VZCZCXRO1031
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0602/01 1201106
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301106Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8372
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PHNOM PENH 000602 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, INL/AAE--CHARLES BOULDIN, AND 
OES--ANTOINETTE CONDO AND LYNETTE POULTON 
VIENNA FOR SCOTT THOMPSON 
BANGKOK FOR ESTH--JIM WALLER, NAS--TERRY DARU, AND 
DEA--SCOTT SEELEY-HACKER AND JOHN SWAIN 
PACOM FOR JIATF-WEST--DAVE KILBOURN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR SENV PREL SOCI KCRM CB
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR FUNDING FOR METHAMPHETAMINE SUPERLAB 
CLEANUP 
 
REF: A. PHNOM PENH 515 
     ¶B. PHNOM PENH 536 
 
¶1.  (U)  This is an action request for INL and OES.  Please 
see paragraph 10. 
 
Methamphetamine Superlab Discovered in Cambodia 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On April 1, the Cambodian Anti-Drug Police (CADP) 
raided a a chemical storehouse in Phnom Penh and 
amethamphetamine superlab located 80 km south of the city. 
The superlab was located on land registered to Chea Chung, a 
current or former military colonel, though it is widely 
rumored that Chung gave the land to Nhek Bun Chhay, the 
leader of FUNCINPEC, the minority party in the ruling 
coalition.  Approximately 4 tons of chemicals and equipment 
capable of completing the first stage in a two-stage 
methamphetamine production process were discovered.  An 
arrest warrant for Chea Chung has been issued, though police 
have not yet been able to locate him.  The CADP arrested 18 
individuals, including one Thai and two Chinese men believed 
to be technical experts, 14 male Cambodian laborers, and one 
Chinese woman believed to be involved in the production 
effort. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) A team of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) 
forensic chemists and special agents came to the site April 7 
and identified approximately 1,560 liters of thionyl 
chloride, 140 liters of diethyl ether, and 700 liters of 
acetone.  They also found containers indicating a total 
quantity of 750 liters of chloroform, though some of this had 
already been used.  They also identified a trace amount of 
pseduoephedrine, 52 kg of processed chloroephedrine and an 
additional approximately 30 kg of chloroephedrine that had 
not yet been finished processing.  DEA and United Nations 
Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) staff estimated that if the 
chemicals found on site were processed into methamphetamines, 
they would yield approximately 55 kg of pure methamphetamine, 
which could produce roughly 4.8 million methamphetamine 
tablets (worth roughly USD 14.4 million in Phnom Penh or USD 
33.6 million in Thailand) or 5 million crystal 
methamphetamine (ice) dosage units worth roughly USD 8.5-10.3 
million in Thailand, according to DEA and UNODC estimates. 
 
Superlab Presents Critical Environmental, Health Risks 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) DEA chemists noted that the chemicals on site are 
poorly stored and represent a critical environmental and 
health threat to the area.  Thionyl chloride reacts with 
water, including trace amounts such as humidity in air, to 
produce two extremely dangerous and corrosive chemicals, 
sulfur dioxide and hydrochloric acid.  Diethyl ether, they 
noted, is explosive.  None of the chemicals at the site are 
being stored properly, with chemicals sitting outside in 
intense heat and subject to damage from weather or animals. 
The DEA team noted that the thionyl chloride has apparently 
already begun to leak as it is corroding the boxes in which 
it is stored.  The team also reported that, in addition to 
taking samples from the chemicals on site, they also 
collected a water sample from a nearby well.  It had an oily 
layer on top, they reported, and did not appear to be 
potable, indicating likely contamination of groundwater as 
well.  The site is approximately 1 acre and is located in a 
low intensity agricultural area with the nearest population 
center about 10 km away. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Individuals exposed to the chemicals at the site 
have already reported adverse reactions.  Two of the suspects 
were vomiting blood when arrested.  A family of five was 
hired to tend cattle on the property, and they developed open 
sores, swollen faces, and hacking coughs as a result of 
chemical exposure.  Even after medical care and several weeks 
of living in a new location far from the chemicals, one 
family member still has facial swelling and a rash. 
 
Proposed Clean Up Plans 
----------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Cambodian government has formed an 
inter-ministerial committee to develop clean-up plans for the 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000602  002 OF 003 
 
 
site, and UNODC has been designated as the lead international 
agency for coordinating clean up efforts.  Cambodia has no 
prior experience in handling hazardous waste and there are no 
companies or other organizations in country who can take on 
the task.  Relying largely on a list of companies recommended 
by ESTH officers in the region, the UNODC is currently 
contacting companies that may be able to properly dispose of 
the chemicals at the site.  However, few companies have so 
far expressed interest.  UNODC has so far received only one 
proposal for site cleanup, from GSM Consultancy in Singapore, 
a company with a US-affiliate who is certified by the General 
Services Administration to remediate meth labs in the U.S. 
UNODC plans to formally issue a request for proposals this 
week and hopes that clean up activities can begin within 
three weeks. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) GSM's proposal provides a glimpse at one likely 
clean up approach.  Due to the lack of hazardous waste 
landfills in Cambodia, the GSM proposal relies on relatively 
simple technical approaches to disposing of remaining 
chemicals and contaminated equipment.  The preferred option 
would be to solidify the remaining chemicals with 
vermiculite, sawdust, or soil; drum the chemicals; and 
destroy them at a cement kiln south of the site.  If this is 
not possible, given the extremely limited options for 
disposal, other possibilities for disposal include 
evaporation and solidification (particularly of chemicals 
other than thionyl chloride) or mixing the chemicals with 
cement in a transit mixer.  Any cement produced could be 
crushed and used for a road base or other application.  At 
all points, the chemicals would be segregated to avoid 
reactions.  Contaminated equipment, laboratory glassware, 
mixing containers, and portions of the structure would be 
disposed of by performing limited decontamination using 
water, detergent, and brushes, and cutting or breaking up the 
equipment. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) To restore the site to agricultural use, soils with 
high field-measured volatile organic compound (VOC) levels 
could be remediated in situ by aerating the soil and mixing 
it with potassium permanganate (a commonly available 
supplement to poultry feed) or other locally available 
oxidizing agent to enhance oxidation.  Due to limited 
information currently available about groundwater 
contamination, GSM presents several possible scenarios: 
aerating the water using a bubbler in ponds and cistern to 
oxidize and volatize the organic compounds, pumping water 
through a granulated activated carbon filter to remove 
contaminants, planting specific species known for removing 
chemicals from soil, or constructing an oxidation cell for 
groundwater remediation.  The ponds and cistern well on the 
property could be completely backfilled following the 
remediation.  All work could be done in compliance with a 
site-specific health and safety plan. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) GSM estimates that this approach would likely cost 
between USD 75,000 and 100,000, although it is difficult to 
get an accurate assessment given the limited information 
available.  UNODC would like to include a capacity building 
component into the project so that, in the future, the 
Cambodian government will be more prepared to tackle these 
clean ups themselves.  This will likely push costs closer to 
USD 100,000.  The German embassy has indicated to UNODC think 
it is likely that they will be able to contribute USD 50,000 
to the clean up effort.  No other donors have been identified 
at this point. 
 
Action Request:  USD 50,000 Contribution for Clean Up 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) ACTION REQUEST:  Post requests that INL and/or OES 
consider funding USD 50,000 towards this clean up effort. 
Given that the Cambodian Anti-Drug Police are typically 
involved in small scale busts while there are persistent 
rumors of police and official involvement in drug smuggling, 
busting a drug lab connected to a current or former military 
colonel with ties to the ruling government coalition is a 
bold and laudable move.  While their technical skills and 
funding are limited, the Cambodian-Anti Drug Police have 
cooperated very freely with post and the Bangkok-based DEA 
office.  Coming on the heels of a successful visit by 
national police commissioner Hok Lundy to Washington, Post 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000602  003 OF 003 
 
 
believes that helping to fund the clean up effort would 
reward the excellent police work and political will which led 
to this bust, eliminate a very real environmental and health 
threat, end the possibility of the chemicals being stolen or 
diverted by other would-be drug producers, and thereby 
further post's working relationship with Cambodian law 
enforcement agencies.  This relatively small amount of money 
would also have a dramatic impact in tackling a critical 
enironmental and health issue at a particularly opportune 
moment when post has previously had insufficient staff and 
resources to respond adequately to Cambodia's significant 
environmental needs.  Resulting press coverage from US 
participation in such a high-profile clean up effort would 
provide a further boost to the US's good reputation in 
Cambodia.  END ACTION REQUEST. 
 
¶11.  Point of contact for this request is Polecon officer 
Jennifer Spande, spandejs@state.gov. 
MUSSOMELI