StaffDel Nunez-Neto Meeting with UNODC Terrorism Prevention

UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000422 SIPDIS E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: PREL SNAR PTER UN AF SUBJECT: StaffDel Nunez-Neto Meeting with UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch ¶1. SUMMARY: At the request of Congressional staff delegation (staffdel) Nunez-Neto, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) officials provided the staffdel with background information on its findings related to the production and trafficking of illicit drugs and insurgency or terrorist activities. Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB) officials focused on the situation in Afghanistan, briefing the staffdel on current opium production data and trafficking routes, as well as Taliban involvement in trade and production. The staffdel appreciated the briefing and indicated they would follow up on U.S. seizure statistics. END SUMMARY. -------------- Opium/Heroin Production in Afghanistan -------------- ¶2. On August 27, a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs delegation consisting of Blas Nunez-Neto, Bradford Belzak, Tera Shaw, Stephen Vina, Michael Russel and Department of Homeland Security officials Marc Frey and Edward Lovett, met with UNODC officials including John Sandage (Officer in Charge, Terrorism Prevention Branch),Bernard Frahi (Deputy Director, Division for Operations),Bernard Leroy (Senior Inter-Regional Adviser) and Hakan Demirbuken (Afghan Opiate Trade monitoring Program). The meeting commenced with an overview of statistics and numbers on production, trafficking, and market size of raw opium and heroin in Afghanistan. According to Demirbuken, 340 tons of heroin and 1,100 tons of opium (which equals a total of 3,700 tons dry opium) is the estimated yearly global demand. Demirbuken noted the current level of production is 8,600 tons per year and the level of stocks is 10,000 (without 2009 production). Demirbuken opined that these stocks are either located in the FATA or Baluchistan, Pakistan. According to Demirbuken's research, the Taliban receives an estimated U.S.$125 million per year from this drug trade; he added that the Taliban's yearly costs were around U.S. $700-800 million. The staffdel asked about Al Qaida involvement in the Afghanistan narcotics trade; according to UNODC officials, there is currently no evidence that Al Qaida is involved in the illicit production or trafficking in Afghanistan. -------------- Overall Narcotics Trafficking and Terrorism -------------- ¶3. UNODC officials noted that it was important to study possible links between transnational organized crime groups and terrorist organizations. For example, noted Frahi, the heroin market in Russia and Europe alone is worth U.S. $32bilion per year and would thus be an opportunity for terrorists to raise assets. Demirbuken was pleased with the DHS Frey's offer to follow up on U.S. seizure statistics. Mr. Leroy shared his experience as a regional adviser to several countries. North Korea is heavily involved in drug trafficking, he reported. It is a main provider of amphetamines for the Japanese market but there is growing evidence that the country is getting involved in heroin trafficking. Hezbollah is involved in drug trade due to the large Lebanese communities in regions such as South America and West Africa, Leroy added. Furthermore, he stated that terrorists in North Africa may be benefiting from drug trade money. Other terrorist groups in Europe which benefit from drug trafficking are the Kurdish PKK or Kosovo networks. In response to a staffdel question, Leroy added that China's drug problem is increasing and that most of the heroin consumed in China comes from Afghanistan. ¶4. COMMENT: UNODC officials, as usual, provided a detailed and comprehensive oversight of the narcotics flows in the Afghanistan region and straightforward information on flows elsewhere in the world. Staffdel members were clearly interested in the information and indicated they would follow up on the issue of U.S. seizure statistics. END COMMENT. ¶5. Staffdel did not have an opportunity to clear on this cable. Davies