2003 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY -- REPORT (INCSR) - VIETNAM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 23 HANOI 003350



SIPDIS



STATE FOR INL/AAE, EAP/BCLTV, L/LEI

JUSTICE FOR OIA, AFMLS, NDDS

TREASURY FOR FINCEN



E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: SNAR, PREL, PGOV, ASEC, EFIN, KCRM, SOCI, VM, CNARC, HIV/AIDS

SUBJECT: 2003 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY

-- REPORT (INCSR) - VIETNAM



REFS: A. HANOI 2622 B. HANOI 3288 C. HANOI 1504 D. HANOI

1885 E. HANOI 0827 F. HANOI 1043 G. HANOI 0353 H. HANOI 0549

I. HANOI 3239 J. HCMC 1233



I. SUMMARY



1. (U) The Government of Vietnam (GVN) continued to make

progress in its counternarcotics efforts during 2003.

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

drug treatment and harm reduction; an increased tempo of

public awareness activities; and additional bilateral

cooperation on HIV/AIDS, an issue closely related to

intravenous drug use in Vietnam. Additionally, In December

2003 the GVN and the USG signed a long-delayed

Counternarcotics agreement. However, real cooperation with

DEA's Hanoi Country Office was minimal. Vietnam and the

U.S. should be able to use the new CNA to enhance bilateral

interaction. Ref I addresses money-laundering issues.



2. (U) 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. End Summary.



II. STATUS OF COUNTRY



3. (U) By USG definition, Vietnam meets the legislative

criteria as a "major drug-producing" country (at least 1,000

hectares of poppy cultivation). However, GVN, UNODC, and

law enforcement officials do not consider cultivation a

major problem. The USG estimates 2,300 hectares of poppy

are cultivated in the northern and western provinces of Lai

Chau, Son La, and Nghe An, usually in remote mountain areas.

However, this estimate is based on a year 2000 USG imagery-

based survey. To the best of Embassy Hanoi's knowledge, the

USG has not updated the 2000 survey. Accordingly, it is not

possible to verify whether this figure is still accurate.

The GVN claims a much lower figure (94 hectares). Due to

the small amount of poppy cultivation, since 2000 official

UNODC statistical tables for illicit cultivation ceased to

list Vietnam separately; rather, the table considers Vietnam

within the category of "other Asian countries." Cultivation

in Vietnam probably accounts for about one percent of

cultivation in Southeast Asia, according to a law

enforcement estimate. There appear to be small amounts of

cannabis grown in remote regions of southern Vietnam.

Anecdotal evidence also suggests that there may be larger

commercial crops of hemp in remote regions in the south.



4. (U) Vietnam has not been considered a source or transit

country for precursors. According to DEA, Vietnam is

exporting relatively large quantities of sassafras oil, a

substance which has legitimate uses (for insecticides, soap,

and perfume) but which can also be used as a precursor for

the hallucinogen methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA). DEA

has in the past received reports that Vietnam-sourced

sassafras oil has been connected to European MDMA

production. Overall, the GVN is concerned in general about

precursors and has begun to take action. On May 29, the GVN

issued Decree 58, which deals with the control of, import,

export, and transit of drug substances, precursors,

addictive drugs, and psychotropic substances. According to

the decree, only businesses authorized by the Ministries of

Health (MOH),Industry, and Public Security (MPS) can

import/export drug substances, precursors, addictive drugs,

and psychotropic substances for specific, licit purposes.

The GVN has tasked MPS to coordinate with other concerned

ministries and agencies to manage and control the

import/export of these narcotic substances. In an effort to

support Vietnam's efforts to enhance its precursor control

capacity, the GVN and UNODC signed on December 1, 2003 a

project (G55) document titled "Interdiction and Seizure

Capacity Building with Special Emphasis on ATS and

Precursors."



5. (U) More significant drug issues in Vietnam are transit

and the rising popularity of amphetamine-type stimulants

(ATS). Heroin from the Golden Triangle and the PRC transits

Vietnam en route to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and, increasingly,

Australia. While UNODC views the PRC more as a source of

heroin and, increasingly, of tranquilizers used to cut

heroin for domestic use in Vietnam, the PRC is probably also

a destination for some Golden Triangle heroin transiting

Vietnam. DEA has not yet tied any drug seizures in the U.S.

directly to Vietnam, but reports that some may be entering

the U.S. via Canada. Concerning Australia, there were

several courier seizures of heroin destined for Australia,

demonstrating that Australia may be an increasingly

preferred destination for heroin transiting Vietnam. (Note:

See Drug Flow/Transit section below for more details. End

note)



6. (U) It appears that some cannabis, heroin, and synthetic

drugs are entering Vietnam from Cambodia. Regarding ATS,

GVN authorities are particularly concerned over the rising

use among urban youth and, during 2003, increased the tempo

of enforcement and awareness programs that they hope will

avoid a youth epidemic situation similar to what has

occurred in Thailand. According to the Standing Office of

Drug Control (SODC),ATS and ecstasy (MDMA) are still

popular among the youth addict population, in addition to

the ever-rising demand for heroin. (Note: According to DEA,

these drugs may be methamphetamines rather than MDMA. End

Note.)



III. COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS IN 2003



Policy initiatives

--------------



7. (U) The structure of the GVN's counternarcotics efforts

is built around the National Committee on AIDS, Drugs, and

Prostitution Control (NCADP). Deputy Prime Minister Pham

Gia Khiem chairs NCADP, which includes a broad spectrum of

GVN ministries and mass organizations. Key officials

include four deputy chairpersons: Minister of Public

Security Le Hong Anh; Minister of Labor, War Invalids, and

Social Affairs (MOLISA) Nguyen Thi Hang; Minister of Health

Tran Thi Trung Chien; and Ha Thi Lien, Standing Member of

the Presidium of the Fatherland Front.



8. (U) According to UNODC, during 2003 the GVN continued to

focus on the drug issue. The drug issue poses a "real

headache" for the GVN, UNODC officials confirmed. This also

led to an increase in attention from the state-controlled

media. UNODC reported that in accordance with GVN strategic

plans, GVN officials, without foreign donor support,

undertook more study missions concerning drugs both within

the country as well as to regional neighbors than in

previous years.



9. (U) During a January conference organized by MOLISA

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai called on the entire political

system from the central to local levels to make a concerted

effort against drugs and prostitution. The National

Assembly (NA) in 2003 also called for more effective

measures against drug crimes and prostitution.



10. (U) According to MOLISA, in addition to national

programs and projects, provinces and cities have implemented

their own programs. Some examples are Tuyen Quang with its

effective "three stages" treatment model, Nghe An with the

goal of "demand reduction," Ho Chi Minh City with its "three

reductions" program, Danang with its "five nos" program, and

Haiphong with its "three nos" program.



11. (U) Maintaining the oft-repeated theme of international

drug control cooperation, in 2003 GVN representatives

routinely emphasized the importance of fighting drugs. In

particular, the GVN used the September 2003 Ministerial

Meeting of the Signatory Countries to the 1993 Memorandum of

Understanding on Drug Control to make an international media

splash with anti-drug speeches by Deputy Prime Minister Vu

Khoan and other luminaries (ref A). However, DEA has

reported that law enforcement agencies in Vietnam have still

never participated in a bilateral drug investigation with

any foreign country, while sometimes acting unilaterally

upon narcotics trafficking information provided by foreign

law enforcement agencies.



12. (U) Increasing efforts to support drug awareness and

prevention, demand reduction, and treatment of drug users

and addicts:



-- The GVN views drug awareness and prevention as 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 a steady drumbeat

of anti-drug propaganda, culminating in June's drug

awareness week (the week of June 23). During that week,

youth and mass organizations engaged in various activities

to spread the anti-drug message. These included art

contests/performances, speeches, street parades, displays of

posters/slogans, and signing of "drug free" commitments and

meetings/gatherings. Recently, state-controlled television

(VTV) and radio (the Voice of Vietnam) have begun regular

programs called "SOS Drugs" and have been airing a series of

anti-heroin spots. According to Lt. General Le The Tiem,

Vice Minister of Public Security, by June 10,000 anti-drug

news items and articles had already been covered on the

radio and in newspapers, and there were 14 anti-drug

programs on four official channels of VTV. In February

2003, municipal sectors, agencies and steering committees of

districts, communes, and wards in Hanoi increased local

information, education and communication activities. Hanoi

Television and the Voice of Hanoi also increased the time

volume on the current special program "Drugs SOS."

Authorities also strengthened implementation of the

community effort called "Search in Each Lane, each House for

each Drug Addict" by volunteers in Hanoi.

-- In May, Prime Minister Khai declared June 26 to be anti-

drug day, and June to be anti-drug month. On the occasion

of 2003 Drug Awareness Day, various activities took place

across the country. In Hanoi, around 2,000 people met at a

rally to celebrate anti-drug day in the City Park. Deputy

Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Fatherland Front President

Pham The Duyet, Hanoi Vice Mayor Nguyen Quoc Trieu, MPS Vice

Minister Tiem, MOH Vice Minister Pham Manh Hung, and UNODC

Representative Doris Buddenberg attended the event. An anti-

drug exhibition opened in Hanoi displaying photographs and

children's paintings about drugs and drug addiction

sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Information (MCI),

the Vietnam Art Exhibition Center, and the Supervisory Board

on Population, AIDS, and Social Problems, on the same

occasion. Outside Hanoi, Youth Unions in 12 provinces of

the Mekong Delta organized a two-day jamboree in Can Tho.

Over 300 young people participated in art performances,

music shows, and athletic contests. They also met to

discuss drug and HIV/AIDS prevention among young servicemen,

farmers and workers. At another meeting to celebrate the

Day in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, Women's

Union and Public Security forces in 18 southern provinces

and cities pledged to share their efforts to prevent and

combat drug addiction. Vice President Truong My Hoa

attended the ceremony.



13. (U) In December 2000, the NA passed a national law on

drug suppression and prevention. The law came into effect

June 1, 2001. The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) was tasked with

working with MPS and other relevant agencies to review

existing counternarcotics legal documents and make

appropriate amendments to facilitate implementation of the

new law. UNODC is assisting the GVN to develop these

implementing regulations for the new law, which will allow

law enforcement authorities to use techniques such as

controlled deliveries, informants, and undercover officers.

During 2003, the GVN made some progress on developing these

implementing regulations. As of now, the GVN has made

public eight decrees related to the counternarcotics law.

These decrees:



-- list the narcotic substances and precursors;

-- guide the control of lawful drug-related activities in

Vietnam;

-- stipulate the rehabilitation order, procedures, and

regimes for drug addicts consigned to compulsory

rehabilitation centers;

-- designate family organization and community-based

rehabilitation; and,

-- prescribe the regime of compensation and allowances for

individuals, families, agencies, and organizations suffering

life, health, and property damage while participating in

drug prevention activities.



One other key decree, concerning law enforcement, has

apparently been issued, but according to an MPS official, it

has not been made public due to its "sensitivity." During

2003, the GVN also issued four other decrees to:



-- stipulate the rewards and commendations for individuals,

families, agencies, and organizations recording achievements

in drug prevention;

-- assign responsibility on international cooperation in the

field of drug prevention;

-- add a number of substances to the list of narcotics and

precursors; and,

-- regulate the control of import, export and transit

transportation of illicit drugs, precursors, narcotic drugs

and psychotropic substances.



A preliminary analysis by a UNODC legal official concluded

that the decrees are "insufficient in terms of establishing

a proper drug control legal system," however. The decrees

tend to focus on drug control areas, which are "generally

less complex and controversial," the official added. There

is still a need for "new and proper" legal instruments in

areas such as procedures, conditions, systems for

investigations, international cooperation, extradition,

controlled delivery, and maritime cooperation, according to

the analysis. According to a senior drug treatment policy

maker, on December 2 the Prime Minister issued a decree on

the conditions for the private sector to run treatment

centers, and by early 2004, one more decree will be issued

to replace Decree 34, in line with the Ordinance on

Administration.



14. (U) In addition to these four decrees, the GVN held

other meetings and workshops, including one workshop in

August commissioned by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)

on drugs and HIV/AIDS harm reduction. This unprecedented

conference included international organizations such as the

WHO as well as Vietnamese and foreign NGOs. During the

conference, the leader of the CPV Commission for Ideology

and Cultural Affairs called for effective measures to "save

the lives of those 153,000 people, who are being killed by

drugs." Participants noted that the recommendations of the

workshop would be sent to the "highest level" of the CPV for

consideration. In September, MOH organized a conference on

"HIV Prevention in Injection Drug Users: Scientific Evidence

and Best Practices" to inform ministerial and provincial

level officials on published evidence, and to discus the

outcomes of pilot interventions in Vietnam. The conference

also contributed to information for use in Vietnam's

national HIV/AIDS strategy through 2010. During the closing

discussions, MOH officials noted that support for HIV

prevention strategies in no way undermines the importance of

anti-drug strategies including supply reduction and demand

reduction.



15. (U) The GVN continued to move forward in developing its

long-term counternarcotics master plan, with the assistance

of several foreign donors, including the U.S. and UNODC.

The current 2001 - 2005 plan of action includes the

following 13 projects:



-- building the national master plan for drug control

through 2010;

-- strengthening the capacity of the national coordinating

counternarcotics agency;

-- implementing crop substitution programs in Ky Son

District, Nghe An Province;

-- strengthening the capacity to collect and use drug

information;

-- strengthening the capacity to prevent and arrest drug

criminals;

-- building and completing a counternarcotics legal system;

-- educating students on drug awareness and prevention;

-- strengthening drug prevention activities in Vietnam;

-- preventing drug abuse among workers;

-- strengthening the capacity to treat and rehabilitate

addicts;

-- preventing drug use among street children;

-- reducing the demand among ethnic people; and,

-- preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS among addicts through

demand reduction intervention.



16. (U) According to SODC, almost all of the projects are

ongoing with either foreign or domestic funding. SODC

officials claimed that the master plan until 2010 is

awaiting the Prime Minister's approval, and they expected

the plan to be finalized by late 2003 or early 2004. SODC

has also received support in the form of computers and a

network from the British Government. SODC also expressed

satisfaction with the effective implementation of the

(partially USG funded) Ky Son project (Phase II),and the

recent signing of a U.S.-funded project titled "Interdiction

and Seizure Capacity Building with Special Emphasis and ATS

and Precursors" between MPS and UNODC.



17. (U) According to SODC officials, the GVN at the

national level expended approximately USD 6 million for

counternarcotics activities in 2003. They confirmed that

the expenditure continues to increase, and noted that

spending at all government levels is many times higher. As

in past years, observers agree that overall lack of

resources nonetheless continued to be a major constraint in

counternarcotics activities.



18. (U) In 2003, Vietnam continued its efforts in regional

and multilateral law enforcement coordination, key elements

towards full compliance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

Vietnam has existing agreements and MOUs with the PRC,

Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Hungary, and Russia. In

January 2003, Vietnam issued new regulations on

international cooperation on counternarcotics, accompanied

by a decree signed by Prime Minister Khai. In June, Vietnam

hosted the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational

Crime (SOMTC). Representatives from the PRC, the U.S., the

ROK, Japan, the EU, and Interpol attended the meeting, in

addition to the ASEAN members. Also in June, Vietnam and

Thailand agreed to sign an anti-crime treaty, and the

Australian Federal Police (APF) opened an office in Ho Chi

Minh City. In July, Vietnam and Laos signed an MOU on drug

control cooperation for 2003. In December 2003, Vietnam,

Laos, and Cambodia met in Hanoi to review their

counternarcotics cooperation in 2003 and work out

cooperative measures and orientations for the coming year.

In June 2003, an annual meeting was organized in Thanh Hoa

to review the drug control cooperation of three provinces of

Thanh Hoa and Son La (Viet Nam) and Hua Phan (Laos). An MOU

on drug control cooperation for 2003 and the following years

was signed at the meeting. Regarding Thailand, NA Vice

Chairman Nguyen Van Yeu said on 18 August in Hanoi that

Vietnam sought closer cooperation with Thailand in the

combat against drug trafficking and addiction. During 2003,

according to the SODC, Vietnamese officials made 12 working

visits and study tours, mostly to the PRC, Burma, Laos,

Cambodia, and Thailand. 100 Vietnamese counternarcotics

officers were sent for training overseas and 1,000 other

drug law enforcement officers received training at home. In

September, Vietnam hosted the Senior Officials Committee and

Ministerial Meeting of the Signatory Countries to the 1993

Memorandum of Understanding on Drug Control. The three-day

meeting brought together Minister-level officials from

Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, the PRC, and Vietnam to

discuss key drug issues and review the status of the major

projects and subprojects that make up the Subregional Action

Plan on Drug Control. One of the main outcomes was to agree

to expand the Border Liaison Offices along the borders of

the signatory countries. Vietnam and China have already had

success in cross-border law enforcement liaison: in April

2003 the Vietnamese handed over a Chinese drug dealer to

Chinese authorities at the Mong Cai border crossing.



19. (U) Vietnam continued to cooperate with INTERPOL during

2003. Much of this cooperation involved assisting

authorities from Canada, Germany, and Australia to

investigate drug trafficking cases between overseas

Vietnamese and criminal organizations located in Vietnam.



20. (U) Multilaterally, Vietnam continued to work closely

with UNODC. In 2002, the GVN assumed management

responsibility for the second phase of the crop substitution

project in Ky Son, Nghe An province. In addition, Vietnam

continued to participate in a UNODC subregional project for

strengthening cross border coordination with its neighbors,

as part of the action plan mentioned in Paragraph 18.



21. (U) During 2003, DEA's Hanoi Country office and Embassy

Hanoi reported that, despite repeated statements affirming

that law enforcement cooperation is a key component of the

drug war, GVN law enforcement authorities, especially the

counternarcotics police, did not provide meaningful

cooperation to DEA's Hanoi country office. In addition, DEA

reported that, due to existing MPS policies, DEA agents have

not been permitted officially to work with GVN

counternarcotics investigators. Generally, cooperation was

limited to receiving information from DEA and holding

occasional meetings. Thus far, the counternarcotics police

have declined to share information with DEA or cooperate

operationally. GVN officials generally classify drug

information as "secret," subject to national security

regulations, and explain this as the main reason for their

inability to cooperate more fully with DEA (Ref b). Even

with new "implementing regulations" to buttress the 2001

law, Counternarcotics Department (CND) and other drug

enforcement agencies remain limited as to what they can

achieve in their investigations and the impact they can make

on the drug trade in Vietnam. CND officers target mostly

low-level drug distributors who remain within the narrow

grasp of their authority and investigative capability.

Unfortunately, even well intentioned CND officers may not

act independently when conducting investigations and

utilizing their authority. According to the DEA, the GVN

needs to update and relax its restrictive polices regarding

the exchange of drug related information with foreign

agencies, so that real law enforcement cooperation can occur

in Vietnam.



22. (U) On a more positive bilateral note, in December the

GVN made some significant concessions in the terms of a long-

awaited letter of agreement on counternarcotics activities

between the U.S. and Vietnam; the agreement was signed in

Los Angeles by Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang and

Ambassador Burghardt on December 11 during the visit of

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan. The new agreement will

allow for greater bilateral cooperation, especially in the

area of training.



Accomplishments

--------------



23. (U) In 2003, Vietnam continued to make progress in

achieving full compliance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

The GVN implemented four new decrees, with one concerning

regulations on the control of import, export, and transit

transportation of illicit drugs, precursors, narcotic drugs

and psychotropic substances, as part of the 2001

counternarcotics law. On May 29, the GVN issued Decree 58,

which deals with the control of import, export, and transit

of drug substances, precursors, addictive drugs, and

psychotropic substances. According to the decree, only

businesses authorized by the Ministries of Health, Industry,

and Public Security can import/export drug substances,

precursors, addictive drugs, and psychotropic substances for

specific, licit purposes. The GVN has tasked MPS to

coordinate with other concerned ministries and agencies to

manage and control the import/export of these narcotic

substances. As implementing regulations are developed for

the counternarcotics law, the GVN should enhance its

capacity to engage in counternarcotics activities within an

appropriate legal framework. The work begun in 2002 and

continued in 2003 on the national master plan for

controlling precursor chemicals is also an important step in

this direction.



24. (U) In March, the GVN held a national conference to

review counternarcotics and anti-prostitution work in 2002

and work out plans for 2003. Prime Minister Khai spoke at

the conference. In his speech, Khai emphasized the need for

deeper awareness of the consequences of drug abuse and cited

this problem as one of impediments to the development of the

country. The Prime Minister called for strong law

enforcement measures against drugs, especially by:



-- Strengthening and deepening education programs to raise

the public awareness;

-- Ensuring proper state management at all levels through:

(1) stricter implementation of the GVN's poppy

elimination policy;

(2) better coordination among concerned authorities,

including at local level, to reduce supply and demand;

(3) closer coordination among the police, army, and

customs in controlling and preventing drug flows;

(4) tighter control over businesses and services that

can be easily taken advantage for drug use and trafficking;

(5) rewards and fines where appropriate and necessary.

-- Reorganizing and strengthening the drug enforcement

apparatus at all levels;

-- calling on the central standing committee of Vietnam

Fatherland Front and its member organizations actively to

participate in encouraging the attendance by the entire

public in "the campaign to detect and combat social evils."



25. (U) According to Cong An Nhan Dan (People's Police)

newspaper, the Prime Minister issued an official letter to

launch a nationwide counternarcotics drive during the anti-

drug month of June. The letter called on all ministries,

offices, and provincial people's committees to make a

concerted effort against drugs. According to SODC, two

other nationwide drives -- in March and in September --

also took place in 2003.



26. (U) SODC also assessed highly the importance in 2003 in

the fight against drugs as well as towards full compliance

with the 1988 UN Drug Convention of the passage by the NA of

Decision no. 356, approving the establishment of Department

of Crime Statistics in the Supreme People's Procuracy.



Law enforcement efforts

--------------



27. (U) According to GVN 2003 seizure statistics (January 1

to September 30),heroin seizures increased by about 350

percent; marijuana seizures were up by over 40 percent;

and, the area of poppy cultivated declined from about 315

hectares to 94 hectares, which the Ministry of Agriculture

and Rural Development (MARD) attributed to tougher

suppression efforts in mountain areas, especially the

northwestern provinces of Son La and Lai Chau, which account

for 60 percent of re-cultivation. The total number of

registered addicts rose from 131,000 to 152,900, an increase

of about 17 percent. According to SODC, the actual number

of addicts in the country (including non-registered addicts)

is certainly "many times higher."



28. (U) The GVN continued a policy of strict punishment for

drug offenses. Seizures of opium, heroin, and amphetamine-

type stimulants (ATS) increased during the reporting period.

The GVN has continued to arrest and prosecute drug

traffickers in 2003. According to GVN statistics, during

the first nine months of calendar year 2003, there were

10,000 drug cases with 16,000 suspects arrested. If

projected over the entire year, this represents a reduction

of 8.7 percent in the number of cases and 9 percent in the

number of suspects arrested, however. DEA and other law

enforcement entities remain concerned that most arrests

involve relatively low-level street dealers.



29. (U) Drug laws remain very tough in Vietnam. Possession

of 100 grams of heroin or 5 kilograms of opium gum or

cannabis resin or 75 kilograms of cannabis or opium plants

may result in the death penalty. For possession or

trafficking of 600 grams or more of heroin, death by a seven-

man firing squad is "mandatory," according to another press

report. Despite the tough laws, SODC reported, "drug

trafficking continues to rise."



30. (U) During the year, Embassy Hanoi reported several

large drug cases (refs c, d, and e). In Quang Tri (one of

the central provinces of Vietnam that borders Laos),a drug

ring was exposed in June after Quang Tri provincial

counternarcotics police seized 40 kilograms of heroin on a

truck entering Vietnam from Laos via Lao Bao border gate.

(Note: During all of 2002, GVN law enforcement entities

seized only about 55 kilograms of heroin. End note) During

a second, more complete searchlater in the month,

authorities uncovered an additional 33 kilograms of heroin

hidden under 10 tons of scrap metal on the same truck. In

another major case, Ho Chi Minh City counternarcotics police

arrested eight people on charges of smuggling a record

amount of 462 kilograms of heroin over the course of the

year. According to Ho Chi Minh City Counternarcotics

Police, the eight traffickers included the chief of Nghe An

Province's Tuong Duong District Counternarcotics Police.

The group smuggled the heroin from Laos through Nghe An to

southern provinces for consumption. The police suspect that

the traffickers are linked with other organized criminal

syndicates in Asia. A third major case was the trial of 25

suspects in Lai Chau Provincial Court on charges of

trafficking 89.65 kilograms of heroin between 1996 and 2001.

Despite these high-profile cases, lack of training,

resources, and experience both among law enforcement and the

judiciary continue to plague Vietnamese counterdrug efforts,

according to law enforcement sources and UNODC.



31. (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. As Vietnam becomes a more

"attractive" transit country, larger trafficking groups

could become more prominent, according to DEA.



32. (U) Resource constraints among GVN counternarcotics

police continued to be a major problem during 2003

especially among provincial counternarcotics police. Even

SODC -- the national office for coordinating all

counternarcotics activities -- lacked a database computer

system until December 2002, when the British Government

provided this assistance. Embassy visits to Quang Ninh,

Lang Son, An Giang, and Can Tho provinces revealed that

counternarcotics police (and all local police) work with a

significant lack of resources, especially specialized

equipment. Officials in the Cambodian border province of An

Giang told emboffs that, in the rainy season, when the

border area floods enough to permit boat traffic over a

large body of water that forms over rice paddies along the

border, policing the border is nearly impossible because the

customs and border police have only a single boat (ref J).

Officials in these and other provinces have consistently

told emboffs that they would welcome additional US equipment

and training.



33. (U) On 18 June, the General Department of Customs

(Ministry of Finance) and the General Department of Police

(MPS) signed a protocol for cooperation in the combat

against smuggling, commercial fraud, cross-border

trafficking of illicit drugs, contraband and counterfeit

goods.



Corruption

--------------

34. (U) The GVN continued to focus on narcotics-related

corruption, making policy statements that made it clear that

corruption would not be tolerated and would be severely

punished, including the removal and prosecution of corrupt

officials. However, the UN, law enforcement agencies, and

even the GVN continue to view corruption in Vietnam as an

endemic problem that exists at all levels and in all

sectors. In public statements, the GVN and CPV take a

strong stand against corruption in general, but have not

singled out narcotics-related corruption for specific

attention. Colonel Bui Xuan Bien, the director of SODC,

confirmed that "any GVN official who violates laws about

corruption" would be prosecuted. A major criminal case

(that of "Mafia" chief "Nam Cam" and 154 other defendants in

Ho Chi Minh City) included charges of corruption, in

addition to crimes such as murder, assault and gambling.

Two defendants had been expelled from the Communist Party of

Vietnam's Central Committee in 2002 in connection with this

case; one of these had also been an MPS Vice Minister.

Another defendant had been the Deputy Supreme Prosecutor.

154 defendants were found guilty, including numerous police

officials. There were six death sentences and a variety of

other prison sentences, including life imprisonment. On the

day of the verdict, one of Nam Cam's top syndicate

officials, Nguyen Van Hoa, and seventeen others were

arrested in Japan for trafficking in heroin, according to

press reports. In March, nine MPS officials were found

guilty of bribery. In June, the People's Court in Quang Nam

province in central Vietnam sentenced the director of a

state-run construction company to life imprisonment for

embezzlement. In another case, President Tran Duc Luong

rejected leniency pleas from two former executives sentenced

to death for a scheme to "appropriate state property through

graft," according to a May press report.



35. (U) Senior GVN officials continue to speak out against

corruption. In late January, Prime Minister Khai visited

MPS and emphasized the need to fight all crime and

corruption. In March, the Prime Minister said that

officials who "turn a blind eye to drug-related crime will

be punished." In February, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

(MFA) spokesperson said in response to a question that the

GVN considers the fight against corruption "an important

task." During a meeting in Hanoi, State President Tran Duc

Luong called for an organizational revamp of the judiciary

and sought greater efficiency and morality from its

personnel to enhance the quality of trials.



36. (U) During 2003, three counternarcotics police officers

in Hanoi were prosecuted for taking bribes from drug dealers

who were arrested on charges of trafficking 300 kg of opium

and 39 bricks of heroin from Lai Chau. Another example was

Dao Van Thanh, Chairman of Hanoi's Thanh Xuan Trung Ward

People's Committee, who was arrested for involvement in

illicit drug trafficking. His wife and his sister were also

captured while selling 50 cartons of Bromazepam (diazepam)

illegally to a drug store. Subsequently, a house search

revealed 3,119 cartons more. The seizure included in total

93,570 tablets of Bromazepam, USD 5,900, Lao Kip 1 million

and a Toyota Landcruiser. According to Hanoi Health

Service, there are 1,500 private pharmacies in the city now,

of which only 100 are permitted to sell psychoactive

medicines.



37. (U) 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. 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 from the end

of 2002 through 2005, Sweden will provide resources to

assist Vietnam in developing appropriate anti-corruption

policies. While the official agreement is with the Ministry

of Planning and Investment, the actual partner is the CPV

and, according to an official of the Swedish Development

Corporation, the program is "quite sensitive." A diagnostic

study on how to implement the program "should be started by

the end of the year."



38. (U) Embassy 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 2003 to

prosecute officials, though the targets were relatively low-

level.



39. (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 CPV have made combating corruption one

of their top priorities, and senior officials have made

unambiguous statements that not only must officials not

engage in corruption but that they will be held personally

responsible for such wrongdoing by their relatives and

subordinates as well. No such cases have yet been made

public, however.



Agreements and treaties

--------------



40. (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 two specific counternarcotics

training projects. The GVN has also repeatedly expressed an

interest in negotiating a mutual legal assistance treaty

with the USG.



41. (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.



42. (U) To further its compliance with the 1988 UN Drug

Convention, Vietnam moved ahead in 2003 to increase both

operational and formal cooperation with neighboring

countries and countries in the region. From November 27-30,

a delegation of Cambodia's Ministry of the Interior led by

Department Director General Lieutenant General Vann Noy paid

an official visit to Vietnam. During the exchange, the two

sides discussed measures to strengthen cooperation between

Vietnam's MPS and Cambodia's Ministry of Interior in

maintaining security along the border and combating crimes,

including drug trafficking. The counternarcotics police of

Vietnam and Thailand separately pledged further to tighten

cooperation in combating drug trafficking and abuse in

Southeast Asia. During a visit to Thailand by a delegation

of Vietnam National Drug Control Office, MPS Vice Minister

Tiem held talks with his Thai counterpart on drug related

issues. Tiem and his delegation members also attended

seminars on drug law enforcement and studied Thailand's drug

enforcement apparatus and its measures to root out drug

offenders, especially recent campaigns in Bangkok and

northern Thailand. According to a January 2003 "People's

Police" press report, from 1998 to the end of 2002 the GVN

sent 122 delegations, including over 700 counternarcotics

police officials, to overseas training and/or conferences.

According to SODC and press reports, in March MPS Vice

Minister Tiem also visited the PRC and discussed bilateral

drug cooperation with the leadership of the PRC's Drug

Control Committee. In February, another GVN delegation

traveled to Thailand to attend a regional conference on

controlling opium poppy cultivation. In April, Vietnamese

and Lao provincial counterparts from Nghe An and Laos'

Xiengkhouang provinces met to improve cross-border

counternarcotics cooperation. In June, Vietnam hosted the

ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime

(SOMTC) and Counterterrorism as well as separate SOMTC+EU,

SOMTC+China, SOMTC+3, and SOMTC+US sessions. The meetings

included a discussion on regional drug issues. Specifically,

the Burmese delegation discussed the need for an enhanced

regional approach.

43. (U) 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). In 1993, with UNODC support, Vietnam signed regional

counternarcotics MOU with the PRC, Laos, Burma, Thailand,

and Cambodia. The six "MOU states" agreed to cooperate on

counternarcotics activities and, with UNODC's help, better

coordinate their law-enforcement efforts, especially along

the borders. Vietnam is currently precluded by statute from

extraditing Vietnamese nationals, but the GVN is

contemplating legislative changes, according to an MFA

official. However, at the request of the USG (and in

accordance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention),Vietnam

acceded to two rendition requests (one each from the FBI and

US Customs) and returned two non-citizens to the U.S., where

they were wanted for various white collar and money

laundering crimes.



Cultivation/production

--------------



44. (U) The GVN and UNODC confirm that opium is grown in

hard-to-reach upland and mountainous regions of some

northwestern provinces, especially Son La, Lai Chau, and

Nghe An 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 2,300

hectares in 2003. (Note: The 2003 USG estimate is the same

as 2000 because, to the best of Embassy Hanoi's knowledge,

no satellite survey has been performed since 2000. End

Note.) UNODC and law enforcement sources do not view

production as a significant problem in Vietnam. While the

GVN does not admit that drugs are produced in the country,

Nguyen Ngoc Tam was sentenced to death in Ho Chi Minh City

on April 18 for involvement with a Taiwan-led drug ring that

produced hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamines in a

clandestine laboratory in Tan Thoi Hiep, Hoc Mon (Ho Chi

Minh City). There have been unconfirmed reports in past

years -- and more recent DEA intelligence information --

concerning probable indication on limited ATS production, as

well as some seizures of equipment (i.e., pill presses).

Recultivation appears to be a minor problem in the

northwest. According to senior MARD official, almost 100

hectares of poppy recultivation were found (and 90 percent

eradicated) during 2003 in Son La, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Lao

Cai, and Nghe An provinces in areas where opium had been

previously eradicated. The official said that Son La and

Lai Chau are responsible for 60 percent of the

recultivation. Concerning cannabis, there appears to be a

small, but persistent cultivation problem in Dong Nai, An

Giang, Binh Thuan, and Dong Thap provinces in southern

Vietnam. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that there may

continue to be commercial crops of hemp in remote regions in

the south.



Eradication/crop substitution

--------------



45. (U) As part of its efforts fully to comply with the

1988 UN drug convention, the GVN continued to eradicate

poppy when found, and to implement crop substitution,

introducing other crops such as mandarin oranges, tea,

cinnamon, plums, herbs, hybrid corn, potatoes, and soybeans

to replace opium poppy cultivation. Concerning eradication,

based on Embassy provincial visits and the UNODC, 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.



46. (U) There is a major UNODC crop substitution project

(with significant USG support) ongoing in the Ky Son

district of Nghe An province, one of the drug "hotspots" in

northern Vietnam. This project, currently in its second

phase, includes a crop substitution/alternative development

component, where various types of fruit trees and other

enterprises, such as beekeeping, have been implemented in

areas formerly dedicated to poppy. UNODC representative

Doris Buddenberg viewed the first phase as "successful,"

with an increase in agricultural production and

corresponding drop in drug activity. Based on an Embassy

monitoring visit in April (ref f),there has been progress

in the livestock and agricultural models (the focus of USG

assistance); however, the selection process of those

receiving project assistance was not clear, a problem that

UNODC is now addressing. A similar project planned in Son

La province, another drug area along the Lao border, will

not proceed. Prior to the proposed project signing, the GVN

requested an alternate project location and more autonomy in

administering the project. UNODC declined to meet the GVN's

requests; after deliberation, UNODC decided not to proceed.



47. (U) In addition to Ky Son, the MARD has continued to

support projects in various provinces. The GVN, through

MARD, independently supports crop substitution projects in

other provinces, including Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Cao

Bang, and Lang Son. The GVN has tasked MARD to develop a

national crop substitution proposal to include in the GVN's

2001-2010 Master Plan. To avoid indirectly encouraging

poppy cultivation through subsidies for eradication, the GVN

has placed all crop substitution subsidies under national

programs to alleviate poverty in poor, mountainous regions.

Apart from the foreign-funded crop substitution projects,

according to a senior MARD official, this program (program

135) is designed to promote rural development, targeted at

especially poor, mountain communes in Vietnam. According to

a press report, in the four years of the program's

implementation, the communes have already received VND 4,100

billion (USD 266 million) and an additional VND 274 billion

(USD 17.8 million) from the line ministries, various

sectors, local governments, and mass organizations. The

funds were used for 14,000 work items to build roads,

schools, and health stations. The program also helps

decrease the number of poor households by 5 percent each

year. According to the MARD official, the program has

played a crucial role in weaning rural farmers from

dependence on poppy crops.



48. (U) According to MPS Vice Minister Tiem, poppy

cultivation has been reduced sharply in the previous decade.

Poppy cultivation has existed in 153 mountain communes in 30

districts of eight northern and western provinces of Cao

Bang, Yen Bai, Lao Cao, Lang Son, Nghe An, Lai Chau, Son La,

and Hoa Binh. Marijuana crops are scattered in some

localities in the south, Tiem also admitted. The GVN,

through MARD, independently supports crop substitution

supports projects in other provinces, including Hoa Binh,

Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, and Lang Son. During 2003, the

GVN tasked MARD to develop a national longer-term crop

substitution proposal to include in the GVN's 2001-2010

Master Plan. To avoid indirectly encouraging poppy

cultivation through subsidies for eradication, the GVN has

placed all crop substitution subsidies under national

programs to alleviate poverty in poor, mountainous regions.

According to MARD officials, they have requested a 30

percent increase from the Ministry of Finance in MARD's

allocation under the national poverty alleviation program.



49. (U) During 2003, MARD continued to develop future plans

for crop substitution. In November, MARD sponsored two

seminars in Son La and Yen Bai to review

eradication/substitution efforts and to plan for 2004 and

beyond with representatives from districts where the

recultivation issues are most acute. According to a senior

MARD official, topics discussed included:



-- continuing eradication efforts;

-- ensuring sufficient food for people (especially ethnic

minorities) located in remote, poppy-growing areas; and,

-- developing incentives to encourage local people to farm

terraced rice, grow tea, cultivate fruit trees, and raise

cows and bees.



Two more conferences on poppy elimination and alternative

development took place in December. One in Dien Bien city

in the newly-created Dien Bien province included

representatives of 12 mountain provinces including the "hot

spot" provinces of Son La, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and

Nghe An. The conference looked at the eradication effort

and worked out measures to better address the recultivation

issue. The second conference,cosponsored by MARD and the

Ethnic Affairs Committee, took place in Thanh Hoa to discuss

and learn from past experience and map out future plans for

more effective substitution programs.



50. (U) When well-executed, crop substitution appears to be

a viable program that also assists ethnic minority people in

Vietnam's poorer, mountainous regions.



Drug flow/transit

--------------



51. (U) While law enforcement sources and UNODC believe

that significant amounts of drugs are transiting Vietnam,

DEA has not yet identified a firm case of heroin entering

the U.S. directly from Vietnam, although it appears some may

be entering via Canada and Australia. More commonly, drugs,

especially heroin and opium, enter Vietnam from the Golden

Triangle, making their way to Hanoi or especially to Ho Chi

Minh City, where they are transshipped by air or sea to the

Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia.

According to Vietnam Television (VTV),in one case, 17 drug

runners were arrested in Japan. Nguyen Van Hoa was the

ringleader who asked his subordinates to smuggle in 1.4 kg

of methamphetamines to Japan via Osaka airport in January

2003. The gang was reported to have links with Nam Cam

criminal syndicate. In another case, Ho Chi Minh City

Customs Service at Tan Son Nhat Airport discovered nearly

700 grams of heroin hidden under the soles of a pair of

sport shoes worn by a Vietnamese woman named Nguyen Anh Minh

while she was completing formalities for an international

flight. Minh admitted trafficking heroin from Hanoi to Ho

Chi Minh City to smuggle into Taiwan. Every month since the

beginning of 2003, she carried at least one shipment to

Taiwan, police said. Vietnamese police "cooperated" with

their Taiwanese counterparts to bust the entire drug ring.



52. (U) UNODC and DEA also believe that significant amounts

of heroin and ATS are entering Vietnam from the southern PRC

province of Yunnan. The GVN has separately reported ATS

shipments entering the country via Malaysia, Hong Kong,

Laos, and Cambodia. Australian Federal Police (AFP) sources

have reported concern over heroin and methamphetamines

arriving in Australia from Vietnam via couriers. There

appear to be increasingly strong ties between drug criminals

in Vietnam and the Vietnamese community in Australia.

According to reports from AFP, many Vietnamese-Australians

were involved in drug trafficking from Ho Chi Minh City to

Australia. Ho Quang Vinh was arrested on April 10 while

trafficking 949 grams of heroin concealed in two cartons of

"Craven A" cigarettes. An AFP official in Hanoi reported

that 18 narcotic drug shipments from Vietnam to Australia

were discovered and 30 drug traffickers were arrested in

2003. Some of the examples are:



-- Nguyen Thi Kim Hieu, a Vietnamese-Australian, received

life imprisonment from the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court

for trafficking 811 grams (28 ounces) of heroin. Hieu was

also fined 6,500 US dollars at the March 18 trial. Hieu had

been arrested at Tan Son Nhat international airport as she

boarded a flight to Sydney with the heroin concealed in six

packages beneath her clothing. She told the court that a

fellow Vietnamese-Australian had paid her around 35,000

Australian dollars (20,000 US dollars) to transport the

drugs to Sydney;

-- Two other Vietnamese-Australian sisters were found

guilty of trafficking heroin and given prison terms by a

court in Ho Chi Minh City on June 12. Phan Thi Kim Phuong

escaped the death penalty but was sentenced to life in

prison, while her 14-year-old sister, Phan Ngoc Viet Phi,

was given four years behind bars. Phuong was paid USD

50,000 to smuggle the heroin out of Vietnam to Australia.

The two sisters were arrested at Tan Son Nhat airport as

they were preparing to board a flight to Sydney with 656

grams of heroin hidden in their clothing;

-- Two Vietnamese-Australians -- Nguyen Manh Cuong and Mai

Cong Thanh -- were arrested for possessing over 2 kg of

heroin on June 17 in Ho Chi Minh City. The heroin was

hidden in 76 loudspeakers found at a factory raid in Tan

Binh district, packed and ready to be shipped to Australia.

Police said Cuong admitted to sending heroin to Australia

successfully on many occasions. His latest shipment was

carried out in May, when he sent 110 loudspeakers packed

with heroin to the U.S. via Australia.

-- Martin Pham, a Vietnamese-Australian, was arrested at

Moc Bai border gate in Tay Ninh province when he was

attempting to cross the border to Cambodia. Pham was

identified as the kingpin of a drug trafficking organization

of Vietnamese-Australians. The gang bought drugs in

Cambodia, carried them through Vietnam and then continued to

Australia;

-- Another Vietnamese-Australian was arrested on July 3 in

a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. He was identified as a focal

point for collecting and storing heroin in Vietnam before

sending it to Australia by sea;

-- Vietnamese-Australian Quach Tieu Buu and Tay Chin Kheng

from Singapore were jailed for 20 years for drug dealing in

Vietnam. The pair was convicted by a court in Ho Chi Minh

City of trafficking nearly 1,500 pills, including Ecstasy.

Prosecutors asked for life sentences;

-- A Frenchman, Andro Stephane Michel Auguste, was

sentenced to 20 years in prison on May 22 by Ho Chi Minh

City People's Court for trying to take 317 grams of heroin

out of the country;

-- Ho Chi Minh City narcotics police charged two Canadians

with possession of a large stash of ecstasy tablets. Gandy

James Sachf and Nguyen Van Hai (also known as Sheena) were

accused of smuggling 1,000 ecstasy pills from Europe into

Vietnam, where they sell for about VND 200,000 (USD 13) a

tablet;

-- Police arrested Dang Van Thanh and Nguyen Van Tuan in

Tay Ninh province near the Cambodian provinces of Svay Rieng

and Kompong Cham. They allegedly belonged to a gang of drug

traffickers that smuggled more than 100 kg of heroin into

Vietnam. An official from Cambodia's Ministry of Interior

said that the two governments are communicating about drug

trafficking and that the two men arrested in Vietnam may be

linked to drug smugglers who trafficked 24 kg of heroin to

Australia in April;

-- A 40-year-old Chinese citizen, Zhu Bo Lin, was arrested

in December in Binh Chanh District of Ho Chi Minh City for

trafficking 350 kg of cannabis purchased in Cambodia. The

police said Zhu admitted to ties with a Vietnamese group

that regularly deals in cannabis grown in Cambodia;

-- On September 1, the Counternarcotics Police arrested

Huynh Yen Penh (alias A Ty),a Cambodian national who was

the kingpin of a drug ring trafficking heroin from Cambodia

to Vietnam. Earlier in mid-2003, Tay Ninh border army units

had arrested members of his gang smuggling hundreds of

heroin bricks across the border.



53. (U) According to Phap Luat (Law) newspaper, ketamine has

emerged this year in Hanoi and other major cities. Law

enforcement agencies gave warnings of the spreading use of

ketamine in nightclubs and discotheques, and called for

stricter control of diversion from legal sources. According

to SODC, the government issued a separate decree in November

to include ketamine and other newly emerged drugs in the

list of prohibited substances. In addition, Tai Ma is an

herbal drug recently available in Hanoi in the form of twigs

of leaves with tiny seeds. It is smoked on tobacco-pipe and

has cannabis-like effects. Another type that was recently

reported in Vietnam is a yellow-color, odorless extract of

opium called Hong bi. This new drug was trafficked across

the border between Vietnam and China.

54. (U) According to Cong An Nhan Dan (People's Police)

newspaper, although the number of trafficking cases went

down, the seriousness of the cases increased. The ATS flow

into the country during 2003 became increasingly

complicated, especially in border areas. Along the Vietnam

- Laos border, authorities seized 95.2 kilograms of heroin,

169.4 kilograms of opium, and 12,320 doses of ATS,

respectively accounting for 68 percent, 64 percent, and 49.2

percent of this year's entire total. For the Vietnam -

China border, the problem was mainly in Lang Son, Cao Bang,

Quang Ninh, and Lao Cai, where most of the drugs trafficked

are addictive pharmaceuticals, opium, and cannabis. The

seizures were 5.9 kilograms of heroin, 65.5 kilograms of

opium, 295 kilograms of cannabis, and 56,399 tablets and

vials of addictive pharmaceuticals, respectively accounting

for 4.2 percent, 25 percent, and 24 percent of this year's

entire nationwide amount. Lastly, on the border between

Vietnam and Cambodia, the most serious cases were in Tay

Ninh, Dong Thap, Long An, Kien Giang, An Giang, and Binh

Phuoc provinces. Law enforcement agencies investigated 310

cases with 700 suspects, and seized 4.14 kilograms of

heroin, 4,521 doses of ATS, 551 kilograms of cannabis, and

100,905 tablets and vials of addictive pharmaceuticals,

respectively accounting for 26 percent of the number of

cases, 3.6 percent of the number of suspects, 3.2 percent of

the heroin amount, 18 percent of the volume of ATS, and 43

percent of the amount of addictive pharmaceuticals

nationwide. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are still seen as

"hotspots" for transit and consumption. During calendar

year 2003, authorities in the two cities investigated 3,519

cases with 5,883 suspects, and seized 20 kilograms of

heroin, 5,556 doses of ATS, and 100,088 tablets and vials of

addictive pharmaceuticals, respectively accounting for 29.8

percent of the number of cases, 30.6 percent of the number

of suspects, 14.2 percent of the heroin amount, 22.2 percent

of the volume of ATS, and 42 percent of the amount of

addictive pharmaceuticals nationwide.



55. (U) Transporting drugs by air and mail continued in

2003. During the year, foreign police agencies shared

intelligence with their Vietnamese counterparts, leading

seizures of 60 kilograms of heroin in Taiwan, 20 kilograms

of heroin by the Australian police, and 30 kilograms of

heroin in the PRC. In addition, the number of addicts in

Vietnam increased by 10,000 over 2002. 51 out of 64

provinces and cities nationwide now admit to having addict

populations. Police forces have promised better to

coordinate with the customs and border army authorities to

prevent drugs flowing in through the border and ports.

Drugs are also transiting Vietnam from Laos via Nghe An

Province and on to Vinh City, which serves as a major port

for land-locked Laos. The drugs then follow similar routes

as described above. Since there is considerable legitimate

commerce from Laos, law enforcement sources reported that it

is fairly easy to employ different concealment techniques.

Some drugs also arrive from Laos and Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh

City and then are transshipped to Singapore, Malaysia, and

other countries in the region.



Domestic programs/demand reduction

--------------



56. (U) The GVN views demand reduction as a key component

of the fight against drugs as well as an integral part of

its efforts fully to comply with the 1988 UN Drug

Convention. Within the GVN, MCI is responsible for public

drug control information and education among the general

population. 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. In

November, NCADP announced that, authorities had received

over 25 million entries for a nationwide contest on "knowing

the drug law." In its 2003 drug activity report, SODC

reported that the border forces played an "active role" in

disseminating anti-drug information to border villages and

communes. Activities included sponsoring contests, such as

art projects, to demonstrate local commitment against drugs.

On several provincial trips, emboffs heard from local

citizens (not in the presence of GVN officials) that they

are aware of drug issues through media campaigns directed at

the general public as well as school students, and also of

the connection between intravenous drugs and HIV/AIDS.

Emboffs have observed anti-drug billboards in virtually

every town visited.



57. (U) UNODC views GVN drug awareness efforts in 2003

"more or less the same" as in 2002, while assesesing that

Vietnam has already done a "good job" in this endeavor.

According to UNODC, awareness efforts have mostly been on

the "formality" level, however, so these efforts have had

minimal impact on the addict and HIV/AIDS population.

Behavior modification is still a problematic issue for the

GVN. UNODC believes that the challenge for Vietnam is how to

implement awareness campaigns more regularly at the

grassroots level, and better encourage the participation of

the youth population. According to UNAIDS and the GVN, just

under 70 percent of cumulative HIV/AIDS cases in Vietnam are

related to injection drug use. Furthermore, HIV

surveillance indicates that nationwide, 30 percent of

injection drug users are HIV-infected; this percentage is

much higher (60-80 percent) in Ho Chi Minh City and the

northeastern provinces. Recognizing the close link between

drug use and HIV/AIDS, the GVN in 2003 continued a public

information campaign regarding HIV/AIDS awareness and the

connection between drugs and HIV/AIDS. The GVN continued a

long-standing campaign of anti-drug posters all around

Vietnam, and Vietnamese television and radio have increased

the pace and volume of anti-drug and HIV/AIDS warnings

through a continuing series of advertisements featuring

popular singers and actors.



58. (U) Vietnam has a network of drug treatment centers

(refs g and h). According to MOLISA, with three new

facilities in Binh Phuoc (2) and Hanoi (1),there are now 74

centers at the provincial level, and 7,100 treatment

facilities at lower levels. The provincial centers have a

capacity of between 100 to 3,000 addicts each. Haiphong and

Son La are now building centers. In the southern province

of Ba Ria Vung Tau, the People's Committee is investing VND

97 billion (USD 6.3 million) in a new treatment center in

Xuyen Moc District's Hoa Hiep Commune, where 2,000 drug

addicts, prostitutes, and HIV/AIDS patients will receive

vocational training. The center will also house about 478

family members. Haiphong organized a ground-breaking

ceremony for a treatment center in Gia Minh commune, Thuy

Nguyen district on March 27 . The center has a total area

of 103 hectares with a maximum capacity of 1,000 drug

addicts. Initial investment is VND 72.48 billion (USD 4.7

million).



According to MOLISA Vice Minister Dam Huu Trac, Vietnam's

treatment goals for 2003 include:



-- treatment and post-treatment supervision for 60 percent

of the registered addicts;

-- reduction of the relapse rate by 10 percent;

-- in provinces such as Quang Tri, Quang Binh, Thua Thien

Hue, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Quang Nam, Tra Vinh, Phu Yen, Binh

Dinh, and Binh Thuan (where addiction is not a serious

problem),treatment of 100 percent of the addicts and a goal

of no addicts by 2005;

-- treatment of at least 60 percent of the addicts in other

provinces;

-- investment to upgrade and expand existing centers.



59. (U) To encourage the treatment effort, Prime Minister

Khai visited Nhi Xuan Center for Education, Vocational

Training and Employment (for addicts),in Ho Chi Minh City

in February. The Prime Minister spoke highly of the

achievements by the center and praised the seriousness of

the staff.



60. (U) In an interview by An Ninh Thu Do (Capital Security)

newspaper, Director of Hanoi Social Evils Prevention Branch

Nguyen Vi Hung said that there are only six rehabilitation

centers in Hanoi City, but the municipality plans to build

more centers to provide treatment to 5,000 drug addicts.

According to Hung, there are now 12,536 drug addicts in

Hanoi, of whom 1,500 are in jails, 3,500 are in treatment

centers, and 7,500 are receiving "community treatment."

Hung said the city planned to increase the current capacity

to 8,000 beds by 2006. In addition, the Hanoi People's

Committee has decided to build a new drug rehabilitation

center and expand six others to cope with increasing numbers

of drug addicts. The new center will be located at Ba Vi

district, Ha Tay province.



61. (U) Over the past two years, Ho Chi Minh City has

allocated VND 500 billion (USD 32.3 million) for its "Three

Reductions" campaign against drug abuse and trafficking,

prostitution, and crime. The city revealed the figure at a

conference reviewing the program's first two years. Much of

the fund was used to build, repair, and/or upgrade 18

centers for 28,000 drug addicts and sex workers. Another

23,000 drug addicts received treatment at home under the

supervision of local authorities. According to Tuoi Tre

(Youth) newspaper, Ho Chi Minh City now has 37,423 addicts,

an increase of 7,423 over 2002. Out of that number, 33,577

are in treatment facilities.



62. (U) SODC officials have admitted that the centers are

often inadequate, and that the high recidivism rate is

"unacceptable." Based on a number of visits throughout the

year, Embassy agrees that drug center conditions range from

good (in Ho Chi Minh City) to under construction (Lang Son

province, Can Tho City). Community-based drug treatment

outside of centers is spotty; counselors are expected to

make visits to addicts being treated at home and provide

advice and some medicines, if needed, but services are

inconsistent.



63. (U) No such escapes from drug treatment centers have

been officially reported in 2003, unlike in 2002. However,

according to a senior MOLISA official, the escape rate for

2003 was 10 percent. This problem has occurred mainly in Ho

Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Yen Bai, and Quang Ninh; 3,300 addicts

escaped in Ho Chi Minh City alone in 2003.



64. (U) During its June 2003 session, the NA approved a five-

year pilot project on post-treatment vocational training

developed by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

However, Deputy Chair of the NA Legal Commission Nguyen Van

Thuan pointed out two "problematic" issues related to "legal

aspects" and "human rights," notably keeping drug users

beyond the drug law's two-year compulsory treatment, was

illegal. According to Nguyen Hoang Mai of the NA's Social

Affairs Committee, the goal of the program is to try to

reduce the relapse rate (generally estimated at about 80

percent for all categories of drugs, similar to western

countries, with the relapse rate for heroin and other

narcotics considerably higher) by providing recovering

addicts with more skills that would enable them to assume

"productive lives after treatment." NA Chairman Nguyen Van

An said that the pilot project, begun on August 1, is being

implemented in Ho Chi Minh City and other major provinces

and cities, according to press reports, following the Prime

Minister's approval. According to the project document, the

training and employment of rehabilitated drug addicts will

be undertaken on "voluntary" basis. However, those who do

not volunteer but run high risk of relapse will be compelled

to stay. In the third quarter of 2003, Ho Chi Minh City

sent 400-500 recovering drug addicts to work in the Nhi Xuan

industrial park. Between 2003-2005, the city will send

13,500-16,000 former drug users to the industrial complex

specifically designed for post-drug rehabilitation.



65. (U) Deputy Prime Minister Khiem held a meeting with Ho

Chi Minh City municipal officials on September 9 to review

the program. The municipality reported that 27,898 drug

addicts had been placed in rehabilitation centers by

September 5. Over VND 500 billion was injected to the

program to construct new buildings and upgrade and expand 18

rehabilitation centers to accommodate 30,000 drug addicts.

The design for the industrial parks and "new urban areas" in

Nhi Xuan, Hoc Mon District and An Nhon Tay, Cu Chi District

had been completed. The Nhi Xuan industrial park will

provide jobs to 12,000 workers, of which 5,000-6,000 will be

former drug users. 28 enterprises and businesses in Ho Chi

Minh City have cooperated with 18 rehabilitation centers to

provide employment opportunities. 20 more enterprises and

companies have plans to employ post-rehabilitation workers.



66. (U) According to MOLISA, the nation's rehabilitation

center system has undertaken detoxification and

rehabilitation for 54,760 drug addicts. Among them, 27,000

were carried over from year 2002. Ho Chi Minh City has the

largest number of participants, with 8,500, followed by

Hanoi with 3,500. Despite these efforts, the number of drug

users receiving treatment remains proportionally small.

Only 46,723 cases were treated last year, accounting for

32.9 percent of registered drug users nationwide. In order

to overcome this situation, many provinces such as Hanoi,

Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong, Son La, Ho Chi Minh City, and Ha Tay

are constructing or expanding their rehabilitation centers.

The biggest obstacle for rehabilitation is job creation and

post-rehabilitation monitoring. In the last 9 months, only

68 out of 9,068 post-rehab addicts obtained employment.



67. (U) According to a senior MOLISA official, Nguyen Minh

Triet, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Municipal Party

Committee, said publicly that he "could bet his political

career on the success of the program," but the project has

not been completely successful. The MOLISA official pointed

out that keeping the recovering addicts in "employment

parks" is a way of applying administrative punishments

through "detention" in a way that fails to ensure the

detainees' human rights.



68. (U) Vocational training in the centers remains uneven,

ranging from fairly good to nonexistent. In Yen Bai

province, there is widespread participation in carpentry,

tailoring, tree planting, and construction training. In

Quang Nam province (central Vietnam),on the other hand,

there was no training available. Staff training at the

centers is generally limited to on-the-job, due to lack of

resources. Neither of these problems is likely to be

resolved in the foreseeable future. Inadequate funding

plagues drug treatment centers, similar to many other public

institutions in Vietnam. This does not appear to have

changed during 2003. On a more positive note, Ho Chi Minh

City announced in September it would be adding nearly USD

800,000 to its anti-drug campaign, much of it aimed at drug

awareness and treatment.



69. (U) HIV/AIDS is a serious and growing problem in

Vietnam and one that is closely related to intravenous drug

use. At least 60-70 percent of known HIV cases are related

to injection drug use, and in some intravenous drug user

(IDU) populations the HIV prevalence rate exceeds 80

percent, according to GVN statistics. In February, NCADP

organized a national conference to review HIV/AIDS work in

2002. Vice President Truong My Hoa and Deputy Prime

Minister Khiem attended the meeting. According to reports

at the conference, HIV/AIDS cases exist in all provinces and

cities, and at least 61 percent of the carriers are due to

intravenous drug use. Vice President Hoa urged the entire

society to gather strength against the "century epidemic"

via different programs. During 2003, Vietnam continued its

efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic through the

following activities:



-- September 3-14, a GVN delegation traveled to the U.S.

for a study tour to observe HIV prevention programs for

IDUs, co-sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC) and the Ford Foundation. The

delegation, led by MOH Vice Minister Hung, included high

level officials from the MPS, MOH, and MOJ, who visited

various HIV prevention programs in New York City (including

programs for incarcerated populations at Rikers Island);

community outreach strategies; and drug abuse treatment

programs including methadone maintenance (Bronx Clinic);

-- From September 30 to October 2 in Hanoi, Vietnam and the

U.S. co-organized a major conference on HIV/AIDS prevention.

The conference was chaired by MOH and supported by the

CDC/Global AIDS Program (GAP). Participants focused on

measures to prevent drug addicts from acquiring and

transmitting HIV/AIDS;

-- In a meeting with UNDP chief representative Jordan Ryan,

Deputy Prime Minister Khiem asked the UNDP to help Vietnam

form an effective HIV/AIDS prevention strategy to fend off

the rapid spread of the disease. Khiem stressed that the

epidemic is one of the most pressing issues facing the

Government of Vietnam;

-- During the June Session of NA, Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu,

Chairperson of the NA's Commission of Social Affairs, called

for stronger combat against "social evils" (usually drugs,

prostitution, and trafficking in persons) and HIV/AIDS to

ensure sustainable development. Ms. Thu also urged the line

ministries, particularly MPS and MOLISA, to improve inter-

ministerial cooperation;

-- The largest drug treatment center in southern Vietnam --

Binh Phuoc Drug Rehabilitation and Vocational Training

Complex -- opened in May 2003; it plans a 100-bed ward for

drug addicts infected with HIV/AIDS;

-- HIV infection among drug users and solutions to curb the

infection were discussed in the "Scientific-Practical

Workshop on Drug and Reduction of HIV/AIDS Transmission:

Situation and Solution" organized by the CPV's Central

Commission of Ideology and Cultural Affairs on August 20.

According to the presentation made by MPS representatives,

the number of registered drug users has increased from 2000

to the end of June 2003 by 50 percent, from 104,000 to

153,000; the real number is believed to be even higher.

Over 70 pct of these are IDUs. According to national

"sentinel" surveillance, overall HIV infection in this group

is 30 percent, with HIV prevalence peaking at up to 80

percent in some provinces. At least 60 pct of the

cumulative 69,000 people with HIV detected in Vietnam thus

far have a risk factor linked to injection drug use.

According to a MOLISA report, 90 pct of sex workers in

rehabilitation centers had used drugs in the past and 20-30

pct were dependent on drugs. In the conclusion of the

workshop, Dr. Dao Duy Quat, the Vice Chairman of the CPV's

Commission of Ideology and Cultural Affairs, reaffirmed that

the situation of HIV infection among drug users and the risk

of transmission to the wider community in Vietnam was

alarming and that harm reduction is an effective and

affordable approach. He also advocated the promotion of

condom use among high-risk groups to avoid HIV transmission

to the wider community;

-- MOH organized a conference on September 26 in Hanoi to

gather comments on the 5th draft of the national strategy

for HIV/AIDS control until 2010. The draft contains an

exclusive chapter in advocacy for harm reduction including

high-risk behavior-change communication, needle and syringe

exchange, and substitution drug treatment. Vietnam has set

a target to keep the infection rate under 0.3 per cent;

-- As of the end of 2003, the GVN estimated that there were

80,000 people infected with HIV; 11,000 cases of full-blown

AIDS; and 6,065 deaths from AIDS-related diseases. Because

HIV testing in Vietnam is still limited, current numbers of

HIV infected persons are greatly underestimated. However,

based on current figures, the number of HIV-positive people

in Viet Nam is projected to be 197,581 in 2005 and 350,975

in 2010. With support from international donors, MOH is

currently re-estimating these projections. The new

estimates have not yet been released, but unofficial reports

suggest they will be higher;

-- In a recent decree, Prime Minister Khai decided to give

a special allowance to army soldiers and national defense

officials who manage, educate, care for, or give medical

check-ups to people with HIV/AIDS. Soldiers and national

defense officials infected with HIV/AIDS on the job will get

check-ups and treatment and enjoy preferential policies as

"sick soldiers." Part of the decree specifies that they

will be recognized as martyrs when they die;

-- MOH issued a directive on HIV/AIDS prevention during the

22nd Southeast Asia Games calling for increased

accessibility to condoms at drug stores, groceries,

cigarette kiosks, tea stalls, and among peddlers. More

syringes were also put on sale at the pharmacies. IEC

(INFORMATION - EDUCATION - COMMUNICATION) pamphlets and hand-

outs carrying messages of HIV prevention in Vietnamese and

English were widely distributed in public places such as

hotels, rest houses, playing fields, and bus stops.



70. (U) GVN authorities appear to recognize the problem and

are cooperating with the USG and other donors. USAID has a

USD 4 million HIV/AIDS program, administered through several

non-governmental organizations. USAID's funding level will

rise to USD 6 million in 2004. However, USAID has also

recommended that the GVN "dramatically increase its

commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS," including adopting

additional national public health policies and a multi-

sectoral approach.



71. (U) CDC has a five-year USD 10 million program with

ongoing HIV/AIDS technical assistance bilateral program

through CDC/GAP. According to CDC, during 2003, the GVN

continued stronger support for HIV prevention programs,

including voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) and

community outreach in speeches and media. Thus far, CDC has

funded 20 anonymous MOH VCT programs in separate provinces

over the past 12 months, with plans to expand to 35

provinces by September 2004. With these programs, more than

7,000 persons have already been HIV-tested, of whom 23

percent are HIV-infected. CDC/GAP has also supported MOH in

community outreach programs for IDUs in 15 provinces; in

these, trained peer educators have made over 9,000 contacts

with IDUs, providing HIV prevention education and referral

to VCT or other services. On the GVN's part, some major

cities (i.e., Ho Chi Minh City) have established additional

VCT sites at local levels, and one VCT center supported by

Family Health International (FHI) recently opened in Hanoi

at the national Bach Mai hospital. (Note: GVN officials at

the central and provincial levels take great pains to refer

to drug addicts and users as well as HIV/AIDS patients as

"victims" rather than criminals. End Note.)



72. (U) Since 1998, USAID funding totaling USD 13 million

has supported a large-scale prevention, mitigation and care,

and support-focused HIV/AIDS program, predominantly through

its Global IMPACT Project, implemented by Family Health

International. This program focuses its comprehensive

interventions in three high-prevalence provinces, targeting

high-risk groups. Key partners include MOH, Provincial AIDS

Committees, as well as CDC. Additionally, USAID is

supporting national policy development through the POLICY

Project, including assistance to the GVN on its National

HIV/AIDS strategy and its Ordinance review. USAID programs

also support advocacy for People Living with HIV/AIDS, a

study on the impact of stigma and discrimination, and the

development of Leadership Advisory Groups to raise awareness

and to reduce stigma and discrimination. USAID's funding in

the period 2004-2007 is expected to reach approximately USD

25 million.



73. (U) Planned or ongoing GVN actions include:



-- opening 20 VCT sites, with 15 more are anticipated by the

end of 2004;

-- three new peer education programs have been initiated,

13 more were opened during 2003 and five more are

anticipated by 2004;

-- two new outpatient clinics for HIV care and treatment

have been opened for diagnosis and management of

opportunistic infections;

-- 31 provinces currently support surveillance sites that

monitor the spread of HIV/AIDS among a cross-section of the

population; and,

-- the GVN is working with the USG and other foreign donors

in the areas of HIV management and care, diagnosis and

management of opportunistic infections, and assessing the

evidence for HIV prevention for injecting drug users. Also

included among this action are behavioral surveillance,

stigma reduction, and policy development and enforcement at

the central level, as well as capacity building at the

central and provincial government levels.

U.S. POLICY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS

--------------



74. (U) In 2003, Vietnam and the U.S. completed and signed a

bilateral counternarcotics agreement. The agreement

included counternarcotics and law enforcement projects

totaling USD 333,390. 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. During calendar year 2003, U.S.

Embassy Hanoi sent 49 law enforcement officers for training

at the Academy.



75. (U) The USG also contributes to counternarcotics

efforts through UNODC. During 2003, 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."



Other ongoing UNODC projects:



-- National Drug Control Masterplan (USD 100,000 USG

contribution; Sweden and Italy are also donors). This

ongoing project is intended to assist the NCADP to develop a

2001-2010 masterplan for controlling drugs. According to

SODC, the Plan is now ready for the Prime Minister's

approval;

-- Ky Son Phase Two, a socio-economic development project to

replace opium poppy cultivation. (USD 635,000 USG

contribution; Germany, Luxemburg, Sweden, and Japan are also

donors.) This project began in 2002 and is intended to

build on the success of Phase One in establishing drug

demand reduction programs among ethnic minority people in a

remote area of Nghe An province, adjacent to the Lao border.

The three project components include community development,

alternative development, and infrastructure development.

-- Project Vie/B85 on prevention of drug abuse among ethnic

minorities in northern Vietnam (Son La, Lai Chau and Lao

Cai);

-- Vie/03/G61 on strengthening the existing working models

and establishing a new innovative partnership with local

NGOs for community-based prevention of high risk behavior

related to IDU (coordinated by UNAIDS);

-- Project R21 on Trafficking in Persons (U.S. is one of the

donors).



The road ahead

--------------



76. (U) The GVN is acutely aware of the threat of drugs and

Vietnam's increasing domestic drug problem. However, there

appears to be continued suspicion of foreign law enforcement

assistance and/or intervention, especially from the U.S., in

the counternarcotics arena. This is one of the factors

impeding progress in counternarcotics law enforcement.

During 2003, 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

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 conclusion

of the counternarcotics LOA, the USG can look forward to

enhanced counternarcotics cooperation, and DEA involvement

in LOA-related training activities could open the door to

improved cooperation with that agency.



STATISTICS

--------------



77. (U) BELOW ARE OFFICIAL 2003 VIETNAM DRUG STATISTICS

PROVIDED BY THE SODC. THE FIGURES REPRESENT THE FIRST NINE

MONTHS OF THE YEAR. FINAL FIGURES WILL BE SUBMITTED SEPTEL.

78. (U) BEGIN TEXT, INCSR SUMMARY TABLES.



SUMMARY TABLES FOR THREE YEARS



-- 1. COCA. VIETNAM PRODUCED NO COCA IN 2003 OR PREVIOUS

YEARS.



-- 2. POTENTIAL COCA LEAF. NOT APPLICABLE TO VIETNAM.



-- 3. OPIUM.



STATISTICAL TABLE



DRUG CULTIVATION (HECTARES) 2003 2002 2001



HARVESTABLE CULTIVATION 94 315 200

ERADICATION 94 315 200

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, DONG

THAP. HOWEVER, THE AREA IS RELATIVELY SMALL. SODC HAS NO

FIGURE 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 2003 2002 2001



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 254.3 462.62 535.55

G. HEROIN 239.8 53.87 33.35

H. CANNABIS 329.3 234.6 1,281

I. OTHERS, BY UNITS

(TUBES OF ADDICTIVE DRUGS) 203,647

(DOSES OF HEROIN) N/A

(ATS) 25,686





-- 8. ILLICIT LABS. DURING 2003, SODC REPORTED NO LABS

BEING DESTROYED.



-- 9. DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION OF ILLICIT DRUGS. NO AVAILABLE

STATISTICS.



-- 10. ARRESTS.



STATISTICAL TABLE



NUMBER OF ARRESTS BY NUMBER OF CASES/NUMBER OF PERSONS

ARRESTED.



2003 2002 2001



10,000/16,000 11,057/17,873 10,739/18,040



-- 11. USERS.



STATISTICAL TABLE



NUMBER OF REGISTERED DRUG ADDICTS



2003 2002 2001



152,900 131,000 104,669

BELLARD