This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 HANOI 003237 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL AND EAP/MLS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV KCRM PINS VM CNARC
SUBJECT:  INCSR, PART I, VIETNAM 
 
Ref: SECSTATE 209560 
 
¶I.  SUMMARY 
 
¶1.  (U) The Government of Vietnam (GVN) continued to make 
progress in its counternarcotics efforts during 2005.  Specific 
actions included:  sustained efforts of counternarcotics law 
enforcement authorities to pursue drug traffickers; increased 
attention to interagency coordination; continued cooperation with 
the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); increased 
attention to both drug treatment and harm reduction; continued 
public awareness activities; and additional bilateral cooperation 
on HIV/AIDS.  The two sides continued to implement training and 
assistance projects under the counternarcotics Letter of 
Agreement (LOA).  Operational cooperation with DEA's Hanoi 
Country Office (HCO) continued to lag expectations, but was 
improved over 2004 with some positive cooperation reported. 
Vietnam is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN 
Single Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol and the 1971 UN 
Convention on Psychotropic Substances.  In 2005, Vietnam was 
removed from the list of major drug-producing countries.  End 
Summary. 
 
II.  STATUS OF COUNTRY 
 
¶2. (U) Cultivation of opium in Vietnam is no longer a major 
problem, which was the reason for the removal of Vietnam from the 
list of "major drug-producing" countries.  The GVN claims less 
than 50 hectares of opium under cultivation nationwide and 
official UNODC statistical tables no longer list Vietnam 
separately in drug production analyses.  Cultivation in Vietnam 
probably accounts for about one percent of cultivation in 
Southeast Asia, according to a law enforcement estimate; DEA has 
no evidence of any Vietnamese-produced narcotics reaching the 
United States.  There appear to be small amounts of cannabis 
grown in remote regions of southern Vietnam. 
 
¶3.  (U) Vietnam has not been considered a confirmed source or 
transit country for precursors.  In an effort to support 
Vietnam's efforts to enhance its precursor control capacity, the 
GVN and UNODC are cooperating on a project titled "Interdiction 
and Seizure Capacity Building with Special Emphasis on ATS and 
Precursors."  Implementation of that project continued 
successfully into 2005 with the creation of counter-drug 
interagency task forces in six "hotspot" provinces. 
 
¶4. (U) In 2005, the GVN continued to link the Golden Triangle 
area to most of the heroin supplied into Vietnam for consumption 
or transit to other countries in the region.  The GVN also 
perceives close connections between Vietnamese and foreign 
traffickers.  GVN authorities are particularly concerned about 
rising ATS use, especially Ecstasy, among urban youth and, during 
2005, increased the tempo of enforcement and awareness programs 
that they hope will avoid a youth epidemic. 
 
¶5. (U) Despite some high-profile cases in 2005, lack of training, 
resources and experience both among law enforcement and judicial 
officials continues to plague Vietnamese counter drug efforts, 
according to law enforcement sources and UNODC.  Embassy 
consultations with the UN and the GVN, together with visits to 
provincial drug hotspots, have demonstrated that resource 
constraints are pervasive.  GVN counternarcotics officials note 
that Vietnam, a developing country, will face resource 
constraints for the foreseeable future. 
 
¶6. (U) Drug laws remain very tough in Vietnam.  For possession or 
trafficking of 600 grams or more of heroin, or 20 kilograms of 
opium gum or cannabis resin, the death penalty is mandatory. 
 
¶7. (U) Foreign law enforcement sources do not believe that major 
trafficking groups have moved into Vietnam.  Relatively small 
groups, perhaps five to 15 individuals, who are often related to 
each other, usually do most narcotics trafficking.  DEA believes 
that as Vietnam becomes a more attractive transit country, larger 
trafficking groups could become more prominent. 
 
¶8. (U) With the exception of the recently signed Counternarcotics 
LOA, the USG has no extradition, mutual legal assistance or 
precursor chemical agreements with Vietnam.  The LOA includes 
three specific counternarcotics training projects.  An update to 
the LOA will add additional projects and funding.  Following a 
November, 2005 meeting of Embassy, FBI, DEA and MPS officials in 
Hanoi, both sides are at work on new legal documents to improve 
the framework for counternarcotics and law enforcement 
cooperation. 
 
¶9. (U) Vietnam is a party to three UN Drug Control Conventions, 
including the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 
Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988 Convention 
Against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic 
Substances. 
 
III.  COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS IN 2005 
 
Policy initiatives 
------------------ 
 
¶10.  (U) The structure of the GVN's counternarcotics efforts is 
built around the National Committee on AIDS, Drugs and 
Prostitution Control (NCADP), which includes a broad spectrum of 
GVN ministries and mass organizations.  In addition, Ministry of 
Public Security (MPS), as NCADP's standing member, has a 
specialized unit to combat and suppress drug crimes. 
 
¶11. (U) According to UNODC, the GVN intensified its attention to 
the drug issue in 2005, including increased attention from the 
State-controlled media and additional GVN-funded training 
courses, conferences and international delegations.  Many 
provinces and cities implemented their own drug awareness and 
prevention programs, as well as demand reduction and drug 
treatment. 
 
¶12.  (U) The GVN continues to view drug awareness and prevention 
as a vital tool and a significant objective in its fight against 
drugs as well as an integral part of its effort to comply fully 
with the 1988 UN Drug Convention.  The GVN has continued to rely 
heavily on anti-drug propaganda, culminating in the annual drug 
awareness week in June, and other MPS-identified drives 
throughout the year.  Officially sponsored activities cover every 
aspect of society, from schools to unions to civic organizations 
and government offices.  In 2005, the GVN extended its 2004 
effort to destigmatize drug addicts in order to increase their 
odds of successful treatment. 
 
¶13. (U) Enforcement played a role in the GVN's 2005 counter drug 
activities as well.  This year, in addition to significant drug 
seizures and busts in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, MPS cracked the 
country's biggest ever case in Phu Tho Province, and recorded 
large seizures in other provinces throughout the country. 
 
¶14. (U) As of the end of 2005, there were 12 implementing decrees 
for the national law on drug suppression, drafted with UNODC's 
assistance.  According to UNODC, these decrees still require 
implementing regulations to allow law enforcement authorities to 
use techniques such as controlled deliveries, informants and 
undercover officers. 
 
¶15. (U) GVN sources confirmed that drug crime continued to be a 
problem in 2005, and there was another increase in the per-case 
quantity of drugs seized.  According to MOLISA, the drug 
addiction relapse rate is still high, at least 85 percent.  As of 
September, there were 170,000 officially identified drug users 
nationwide with 83 treatment centers providing treatment to 
between 55,000 and 60,000 drug addicts annually.  The number of 
"unofficial" drug users is much higher. 
 
¶16. (U) In March 2005, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai approved the 
national drug control master plan through 2010, after the 
successful completion of the 2001 - 2005 counternarcotics master 
plan.  Under the new master plan, there are six areas of priority 
technical assistance, including law enforcement, treatment, 
demand reduction, supply reduction, legislation and capacity 
enhancement, as well as building the legal framework on money 
laundering and precursor control.  The GVN continues to look for 
assistance from foreign donors in these areas. 
 
¶17. (U) The 2005 national-level budget for drug control reached 
approximately USD 13.5 million.  However, according to SODC, the 
actual spending on all counternarcotics activities is higher when 
"self mobilized" and contributed funding from localities 
throughout the country is factored in.  As in past years, 
observers agreed that overall lack of resources continued to be a 
major constraint in counternarcotics activities. 
 
¶18. (U) In 2005, Vietnam continued its efforts in regional and 
multilateral law enforcement coordination, a key element towards 
full compliance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention.  Vietnam has 
existing agreements and MOUs with China, Burma, Thailand, 
Cambodia, Laos, Hungary, Russia and the United States. 
Multilaterally, Vietnam continued to work closely with UNODC, 
with three counternarcotics projects underway. 
 
¶19. (U) Vietnam continued to cooperate with INTERPOL during 2005. 
Much of this cooperation involved assisting authorities from 
Canada, Germany and Australia in investigating drug trafficking 
cases involving overseas Vietnamese and criminal organizations 
located in Vietnam.  All international law enforcement 
representatives in Vietnam, however, acknowledged that real 
operational cooperation on counternarcotics cases is minimal or 
nonexistent due to legal prohibitions against foreign security 
personnel operating on Vietnamese soil.  Without changes in 
Vietnamese law to permit foreign law enforcement officers to work 
on drug cases in Vietnam, "cooperation" will remain a function of 
information exchange and Vietnamese police carrying out law 
enforcement activities on behalf of foreign agencies on a case-by- 
case basis.  USG law enforcement agencies hold out some hope that 
the development of agency-to-agency agreements will improve the 
cooperation climate slightly. 
 
¶20. (U) During 2005, cooperation between GVN law enforcement 
authorities and DEA's Hanoi country office marginally improved, 
although DEA agents have not been permitted officially to work 
with GVN counternarcotics investigators.  Cooperation was limited 
to receiving information and investigative requests from DEA, 
holding occasional meetings and providing limited responses to 
DEA's requests.  Thus far, counternarcotics police have declined 
to share detailed information with DEA or cooperate 
operationally.  GVN officials explain that drug information is 
subject to national security regulations and not releasable to 
foreigners.  DEA did receive unprecedented cooperation on two 
undercover money laundering operations where MPS provided an 
undercover officer to pick up alleged drug money that was 
remitted to Vietnam through a money laundering organization in 
the United States.  However, despite requests made by DEA, MPS 
provided no investigation information on the organizations or 
businesses that facilitated the illegal money remittance in 
Vietnam. 
 
¶21. (U) More positively, the Embassy and SODC coordinated two 
more courses under the Counternarcotics LOA in 2005 and are 
working on at least four for 2006. 
 
Accomplishments 
--------------- 
 
¶22. (U) In 2005, the GVN approved a capacity strengthening 
program in the General Department of Customs, and established a 
counternarcotics task force within the Department of Coast Guard. 
This department is to coordinate the anti-drug effort at sea. 
Also, during the awareness month of June, MPS launched Vietnam's 
first official anti-drug website "www.phongchongmatuy.com.vn". 
 
¶23. (U) The GVN continued its policy of strict punishment for 
drug offenses.  Seizures of opium, heroin, and amphetamine-type 
stimulants (ATS) increased during the reporting period. 
According to GVN statistics, during the first ten months of 
calendar year 2005, there were 9,936 drug cases involving 15,018 
traffickers.  Total seizures include 256 kilograms of heroin, 
55.1 kilograms of opium, 3,339 kilograms of cannabis, 33,756 ATS 
tablets and 5,012 ampoules of addictive pharmaceuticals and other 
substances, representing double digit percentage increases over 
previous years. 
 
¶24. (U) In addition to significant achievements in anti-drug 
awareness campaigns in 2005, the GVN has tried to educate 100 
percent of the localities throughout the country about drugs in 
the hope that at least 80 percent of the population will be made 
aware of drug-related problems.  The effectiveness of this effort 
in the fight against drugs remains unevaluated. 
 
Corruption 
---------- 
 
¶25. (U) During 2005, the GVN continued to demonstrate 
determination and mobilize the "entire political system" to 
combat corruption.  Vietnam's first anti-corruption law was 
passed during the Fall National Assembly session.  Under the new 
law, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai was appointed "Commander in 
Chief" of the Anti-Corruption Committee. 
 
¶26. (U) In 2005 the GVN made anti-corruption policy statements at 
all levels of government and conducted some high-profile 
corruption cases involving politically connected government 
officials, but did not single out narcotics-related corruption 
for specific attention.  PM Khai said during the Government's 
January 2005 meeting that, in 2005, Vietnam "declared war" 
against corruption.  Separately, in a meeting with voters, Khai 
called for the people's "combined efforts" against corruption. 
In January, during a conference on state inspection, State 
President Tran Duc Luong called for stepping up the combat 
against corruption.  Furthermore, President of the Vietnam 
Journalists' Association Hong Vinh urged local reporters to 
provide in-depth coverage of the fight against corruption.  The 
Mission has no information linking any senior official of the GVN 
with engaging in, encouraging or facilitating the illicit 
production or distribution of such drugs or substances, or the 
laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. 
Concerning narcotics-related corruption, the GVN did demonstrate 
a willingness in 2005 to prosecute officials, though the targets 
were relatively low-level. 
 
¶27. (U) The UN, law enforcement agencies and the GVN continue to 
view corruption in Vietnam as an endemic problem that exists at 
all levels and in all sectors.  Past GVN estimates stated that as 
much as 19 percent of the investment in major infrastructure 
projects is lost to poor management and corruption.  Vietnam has 
signed the UN Convention against Corruption and endorsed a 
regional anti-corruption action plan at an ADB meeting in Manila. 
Recognizing the need for more anti-corruption assistance, the GVN 
signed an agreement with Sweden in September 2002 for research on 
socio-economic policy and anti-corruption measures.  Under the 
USD 2.7 million project, scheduled to run through 2005, Sweden 
will provide resources to assist Vietnam in developing 
appropriate anti-corruption policies. 
 
¶28. (U) According to UNODC, "narcotics-related corruption is only 
a very small part of overall corruption."  However, significant 
levels of official corruption exist in Vietnam.  Both the GVN and 
the Communist Party have made combating corruption a top 
priority, and senior officials have made unambiguous statements 
that not only must officials not engage in corruption but also 
that they will be held personally responsible for such wrongdoing 
by their relatives and subordinates as well.  Reports from recent 
high-level Communist Party meetings in advance of the 2006 
National Party Congress suggest that the Party is closely focused 
on addressing corruption as a way to enhance its standing and 
credibility with the Vietnamese public. 
 
¶29. (U) To further its compliance with the 1988 UN Drug 
Convention, Vietnam moved ahead in 2005 to increase both 
operational and formal cooperation with neighboring countries, 
countries in the region and the world.  Vietnamese border 
provinces have also entered into local-level counternarcotics 
agreements with bordering provinces in China, Laos and Cambodia, 
and exchanged working level visits of Customs, Border Army and 
counternarcotics officials.  In addition, Cambodia, Laos and 
Vietnam met in Vientiane in August 2005 to agree on the need for 
stronger counternarcotics cooperation, especially across borders. 
The countries also reaffirmed their political commitment to 
intensify anti-drug efforts.  Vietnam also participates regularly 
in regional counternarcotics events and national-level meetings. 
In 2005, Vietnam signed several agreements and MOUs with ASEAN 
countries as well as Australia, New Zealand and China. 
 
¶30. (U) In addition to the U.S. agreement, Vietnam has 
counternarcotics agreements and MOUs with seven other countries: 
Burma (March 1995), Thailand (November 1998), Russia (October 
1998), Hungary (June 1998), Cambodia (June 1998), Laos (July 
1998) and China (July 2001).  Vietnam is currently precluded by 
statute from extraditing Vietnamese nationals, but the GVN is 
contemplating legislative changes.  However, at the request of 
the USG (and in accordance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention), 
Vietnam has in the past agreed to rendition requests and returned 
several non-citizens to the united States. 
 
Cultivation/production 
---------------------- 
 
¶31. (SBU) The GVN and UNODC confirm that small amounts of opium 
is grown in hard-to-reach upland and mountainous regions of some 
northern, northwestern and central provinces, especially Son La, 
Dien Bien, Yen Bai, Thanh Hoa, Cao Bang and Ha Giang provinces. 
According to USG sources, the total number of hectares under 
opium poppy cultivation has been reduced sharply from an 
estimated 12,900 hectares in 1993, when the GVN began opium poppy 
eradication, to 12.9 hectares in 2005.  UNODC and law enforcement 
sources do not view production as a significant problem in 
Vietnam.  There have been recent confirmed reports concerning 
indications of ATS production, as well as some seizures of 
equipment (i.e., pill presses). 
 
Eradication/crop substitution 
----------------------------- 
 
¶32. (U) As part of its efforts to comply fully with the 1988 UN 
Drug Convention, the GVN continued in 2005 to eradicate poppy 
when found, and to implement crop substitution.  At a GVN annual 
crop substitution review conference in May 2005, GVN authorities 
reported that the 12.9 hectares of poppy plants detected during 
the 2004 - 2005 season were completely destroyed.  The GVN 
appears sincere in its poppy eradication efforts.  However, GVN 
officials have admitted that complete eradication is probably 
unrealistic, given the remoteness of mountainous areas in the 
northwest and extreme poverty among ethnic minority populations 
who sometimes still use opium for medicinal purposes. 
 
¶33. (U) The GVN's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development 
(MARD) continues to support crop substitution projects in various 
provinces.  During the reporting year, MARD developed a national 
crop substitution program to include in the GVN's approved 2006- 
2010 Master Plan.  To avoid indirectly encouraging poppy 
cultivation through subsidies for eradication, the GVN has placed 
all crop substitution subsidies under national poverty 
alleviation programs. 
 
Drug flow/transit 
----------------- 
 
¶34. (U) While law enforcement sources and UNODC believe that 
significant amounts of drugs are transiting Vietnam, DEA has not 
yet identified a case of heroin entering the United States 
directly from Vietnam.  More commonly, drugs, especially heroin 
and opium, enter Vietnam from the Golden Triangle via Laos and 
Cambodia, making their way to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, where 
they are transshipped to other countries such as Australia, 
Japan, China, Taiwan and Malaysia, according to SODC.  The 
Australia-Vietnam heroin smuggling channel is significant.  The 
ATS flow into the country during 2005 continued to be serious and 
not limited to border areas.  According to Vice Minister of 
Public Security Le The Tiem, in addition to opium and heroin, ATS 
can now be found throughout the country. 
 
¶35. (U) According to SODC, in addition to heroin, ATS such as 
methamphetamine, amphetamine, diazepam, ecstasy and ketamine 
continue to worry the government.  Such drugs are most popular in 
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other major cities.  In May and June, 
thousands of discotheques, karaoke bars and cafes, mainly in 
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, were raided in a sweep targeting ATS 
consumption.  Beyond the nightclub raids, police discovered 
several cases of amphetamine powder and `ice' (crystal MDMA) 
possession, presumably to make tablets in Ho Chi Minh City. 
 
Domestic programs/demand reduction 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶36. (U) The GVN views demand reduction as a key component of the 
fight against drugs, as well as an integral part of its efforts 
to comply fully with the 1988 UN Drug Convention.  Within the 
GVN, the Ministry of Culture and Information (MOCI) is 
responsible for public drug control information and education 
among the general population.  During 2005, MOCI continued to 
coordinate with other ministries and organizations to conduct 
awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS and drugs.  The Ministry of 
Education and Training (MOET) carries out awareness activities in 
schools.  Anti-drug material is available in all schools and MOET 
sponsors various workshops and campaigns at all school levels. 
SODC reported that the border forces continued to play an "active 
role" in disseminating anti-drug information to border villages 
and communes.  UNODC views GVN drug awareness efforts in 2005 
"somewhat stronger" than in 2004, while assessing that Vietnam 
has already done a "good job" in this endeavor.  According to 
UNODC, however, these efforts have had minimal impact on the 
existing addict and HIV/AIDS population.  Behavior modification 
is still a problematic issue for the GVN.  UNODC believes that 
the challenge for Vietnam is to implement awareness campaigns 
more regularly at the grassroots level and encourage the 
participation of the youth population. 
 
¶37. (U) Vietnam has a network of drug treatment centers. 
According to MOLISA, there are now 83 centers at the provincial 
level that are capable of accommodating between 55,000 and 60,000 
admissions a year.  The number of IDUs suffering from AIDS 
increased this year. 
 
¶38. (U) Vietnam has also strived to integrate addiction treatment 
and vocational training to facilitate the rehabilitation of drug 
addicts.  Ho Chi Minh City is the pioneer in this campaign. 
These efforts include tax and other economic incentives for 
businesses that hire recovered addicts.  Despite these efforts, 
at most 18 percent of recovered addicts find regular employment, 
and there has been some domestic criticism that keeping 
recovering addicts in supervised "employment parks" is a way of 
applying administrative punishment through "detention" in a way 
that fails to respect the detainees' civil rights. 
 
HIV/AIDS 
-------- 
 
¶39. (U) HIV/AIDS is a serious and growing problem in 
Vietnam.  The epidemic is closely related to intravenous drug use 
and commercial sex work.  Injection drug users (IDUs), commercial 
sex workers (CSWs), CSWs who are also IDUs, men who have sex with 
men (MSMs) and sex partners of IDU and CSWs are most-at-risk 
populations in Vietnam.  At least 60 percent of known HIV cases 
are IDUs.  The result from 2004 national sentinel surveillance 
indicated a 29 percent HIV prevalence among IDUs, however, in 
some provinces, the HIV prevalence is reported at higher than 70 
percent.  The Vietnamese National Strategy for HIV prevention and 
Control, launched in March 2004, presents a comprehensive 
response to the HIV situation that, apart from Information- 
Education-Communication (IEC), includes risk reduction, condom 
promotion, and clean needle and syringe programs, voluntary 
counseling and testing (VCT) and HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care as 
major components of the strategy. 
 
¶40. (U) In June 2004 Vietnam was designated the 15th focus 
country of PEPFAR (President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). 
The USG's funding for FY05 is about USD 27.5 million.  The 
Emergency Plan will support existing agencies working in HIV/AIDS 
in Vietnam, including USAID, HHS/CDC, DOL and DOD.  Under PEPFAR, 
the USG supports Vietnam's effort to develop a comprehensive 
HIV/AIDS program emphasizing not only treatment, but also 
prevention, care and support.  Although the concentration is on 
the six highest HIV/AIDS prevalence provinces, the PEPFAR program 
also set up voluntary consulting and testing centers in 40 other 
provinces of Vietnam.  By the end of 2006, an estimated 18,000 
drug users will be eligible for release from some 19 
rehabilitation centers serving the HCMC area.  It is believed 
that approximately 60 percent of these individuals will be HIV 
positive.  In order to facilitate successful transition of 
residents to their home communities, the PEPFAR team is 
developing a pilot project to provide HIV care and treatment, 
drug relapse prevention, and other services.  Focusing on two 
HCMC area centers, the project includes in-center services 
(subject to Congressional approval) and other interventions 
targeting four HCMC districts.  All plans are being coordinated 
with the HCMC Provincial AIDS Committee (PAC). 
 
IV. U.S. POLICY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS 
 
¶41. (U) In 2003, Vietnam and the United States completed and 
signed a bilateral counternarcotics agreement, which came into 
force in 2004.  It represents the first direct bilateral 
counternarcotics program assistance to Vietnam.  The USG 
currently funds training annually for some GVN law enforcement 
officers and other officials involved in the legal arena for 
courses at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in 
Bangkok.  Between November 2004 and September 2005, U.S. Embassy 
Hanoi sent 70 law enforcement officers for training at the 
Academy.  From August 5 - 12, 2004, a one-week training course 
for Vietnamese counternarcotics officers by American officials, 
the first ever under the U.S.-Vietnam Letter of Agreement, was 
held in Hanoi, followed by two others in 2005. 
 
¶42. (U) The USG also contributes to counternarcotics efforts 
through the UNODC.  In 2004, the USG made contributions to two 
projects: "Measures to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons 
in Vietnam," and "Interdiction and Seizure Capacity Building with 
Special Emphasis on ATS and Precursors."  The ATS project 
achieved its main goals in 2004 with the signing of an 
interagency MOU and the establishment of six interagency task 
forces at key border "hotspots" around the country. 
 
Other ongoing UNODC projects include: 
 
--  Project AD/VIE/H68 on Technical Assistance to Treatment and 
Rehabilitation at the Institutional and Community Level; 
 
--  Project VIE/H61 on Drug Abuse Prevention Among Ethnic 
Minorities In Vietnam (Phase II); 
 
--  Project VIE/H05 on Comprehensive Drug Prevention Through 
Communications and Community Mobilization; 
 
--  Project VIE/R96 on Strengthening Of The Legal And Law 
Enforcement Institutions In Preventing And Combating Trafficking 
In Persons In Vietnam. 
 
¶V.  THE ROAD AHEAD 
 
¶43. (U) The GVN is acutely aware of the threat of drugs and 
Vietnam's increasing domestic drug problem.  However, there is 
continued suspicion of foreign law enforcement assistance and/or 
intervention, especially from the United States, in the 
counternarcotics arena.  During 2005, as in previous years, the 
GVN made progress with ongoing and new initiatives aimed at the 
law enforcement and social problems that stem from the illegal 
drug trade.  Notwithstanding a lack of meaningful operational 
cooperation with DEA, the GVN continued to show a willingness to 
take unilateral action against drugs and drug trafficking. 
Vietnam still faces many internal problems that make fighting 
drugs a challenge.  With the entry into force of the 
counternarcotics LOA, the USG can look forward to enhanced 
cooperation in the area of assistance to Vietnamese law 
enforcement agencies.  Operational cooperation, however, remains 
on hold pending the development of a legal framework in Vietnam 
to allow foreign law enforcement officers to carry out operations 
on Vietnamese soil, or the signing of a bilateral agreement 
between the United States and Vietnam that would create a 
mechanism for joint investigation and development of drug cases. 
 
VI. STATISTICS 
 
¶44.  (U) Official January-October 2005 drug statistics (provided 
by SODC). 
 
¶45.  (U)  BEGIN TEXT, INCSR SUMMARY TABLES. 
 
SUMMARY TABLES FOR THREE YEARS 
 
-- 1. COCA.  VIETNAM PRODUCED NO COCA IN 2005 OR PREVIOUS YEARS. 
 
-- 2. POTENTIAL COCA LEAF.  NOT APPLICABLE TO VIETNAM. 
 
-- 3. OPIUM. 
 
STATISTICAL TABLE 
 
DRUG CULTIVATION (HECTARES)        2005 2004      2003 
 
HARVESTABLE CULTIVATION            12.9 32.5      94 
 
ERADICATION                        12.9 32.5      94 
 
POPPY HARVESTED (SEEDS)             0   0         0 
 
-- 4.  POTENTIAL OPIUM GUM.  NOT AVAILABLE. 
 
-- 5.  CANNABIS.  SODC admits cannabis cultivation in Vietnam's 
southern provinces of Dong Nai, An Giang and Dong Thap.  However, 
the area is relatively small.  SODC has no figures available on 
how many hectares of cannabis plants were uprooted in these 
provinces.  Cannabis also enters Vietnam from Cambodia. 
 
-- 6.  POTENTIAL CANNABIS YIELD.  NOT APPLICABLE. 
 
-- 7.  DRUG SEIZURES IN KILOGRAMS: 
 
STATISTICAL TABLE 
 
SEIZURES            2005      2004       2003 
 
¶A. COCA LEAF        N/A       N/A        N/A 
¶B. COCAINE PASTE    N/A       N/A        N/A 
¶C. COCAINE BASE     N/A       N/A        N/A 
¶D. COCAINE HCL      N/A       N/A        N/A 
E/F.OPIUM           55,1      58.6       254.3 
¶G. HEROIN           256       240        239.8 
¶H. CANNABIS         3,339     1,021      329.3 
¶I. OTHERS, BY UNITS (TUBES OF ADDICTIVE DRUGS) 
                    5,012     (ATS)  33,756 
 
 -- 8.  ILLICIT LABS.  DURING 2004, SODC REPORTED NO LABS BEING 
DESTROYED.  STATISTICS FOR 2005 N/A. 
 
-- 9.  DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION OF ILLICIT DRUGS.  NO AVAILABLE 
STATISTICS. 
 
-- 10.  ARRESTS. 
 
NUMBER OF ARRESTS BY NUMBER OF CASES/NUMBER OF PERSONS ARRESTED. 
 
2005           2004                     2003 
 
9,936/15,018   12,000/18,260            10,000/16,000 
 
-- 11.  USERS. 
 
NUMBER OF REGISTERED DRUG ADDICTS 
 
2005      2004                2003                     2002 
 
170,000   161,000             152,900                  131,000 
 
MARINE