VZCZCXRO8527
PP RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1892/01 3100020
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060020Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6644
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 3894

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HANOI 001892 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP AND INL 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SNAR VM
SUBJECT: 2007-2008 INCSR PART I -- VIETNAM 
 
REF: STATE 136782 
 
¶1.  The following is Embassy Hanoi's submission for the narcotics 
section of the 2007-2008 INCSR. 
 
¶2.  Begin INCSR text: 
 
Vietnam 
 
¶I. Summary 
 
The Government of Vietnam (GVN) continued to make progress in its 
counternarcotics efforts during 2007. 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 United States 
and Vietnam continued to implement training and assistance projects 
under the counternarcotics Letter of Agreement (LOA). Operational 
cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) 
Hanoi Country Office (HCO) continued to lag behind expectations. In 
November 2006, DEA and the GVN's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) 
concluded a memorandum of understanding intended to facilitate 
operational cooperation between the two agencies on transnational 
counternarcotics matters. In 2005, Vietnam was removed from the list 
of major drug-producing countries because actual drug cultivation 
clearly fell below the 1,000-hectare threshold for Majors. Vietnam 
is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. 
 
II. Status of Country 
 
This year, the GVN claims that there were only about 37.5 ha of 
opium and 0.4 ha of cannabis under cultivation nationwide, all of 
which were eradicated. Official UNODC statistical tables no longer 
list Vietnam separately in drug production analyses. Cultivation in 
Vietnam probably accounts for only about one percent of the total 
cultivation in Southeast Asia, according to law enforcement 
estimates. 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. 
 
In the past, Vietnam has not been confirmed as a source or transit 
country for precursors. However, one precursor of concern to DEA 
that has historically been produced in large quantities in Vietnam 
is sassafras oil. This precursor to MDMA production is no longer 
produced in Vietnam, but it continues to be imported into Vietnam 
for re-export to third countries. The potential for diversion of 
sassafras oil into clandestine MDMA production remains an area of 
concern for DEA. 
 
In 2007, the GVN continued to view the Golden Triangle as the source 
for most of the heroin supplied to Vietnam. 
 
GVN authorities are particularly concerned about rising ATS use 
among urban youth. During 2007, the GVN increased the pace of 
enforcement and awareness programs that they hope will avoid a youth 
synthetic drug epidemic. Resource constraints in all aspects of 
narcotics programs are pervasive, and GVN counternarcotics officials 
note that, as a developing country, Vietnam will face such resource 
constraints for the foreseeable future. Officials also noted, 
however, significant annual budget increases for counternarcotics 
efforts. Drug laws remain very tough in Vietnam. For possession or 
trafficking of 600 grams (something more than one pound) or more of 
heroin, or 20 kg (44 pounds) of opium gum or cannabis resin, the 
death penalty is mandatory. Foreign law enforcement sources do not 
believe that major trafficking groups have moved into Vietnam. 
Relatively small groups comprised of from five to 15 individuals 
(who are often related to each other) usually do most narcotics 
trafficking. 
 
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007 
 
Policy Initiatives. The structure of the GVN's counternarcotics 
efforts is built around the National Committee on AIDS, Drugs and 
Prostitution Control (NCADP), which includes 18 GVN ministries and 
people's organizations as members. In addition, MPS, as NCADP's 
standing member, has a specialized unit to combat and suppress drug 
crimes. During 2007, many provinces and cities implemented their own 
drug awareness and prevention programs, as well as demand reduction 
and drug treatment. The GVN continues to view drug awareness and 
prevention as vital tools and significant objectives in its fight 
against drugs, as well as integral parts of its effort to comply 
fully with the 1988 UN Drug Convention. The GVN has continued to 
rely heavily on counternarcotics propaganda, culminating in the 
annual drug awareness month in June 2007. Officially sponsored 
activities cover every aspect of society, from schools to unions to 
civic organizations and government offices. In 2007, the GVN 
extended its ongoing effort to de-stigmatize drug addicts in order 
to increase their odds of successful treatment, and to help control 
 
HANOI 00001892  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
the spread of HIV/AIDS. 
 
Law Enforcement Efforts. According to GVN statistics, during the 
first nine months of 2007, there were 7,185 drug cases involving 
9,343 traffickers. Total seizures include 123 kg of heroin, 53 kg of 
opium, 224 kg of cannabis, 24,300 ATS tablets, and 10,050 other 
tablets and ampoules of addictive pharmaceuticals. The numbers of 
cases and traffickers during the first six months of 2007 represent 
decreases of 22.09 and 34.5 percent, respectively, compared with the 
same period of 2005. Officials attributed the lower figures to 
increased admissions of addicts in drug treatment centers, greater 
effectiveness of counternarcotics forces on the borders and success 
at raising public awareness. During the first nine months of 2007, 
courts throughout the country tried 8,357 traffickers in 6,274 
cases. 
 
Foreign law enforcement representatives in Vietnam acknowledge that 
real operational cooperation on counternarcotics cases is minimal 
due to legal prohibitions and policy restrictions that preclude 
Vietnam's drug enforcement authorities from sharing information and 
supporting bilateral investigations with foreign police agencies. 
Without changes in Vietnamese law to allow the establishment of a 
legal and procedural basis for Vietnam's cooperation with foreign 
law enforcement agencies, operational "cooperation" will remain 
limited and largely determined on a case-by-case basis. USG law 
enforcement agencies hold out some hope that the development of 
agency-to-agency agreements will slightly improve the cooperation 
climate. During 2007, cooperation levels between GVN law enforcement 
authorities and DEA's HCO continued to gradually improve, although 
DEA agents have not been officially permitted to work directly with 
GVN counternarcotics investigators. Cooperation was limited to 
receiving information and investigative requests from DEA, holding 
meetings and providing somewhat limited responses to DEA's requests. 
Thus far, counternarcotics police have declined to share detailed 
investigative information with DEA or cooperate operationally. 
During 2006 and 2007, DEA did receive operational cooperation on one 
money laundering investigation in which MPS assisted in the receipt 
of 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. 
 
Corruption. As a matter of GVN policy, Vietnam does not encourage or 
facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotic or 
psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering 
of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. No information 
specifically links any senior GVN official with engaging in, 
encouraging or facilitating the illicit production or distribution 
of drugs or substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal 
drug transactions. Nonetheless, a certain level of corruption, both 
among lower-level enforcement personnel and higher-level officials, 
is consonant with fairly large-scale movement of narcotics into and 
out of Vietnam. The GVN did demonstrate willingness in 2007 to 
prosecute officials, although the targets were relatively low-level. 
In September, two prosecutors of the Thai Nguyen Provincial Supreme 
People's Procuracy were arrested for alleged bribe taking in a drug 
case. Earlier, two Thai Nguyen drug police officers were also 
arrested on the same charge in the case. Vietnam has signed, but not 
yet ratified, the UN Convention Against Corruption. 
 
Agreements/Treaties. 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. 
Vietnam has signed, but has not yet ratified, the UN Corruption 
Convention and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized 
Crime. 
 
Cultivation/Production. Despite eradication efforts, the GVN 
reported 37.5 ha of opium re-planted nationwide. The total poppy 
cultivation in 2007 showed a significant decrease compared to the 
previous year. The total number of hectares under opium poppy 
cultivation remains sharply reduced from an estimated 12,900 ha in 
1993, when the GVN began opium poppy eradication. There have been 
recent confirmed reports that ATS and heroin have been produced in 
Vietnam. Local ATS production relies on ATS powder brought from 
outside the country, which is then processed into pills. GVN law 
enforcement forces have seized some ATS-related equipment (i.e., 
pill presses). In January, Vietnam's first-ever prosecution for 
heroin production, involving 44 kg produced in 2001 and 2003, 
concluded with the court handing down eight death sentences and 
thirteen life imprisonments. Officials described the method of 
production used by the perpetrators as "simple and manual," and "not 
at a level sufficient to produce saleable heroin." As part of its 
efforts to comply fully with the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the GVN 
continued in 2007 to eradicate poppies when found and to implement 
crop substitution. 
 
Drug Flow/Transit. While law enforcement sources and the UNODC 
believe that significant amounts of drugs are transiting Vietnam, 
DEA has not yet identified a case of heroin entering the United 
 
HANOI 00001892  003 OF 004 
 
 
States directly from Vietnam. More commonly, drugs, especially 
heroin and opium, enter Vietnam from the Golden Triangle via Laos 
and Cambodia by land, sea and air, making their way to Hanoi or Ho 
Chi Minh City, either for local consumption or transshipment to 
other countries such as Australia, Japan, China, Taiwan and 
Malaysia. The ATS flow into the country during 2007 continued to be 
serious and not limited to border areas. ATS can now be found 
throughout the country, especially in places frequented by young 
people. ATS such as amphetamine, diazepam, Ecstasy, ketamine and 
especially "ice" methamphetamine (crystal methamphetamine) continue 
to worry the government. Such drugs are most popular in Hanoi, Ho 
Chi Minh City and other major cities. During 2007, numerous cases 
involving ATS trafficking and consumption were reported in the 
media, including mass arrests following raids on popular 
nightclubs. 
 
Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction. According to the SODC (Standing 
Office for Drug Control), by the end of June, there were 166,291 
officially registered drug users nationwide.  Included in that 
figure are 88,315 addicts living in the community, and 45,263 and 
32,713 other addicts living, respectively, in MPS (Ministry of 
Public Security) prisons and MOLISA (Ministry of Labor, War Invalids 
and Social Affairs) treatment centers. Vietnam has 87 
provincial-level treatment centers providing treatment to about 
58,000 drug addicts annually, a six-fold increase compared with 
¶2001. The number of "unofficial" (i.e., not acknowledged officially) 
drug users is at least 1.5 times higher. During the first six months 
of 2007, 45,572 drug users received treatment, including 8,303 new 
recipients. This year, the SODC reported that heroin accounts for 
84.72 percent of drug use, while ATS use saw a significant increase, 
especially among the youth. 
 
Ministries distributed hundreds of thousands of antidrug leaflets 
and videos, and organized antidrug painting contests for children. 
The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) carries out awareness 
activities in schools. Counternarcotics material is available in all 
schools and MOET sponsors various workshops and campaigns at all 
school levels. The UNODC assesses GVN drug awareness efforts 
favorably, but considers these efforts to have had minimal impact on 
the existing addict and HIV/AIDS population. Vietnam strives to 
integrate addiction treatment and vocational training to facilitate 
the rehabilitation of drug addicts. These efforts include tax and 
other economic incentives for businesses that hire recovered 
addicts. Despite these efforts, only a small percentage of recovered 
addicts find regular employment. 
 
HIV/AIDS is a serious and growing problem in Vietnam. The epidemic 
is closely related to intravenous drug use and commercial sex work. 
At least 53 percent of known HIV cases are IDUs. A 2006 national 
sentinel surveillance indicated a 23 percent HIV prevalence among 
IDUs. However, in some provinces, the HIV prevalence is reported at 
as high as 45 percent among IDUs. The Vietnamese National Strategy 
for HIV Prevention and Control, launched in March 2004, presents a 
comprehensive response to the HIV, including condom promotion, clean 
needle and syringe programs, voluntary counseling and testing and 
HIV/AIDS treatment and care. The GVN reported a total of 126,543 HIV 
cases in the country. Out of that number, 24,788 are AIDS patients. 
The actual figure is believed to be three times higher. In June 
2004, Vietnam was designated the 15th focus country under the 
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). USG FY07 
funding, about $65.8 million, is distributed through key PEPFAR 
agencies such as USAID, HHS/CDC, and the U.S. Department of Defense. 
Through PEPFAR, the USG supports the Vietnam National HIV/AIDS 
Strategy of Prevention, Care and Treatment for People Living with 
HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The majority of USG support targets seven current 
focus provinces (Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City, Can 
Tho, An Giang and Nghe An) where the epidemic is most severe; 
however, PEPFAR also supports HIV counseling and testing and 
community outreach for drug users and sex workers in 30 provinces. 
From 2005 through 2007, USG-supported programs have trained nearly 
43 substance abuse counselors/case managers who work in Hai Phong 
and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). In cooperation with the HCMC, the 
PEPFAR team is piloting a comprehensive program to assist former 
rehabilitation center residents prevent relapse, stabilize their 
lives and access appropriate care for HIV disease. As this program 
shows success, it will be expanded to assist drug users in provinces 
beyond HCMC. 
 
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
 
Policy Initiatives. Under the Vietnam-U.S. Counternarcotics 
Assistance LOA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection delivered 
contraband enforcement training to GVN customs, border guards, and 
maritime administration officials. This training included three 
field visits for GVN officials to U.S. ports to observe best 
practices and three in-country training courses held in major port 
cities. Also under the LOA, DEA International Training Units 
conducted an Airport Interdiction and Seizure Seminar in September. 
During July and August, DEA and JIATF-W sponsored two-week Officer 
Tactics and Safety training seminars for MPS and Border Army 
officials in Hanoi and HCMC. Between January and September 2007, 
 
HANOI 00001892  004 OF 004 
 
 
using State Department law enforcement assistance, 44 Vietnamese law 
enforcement officers attended the International Law Enforcement 
Academy (ILEA) in Bangkok. The USG also contributed to 
counternarcotics efforts through the UNODC. 
 
The Road Ahead. 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 2007, 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. USG-GVN 
operational cooperation remains very limited pending the development 
of a legal framework in Vietnam to allow foreign law enforcement 
officers to participate in some manner in law enforcement 
investigations on Vietnamese soil, or the signing of a bilateral 
agreement between the United States and Vietnam that would create a 
mechanism for the joint investigation and development of drug cases. 
The November 2006 Memorandum of Understanding between DEA and the 
GVN's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) is a first step in this 
direction, but is non-binding in character and directly addresses 
law enforcement cooperation only at the central government agency 
level, rather than the operational or investigative level. 
 
End text. 
 
MICHALAK