AMBASSADOR VISITS USG-FUNDED COUNTERNARCOTICS TASK FORCE IN

UNCLAS HANOI 001903

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS, INL/AAE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR CH VM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR VISITS USG-FUNDED COUNTERNARCOTICS TASK FORCE IN
LANG SON PROVINCE



1. (SBU) Summary: During a July 7 visit to Lang Son Province, the
Ambassador received a briefing on USG-funded, UNODC-administered
counternarcotics efforts in the region. Since the inception of this
effort, coordination has improved among local, regional and
cross-border security officials, and a number of significant drug
rings have been broken up. The primary drug passing through and
being consumed in Lang Son is heroin. The Lang Son Task Force
Unit's director agreed in principle to a future visit from DEA,
which would be a first if it comes off. End Summary.


2. (SBU) On July 7, the Ambassador met with Ta Quang Vu, the
Director of the Son La Joint Counternarcotics Task Force Unit (TFU)
established under the UNODC G-55 counternarcotics program (which
receives USG funding). Vu explained that he is also the head of the
provincial counternarcotics department in the Department of Public
Security. Additionally, the TFU includes members of the Department
of Border Security and the Customs Department. The TFU currently
has ten officers: six members come from the Ministry of Public
Security (MPS),two members represent the Border Army and two
participate on behalf of the Customs Department.


3. (SBU) Vu noted that the TFU was founded in September 2005. Since
that time, officers associated with the unit have attended 800
training sessions. (Note: The actual number of officers attending
training is likely much smaller. The number refers to the total
sessions attended counted by officer, though most officers attended
multiple sessions and thus were counted many times. End Note.)
Since its founding, the unit has investigated 200 cases and seized
12.5 kilograms of heroin (a three-fold increase from the amounts
seized in a similar period before the program's inception). Also
the number of known drug addicts in the province has declined from
2,000 individuals in 1997 to 1,149 as habitual users of opium have
given up the drug. Heroin imported from the "Golden Triangle"
remains the drug of choice in the province, Vu added. He also
noted that there is an "06" Center in Lang Son to rehabilitate drug
addicts, with over one hundred addicts in treatment. About 40
percent of these are HIV positive.


4. (SBU) Vu stated that new equipment provided under the UNODC's
project, including a car, motorbikes, radios, cameras and testing
chemicals, has also helped officers conduct investigations. The TFU
has improved cooperation between different departments and has also
helped arrange regional meetings to share information on drug
crimes. The TFU also formally meets once a year with local security
officials from Guangxi, the Chinese province that borders Lang Son.
In additon they have frequent informal meetings at the border
crossing and a hotline channel between offices to facilitate
investigations. The TFU's main successes to date were the
coordinated break-up of several criminal gangs involving 260
suspects operating out of Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen and Hanoi. Vu
estimated that the TFU arrests approximately 100 suspects a year.


5. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that effective law enforcement and
drug interdiction are in the interests of both the United States and
Vietnam. Lang Son, with its long border and excellent highway to
Hanoi, is clearly on the frontlines in the fight against narcotics
trafficking. This is a problem that requires joint action because
it threatens everyone. We are glad to see that USG funding has been
well spent on TFUs like this one, the Ambassador emphasized. He
also reiterated DEA's request to visit the Lang Son TFU: to date,
the Ministry of Public Security has refused to allow Embassy's DEA
Country Office representatives to visit any TFUs. Vu stated that
his team would be glad to accept such a visit, an opening DEA
intends to exploit.

MARINE