VZCZCXRO5846
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0515/01 0951126
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051126Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8281
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PHNOM PENH 000515 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, INL/AAE--CHARLES BOULDIN, 
OES--ANTOINETTE CONDO 
BANGKOK FOR NAS--TERRY DARU, DEA--SCOTT SEELEY-HACKER, PAT 
CHAGNON, AND JOHN SWAIN, AND REO--JIM WALLER 
HANOI FOR DEA--JEFFREY WANNER AND POL--PETER ECKSTROM 
VIENTIANE FOR NAS--CLIFF HEINZER 
PACOM FOR JIATF-WEST--DAVID KILBOURN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PGOV ASEC SENV CB
SUBJECT: METHAMPHETAMINE SUPERLAB DISCOVERED; EIGHTEEN 
ARRESTED IN CAMBODIA 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  An April 1 police raid of two locations 
in Cambodia uncovered a large methamphetamine drug lab and 
resulted in the arrests of 18 individuals and the seizure of 
four tons of chemicals.  A Drug Enforcement Administration 
(DEA) official who assisted in the aftermath of the raid 
stated that the "superlab" may be among Southeast Asia's 
largest.  The properties are reportedly owned by a former 
advisor to FUNCINPEC party leader Nhek Bun Chhay, though 
there are rumors that the land was in fact given to Nhek Bun 
Chhay.  UN Office of Drugs and Crime and DEA officials will 
come to Cambodia in the next few days to assist the police in 
assessing the drug lab, identifying the chemicals involved, 
and developing a plan to address the extensive environmental 
damage.  The discovery of this superlab demonstrates that in 
addition to serving as a transit route for drug smugglers and 
developing a growing drug use problem, Cambodia has now 
joined the ranks of drug producers as well.  End Summary. 
 
Cambodian "Superlab" May Be One of Region's Largest 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On April 1, Cambodian Anti-Drug Police (CADP) 
arrested 18 individuals and raided two locations involved in 
the production of methamphetamines.  While one location, a 
house in Phnom Penh, was likely only used to store chemicals, 
the second location, a 20-hectare property in Kampong Speu 
province, was likely the site of major methamphetamine 
production.  According to Bangkok-based Drug Enforcement 
Administration Special Agent Scott Seeley-Hacker, who came to 
Cambodia on April 1 to assist the Anti-Drug Police in 
assessing the situation, this lab was one of the largest yet 
discovered in Southeast Asia, and is equivalent to the size 
of superlabs found globally.  Chan Keevin of the UNODC said 
that if the CADP and DEA estimates of chemicals present at 
the sites was correct, the lab would be considered "very 
huge."  Police and DEA agents estimate that there are three 
tons of chemicals at the Kampong Speu site, enough to produce 
approximately 100 lbs. of pure methamphetamines.  (Note: 
CADP Chief Moek Dara reported that an additional one ton of 
chemicals was recovered from the storehouse in Phnom Penh. 
End Note.)  According to the UN Office of Drugs and Crime 
(UNODC) in Bangkok and the National Authority for Combating 
Drugs, 100 lbs. of pure methamphetamine would yield roughly 
500,000 tablets with a street value of USD 1.5 million in 
Phnom Penh or USD 7 million in Thailand, the typical 
immediate destination for drugs transiting Cambodia. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Although Cambodian police and DEA agents were not 
able to conclusively identify all the chemicals present, they 
suspect that 1,500 liters of an unidentified liquid are the 
highly caustic chemical thionyl chloride used in making an 
"ephedrine reduction"--the first stage in one methamphetamine 
manufacture process.  Seeley-Hacker also noted that one full 
50 gallon drum of acetone and four empty 50 gallon drums 
believed previously to have contained acetone were 
discovered.  Because acetone is used in the final stage of 
crystal methamphetamine production,  Seeley-Hacker believes 
that the empty acetone drums indicate that several batches 
may have already been produced.  Seeley-Hacker further noted 
that the thionyl chloride manufacturing process used at this 
house is not common in the United States but has been seen in 
other labs in Southeast Asia.  According to statements from 
villagers and a family living at the Kampong Speu site, the 
lab had been in operation for about eight months. 
 
Drug Lab Connected to Senior Government Official? 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  According to CADP Chief Moek Dara, both the 
Kampong Speu and Phnom Penh properties are registered to Chea 
Chung.  Chea Chung, reportedly a military colonel, served as 
advisor to Nhek Bun Chhay, the Secretary-General of the 
royalist party (FUNCINPEC) and coalition partner with the 
ruling CPP in Cambodia's government, when Nhek Bun Chhay was 
co-Minister of Defense.  Some sources say that the two had a 
close relationship, with Chea Chung making large donations to 
FUNCINPEC and Chea Chung and Nhek Bun Chhay sometimes sharing 
a house or apartment.  According to FUNCINPEC, however, Chea 
Chung ceased advising Nhek Bun Chhay one year ago and they 
have no relationship today.  There are persistent rumors from 
Nhek Bun Chhay's political rivals as well as local villagers 
that the Kampong Speu land was in fact bought by Chea Chung 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000515  002 OF 003 
 
 
and given to Nhek Bun Chhay, with the implication that Nhek 
Bun Chhay must have at least been aware of the drug 
production.  One political rival stated that a car belonging 
to Nhek Bun Chhay was found at the property.  Moek Dara said 
that he had also heard the rumors of Nhek Bun Chhay's 
involvement but could not comment on them. 
 
Tip from Villagers Led to Raid, 18 Arrests 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  CADP Chief Moek Dara told Poleconoff that police 
had been investigating the Kampong Speu compound for about 
one month prior to the raid.  Villagers had noticed unusual 
activity and smells and, despite being told by the drug 
producers that the compound was merely producing herbicides, 
some of them alerted the police.  Two police officers were 
able to infiltrate the drug-producing network and provided 
information about production planned for March 20 and April 
¶1.  Police were unable to act on the March 20 production date 
because Moek Dara was out of the country.  Moek Dara reported 
that senior government officials carefully considered whether 
or not to allow a raid on April 1, the day of local 
elections, because they were concerned that it would be 
difficult to assemble a large force on that day when police 
officers were needed to provide security for polling stations 
and must also be given an opportunity to vote.  In the end, 
however, both Cambodian National Police Chief Hok Lundy and 
Minister of the Interior Sar Kheng approved the raid. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  The police arrested a total of 18 individuals.  In 
Kampong Speu, they arrested two Chinese men believed to be 
technical experts, one Thai man thought to have been called 
in to provide additional technical assistance when initial 
batches of the drug proved to be low quality, and 14 male 
Cambodian laborers.  In addition, police arrested one Chinese 
woman at the Phnom Penh storehouse.  The Chinese woman, 
28-year-old Raun Yan, has been charged with drug smuggling 
and production; the others remain in jail while the 
government tries to transfer their cases to the Phnom Penh 
municipal court.  Moek Dara has been quoted in the press as 
speculating that the Cambodian laborers may not have known 
what they were producing and may be released.  The police are 
still looking for Chea Chung, the owner of the properties. 
 
Superlab Leaves Significant Environmental, Health Damage 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  In addition to the huge law enforcement aspect, 
the discovery also has significant environmental and social 
consequences.  During the eight months that the lab has 
likely been in operation, the producers have been dumping 
waste chemicals directly on to the ground, creating a huge 
dead area on the property and likely contaminating the 
groundwater as well.  In addition to this existing 
environmental damage, which should be addressed, the 
remaining four tons of chemicals need to be identified and 
responsibly discarded.  Such an undertaking is likely to be 
costly -- Seeley-Hacker reports that a similar clean-up done 
in Malaysia by a Singapore-based company cost USD 200,000. 
The Cambodian government has formed a commission including 
the Ministries of Environment and Health to work on clean-up 
plans, but will likely have difficulty funding such an 
expensive effort. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The drug lab has already led to significant health 
problems among exposed individuals.  A family of five was 
hired to tend cattle on the property, and they have developed 
open sores, swollen faces, and hacking coughs as a result of 
chemical exposure.  However, the family refuses to leave the 
property as they say they have nowhere else to live.  Moek 
Dara reported that the two Chinese suspects were vomiting 
blood when arrested.  Due to the likely groundwater 
contamination and wildlife eating or drinking from 
contaminated areas, the local population may have been 
exposed as well.  Police officers at the scene lack 
appropriate hazmat suits and apparently explored the compound 
wearing only flip-flops when the lab was first discovered. 
DEA plans to send hazmat suits to Cambodia with the chemical 
assessment team. 
 
DEA, UN Staff to Help Assess Drug Lab 
------------------------------------- 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000515  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Bangkok-based UNODC staff will be coming to 
Cambodia in the next few days to assess the situation.  The 
DEA is also assembling a team of staff from the US, China, 
and Thailand with expertise in chemistry, clean up, and 
tracing the origin of chemical precursors.  The team is 
scheduled to arrive on Saturday.  The DEA team plans to bring 
additional hazmat suits for the Cambodian police and clothing 
for the affected family. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  The discovery of this drug lab, if it turns out 
to be one of Southeast Asia's largest as some suspect, 
represents a shift in our understanding of Cambodia's drug 
situation.  The conventional wisdom has long been that 
Cambodia was primarily a drug transit country with a growing 
population of drug users.  There were rumors of small, mobile 
methamphetamine labs operating in remote northwestern 
Cambodia as well as in houses in Phnom Penh, but no 
indications of major production.  Now Cambodia has officially 
joined the ranks of drug producers.  The Cambodian Anti-Drug 
Police's performance on this bust is consistent with what we 
have seen over the past year:  when presented with a tip, 
either from DEA or local villagers, the CADP will actively 
follow up and can effectively lead a raid and make arrests. 
However, we continue to have serious doubts about their 
ability to pro-actively investigate cases and uncover large 
drug networks.  It is also noteworthy that decision making is 
all done at the top -- both the Interior Minister and the 
head of the National Police had to sign off on the raid, and 
conducting a raid when CADP Chief Moek Dara was out of the 
country was not even considered. 
 
MUSSOMELI