VZCZCXRO9769
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0326/01 1021055
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111055Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9506
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 000326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL--BOULDIN 
BANGKOK FOR DEA--CHAGNON AND ESCH, AND NAS--DARU 
VIENTIANE FOR NAS--HEINZER 
HANOI FOR NAS AND DEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR SENV CB
SUBJECT:  CAMBODIANS DISCUSS PRECURSOR CHEMICAL CONTROLS 
 
REF:  06 PHNOM PENH 2138 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  Cambodian government officials from a variety of 
ministries and local and provincial governments recently met to 
discuss new procedures in tackling precursor chemical production and 
trafficking in Cambodia.  Cambodia is a significant supplier of 
safrole oil, used in the production of ecstasy.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) During a recent two-day conference organized by the National 
Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) and the UN Office on Drugs and 
Crime (UNODC), 75 participants from municipal and provincial courts, 
police, local authorities, and the Ministries of Health and 
Agriculture discussed Cambodian efforts to prevent the trafficking 
of safrole oil.  (Note:  Safrole oil is a key ingredient in the 
production of the MDMA, also known as "ecstasy".  It is also 
traditionally used in Cambodia in massage for sore and injured 
muscles, and as an ingredient in perfume.  End Note.)  The 
production, export, and trade of safrole oil are banned in Cambodia 
except for medical purposes.  A July 2007 regulation issued by the 
Ministry of Health increased the penalties for trafficking or 
producing safrole oil.  Individuals convicted of the possession, 
production, or trafficking of safrole oil for non-medicinal purposes 
now face jail time of two to five years as well as fines. 
 
Cambodia a Significant Regional Precursor Supplier 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Cambodia is a significant producer of safrole oil, which 
is extracted from the roots and stump of the endangered dysoxylum 
loreiri tree, known locally as mreah prov.  According to a Forestry 
Administration official, these slow-growing trees--which are mostly 
found in the provinces of Pursat, Battambang and Koh Kong--are under 
serious threat due to safrole oil production.  (See reftel for 
discussion of precursor production and environmental impact.)  UNODC 
estimates that Cambodia produces about 250 tons of safrole oil per 
year, China 800 tons, Indonesia 17-34 tons and Myanmar 250-500 tons. 
 Lour Ramin, NACD Secretary General, said that Vietnam has reported 
seizing many hundreds of tons of safrole oil being smuggled from 
Cambodia into Vietnam in recent years, while Thailand reported that 
it seized 50 tons of safrole oil smuggled from Cambodia in October 
¶2007.  According to Ramin, the production and sale of safrole oil is 
legal in Vietnam, but Vietnamese authorities have become stricter 
about checking import and export licenses. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Wong Hoy Yuen, Bangkok-based UNODC precursor project 
coordinator, summarized the findings of a regional meeting on 
cross-border precursor trade that was held in Ho Chi Minh City in 
September 2007.  According to Yuen, at that meeting, government 
officials from Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand urged greater 
regional cooperation on legal and illegal trade in safrole oil and 
strengthened law enforcement efforts.  Lour Ramin added that 
Cambodia is now working with Vietnam and Thailand to crack down on 
the trafficking of safrole oil, but did not highlight specific 
examples.  Yuen also relayed that participants at the September 2007 
conference warned that as one country sharpens its enforcement 
techniques, other countries are likely to see increased trafficking. 
 They specifically predicted that the Cambodia-Lao border may see 
increased trafficking as Thailand has now stepped up its 
interdiction efforts. 
 
Officials Propose New Precursor Control Procedures 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) During the conference, participants discussed and 
clarified procedures to be taken in preventing, interdicting, and 
prosecuting safrole oil production.  The officials reviewed and 
suggested changes to a draft procedural order on precursor 
chemicals, which the Ministry of Interior expects to finalize and 
officially issue in April or May 2008.  In the past, the Forestry 
Administration had sole authority for taking action against safrole 
producers and traffickers.  Conference participants recommended 
extending this authority to national police officers as well.  The 
NACD laboratory will be responsible for analyzing the seized 
substances in order to provide scientific evidence for court cases. 
Seized substances can be held by any competent authority during the 
investigation and prosecution phase, though all authorities should 
report such a seizure to the NACD.  Once a final judgment is made, 
the Ministry of Health will be responsible for holding and disposing 
of safrole oil, although the NACD will assume this responsibility 
until the Ministry of Health can obtain a suitable storage facility. 
 Authorities at all levels will help to inform communities about the 
dangers of safrole oil. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment:  While corruption, poor human capacity, and low 
funding levels remain obstacles to effective drug control, efforts 
at coordination like this conference highlight Cambodia's genuine 
efforts to tackle its multi-faceted narcotics problem.  Large recent 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000326  002 OF 002 
 
 
busts--including the seizure of 50 tons of safrole oil at a Thai 
port in October 2007 and an as-yet-unpublicized March 30, 2008 
seizure of nearly 20 tons of safrole oil in Pursat province, 
Cambodia--indicate that Cambodia has no time to lose in addressing 
this issue.  End Comment. 
 
MUSSOMELI