 40 kilograms uncovered during the first 
  inspection.  A senior Customs official has speculated 
  that Provincial Government authorities might be involved 
  with the traffickers.    END SUMMARY 
 
  --------------- 
  CASE BACKGROUND 
  --------------- 
 
  2.  (U) According to the Ho Chi Minh City-based "Tuoi 
  Tre" newspaper (owned by the Communist Young League) and 
  police newspapers, a second, more complete search was 
  conducted June 25 on the truck initially seized by Quang 
  Tri counternarcotics police on June 9 (ref a).  Local 
  authorities found an additional 33 kilograms of heroin 
  hidden under 10 tons of scrap metal.  Together with the 
  first seizure, officers have so far uncovered a total of 
  73 kilograms of heroin in this one shipment.  (Note: 
  During all of 2002, GVN law enforcement entities seized 
  only 55 kilograms of heroin throughout the entire 
  country.  End note).  During subsequent interrogations, 
  the truck driver Nguyen Dinh Hoanh confessed to police 
  how he had hidden the drugs in the truck underneath the 
  scrap metal. 
 
  --------------------------- 
  WHO MAY BE BEHIND ALL THIS? 
  --------------------------- 
 
  3.   (U) Records at the Lao Bao Border gate reportedly 
  showed that, between May 2002 and June 2003, Hoanh made a 
  total of 17 trips through this border crossing, importing 
  "scrap metal" from Laos for various companies in Vietnam. 
  On the last two trips, Hoanh was transporting "scrap 
  metal" for Phuong Quang Trading Company, said to be owned 
  by Le Van Quang, described as the younger brother of 
  Director of Quang Tri Provincial Customs Department Le 
  Van Toi.  Le Thanh Hien, Deputy Director of the Anti- 
  smuggling Department of Vietnam's General Department of 
  Customs, speculated publicly that Hoanh had effectively 
  used the Toi's name to ward off further scrutiny each 
  time he went through customs procedures at the border. 
  Hien added that he personally did not think that Toi was 
  involved with the trafficking, but did not rule out the 
  possibility of a further investigation. 
 
  4. (U) Comment:  No one comes out looking very good out 
  of this case, which should have been a relative triumph 
  for the understaffed and underfunded provincial 
  counternarcotics police.  The clear implication of 
  complicity by GVN officials, and the likelihood that 
  personal rivalries may have led to a tip-off about the 
  truck and its contents may explain why this case did not 
  receive broader coverage in the Vietnamese media. 
BURGHARDT