Excerpt from:
International Narcotics Control Strategy Report
March 2002United States Department of State
Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement AffairsVietnam
I. Summary
Approaching the drug problem in a comprehensive manner, the Government of Vietnam (GVN) continued to make progress in its counternarcotics efforts during 2001. Specific actions included: enhanced law enforcement, increased attention to interagency coordination, continued cooperation with the UNDCP, ratification of a comprehensive counternarcotics law, and implementation of public awareness campaigns. Despite the GVN's counternarcotics efforts, however, the drug abuse problem in Vietnam worsened, as overall drug abuse increased and amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) gained in popularity among Vietnam's youth. Vietnam is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.
II. Status of Country
Although Vietnam meets the statutory definition of a "Major Illicit Drug Producing Country" (with at least 1,000 hectares of illicit poppy under cultivation), GVN, UNDCP, and law enforcement officials do not consider cultivation a major problem. The USG estimates 2,300 hectares of poppy are cultivated in remote northern and western provinces of Lai Chau, Son La, and Nghe An. In the absence of a survey in 2000, it is not possible to verify whether this figure is still accurate. While the GVN claims a much lower figure (200 hectares), UNDCP officials have stated that a more accurate figure is somewhere between the USG and GVN estimates. Nevertheless, cultivation in Vietnam accounts for only about one percent of cultivation in the Golden Triangle region. The GVN claims that there is no cannabis grown in the country; anecdotal evidence suggests that there may be relatively small amounts grown in remote southern regions, along with larger commercial crops of hemp.
Vietnam is not a major producer of or transit country for precursor chemicals. Nevertheless, in 2001, the GVN created a dedicated precursor control unit within the counternarcotics police. This unit includes a pharmacist and chemist and received DEA training in August 2001.
More significant drug issues in Vietnam are the transit through Vietnam of illicit narcotics or controlled substances and the rising popularity of ATS. Heroin transits Vietnam en route to other countries, although there is no conclusive evidence that heroin transiting Vietnam is making its way to the United States. Increasingly frequent courier seizures in Australia in 2001 indicated that this may be a preferred destination for heroin transiting Vietnam. 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 are implementing enforcement and awareness programs that they hope will avoid a youth epidemic situation similar to what has occurred in Thailand. In October 2001, Do Kim Tuyen, Deputy Director of the Hanoi police, told Phat Luat ("The Law") newspaper that MDMA (ecstasy) has appeared in 44 of 61 provinces nationwide and that Hanoi was "one of the favorite destinations." (It appears that these drugs may be methamphetamine rather than ecstasy.)
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2001
Policy Initiatives. The coordinating element for the GVN's counternarcotics efforts is the National Committee for 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 (umbrella-type organizations of GVN citizens, sponsored by the Vietnamese Communist Party as the approved medium for expressing social concerns). Key officials include four deputy chairpersons: Minister of Public Security (MPS) Le Minh Huong; Minister of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA) Nguyen Thi Hang; Minister of Health Do Nguyen Phuong; and Ha Thi Lien, Standing Member of the Presidium of the Fatherland Front.
At a May 3, 2001 national conference, convened to review 1998-2000 counternarcotics taskings and to discuss implementation of the 2001-2005 counternarcotics plan of action, senior officials, including Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, DPM Khiem, Minister of Public Security Huong, and Vice Minister of Public Security Le The Tiem, emphasized the importance of the fight against drugs. PM Khai called for a "more unified and effective counternarcotics fight" along with implementation of the 2001-2005 counternarcotics plan. He also called for a stronger drug awareness effort, especially in the rural and mountainous areas and among youth, improved interagency coordination, more vigilance along the borders, and an increased focus on drug treatment. In a subsequent interview with the newspaper, "The Law," Tiem emphasized the importance of the counternarcotics struggle and cited five specific targets for 2001, including: reducing the number of addicts and drug criminals by 20 percent; increasing by ten percent the number of drug-free communes; eradicating 98 percent of re-cultivated areas; developing implementing regulations for the new counternarcotics law; and continuing to promote bilateral and multilateral counternarcotics cooperation.
The National Assembly passed a new counternarcotics law on December 9, 2000, which came into effect on June 1, 2001. The GVN directed MPS and other ministries, including the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), to agree on a common approach for implementation. In addition, 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. The UNDCP is assisting the GVN to develop these implementing regulations for the new law that will allow law enforcement authorities to use techniques such as controlled deliveries, informants, and undercover officers. To date, though, the GVN has not issued implementing directives to support the law.
The GVN moved forward in developing its long-term counternarcotics master plan, with the assistance of several foreign donors, including the United States. The plan now includes the following 14 projects: building the national drug control strategy for 2001-2010; strengthening the capacity of the national coordinating counternarcotics agency; implementing crop substitution programs in Ky Son District, Nghe An Province; implementing crop substitution programs in Song Ma District, Son La Province; strengthening the capacity to collect and deal with 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.
Demonstrating its commitment to fighting drugs, the GVN increased its counternarcotics related spending in 2001. The GVN's official national counternarcotics budget in 2001 was 95 billion Vietnamese dong ($6.3 million), up from 80 billion ($5.3 million) in 2000. Significantly more was spent on counternarcotics activities, considering provincial and district contributions. However, lack of resources continued to be a major constraint in counternarcotics activities.
In 2001, Vietnam accelerated its efforts in bilateral and multilateral law enforcement coordination. In June 2001, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia held the first ever trilateral meeting to discuss regional drug issues. Demonstrating its commitment to the effort, the GVN sent MPS Vice Minister Tiem to head the delegation. Vice Minister Tiem was the highest-ranking Vietnamese official ever sent to a regional counternarcotics conference. At the conference, the three countries agreed to cooperate on training counternarcotics task forces, sharing information, and coordinating on cross border issues. The countries also issued a joint declaration calling for a drug-free ASEAN by 2015. In addition, representatives of the six counternarcotics UNDCP MOU countries (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China, Burma, and Thailand) met in May 2001 and signed a series of agreements renewing their commitments against drugs.
Vietnam also intensified bilateral cooperation with its neighbors, another key element toward full compliance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention. In July 2001, Vietnam and China signed their first bilateral counternarcotics agreement during the visit of China's Minister of Public Security. In addition, Vietnam and Cambodia held a conference in June 2001 on counternarcotics cooperation, during which both sides agreed to strengthen coordination along the border. In July 2001, Vietnam and Laos held a similar conference and the two sides agreed to strengthen information sharing.
Multilaterally, Vietnam continued to work closely with UNDCP. The GVN is working with UNDCP to assume management responsibility for the second phase of the crop substitution project in Ky Son, Nghe An province. SODC announced in November 2001 its commitment to work with INTERPOL and the international law enforcement community to improve the overall effectiveness of counternarcotics efforts in Vietnam.
Accomplishments. In 2001, Vietnam continued to make significant progress in achieving full compliance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention. A key GVN achievement during 2001 was bringing the new counternarcotics law into effect in June. This was an important step for Vietnam towards full compliance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention. As implementing regulations are developed, the GVN will have an enhanced capacity to engage in counternarcotics activities within an appropriate legal framework.
The GVN and Vietnam Communist Party (VCP)-sponsored mass organizations continued to implement periodic nationwide drives against drugs. In March 2001, nationwide drug law enforcement forces launched a campaign in several drug "hot spots" that resulted in a significant increase in seizures and arrests over the previous month, according to GVN figures. During that month, authorities arrested 1,535 drug offenders, compared to 1,119 the previous month. In another campaign, the GVN launched an "anti-drug month among adolescents" in June to increase awareness of the dangers of drugs among Hanoi city youth. Also in June, UNDCP assisted the GVN in its annual "anti-drug day" by sponsoring an counternarcotics poster contest which resulted in a publication distributed widely among schools. Also as part of the campaign, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor held an counternarcotics meeting in Viet Tri City in Phu Tho Province, attended by over 1,000 state employees. In October 2001, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee launched its own two-month campaign against drugs.
Law Enforcement Efforts. GVN 2001 seizure statistics (January 1 to September 30) indicate a mixed picture compared with a similar period for 2000. ATS seizures more than doubled, but heroin seizures dropped by about half and opium seizures by about 60 percent. According to law enforcement sources, this may indicate the rising popularity of ATS. However, the number of total drug cases increased by 34 percent, while the number of offenders charged with drug-related offenses increased by 22 percent.
The GVN continued a policy of severe punishment for drug offenses. However, it remains unclear whether the Vietnamese system is willing to apply such penalties against well-connected Party and government officials, when necessary. In a November 2001 report, Trinh Hong Duong, Chief Judge of the Supreme People's Court, stated that between September 2000-September 2001, 77 convicted drug traffickers received death sentences and 88 received life imprisonment sentences. In Vietnam, possession of 100 grams of heroin, 5 kilogram of opium or cannabis gum, or 75 kilograms of cannabis or opium plants may result in the death penalty under the new counternarcotics law.
The year's most important counternarcotics case occurred in Ha Tinh Province in February 2001. Ha Tinh Provincial Peoples' Court sentenced seven defendants to the death penalty and nine received life in prison. Seven others were sentenced to between ten and 20 years in prison. The case involved a drug ring that trafficked 32 kilograms of heroin from Laos into Vietnam via Nghe An and Ha Tinh Provinces over a two and one half year period. However, no perceptible change in the level of sophistication of narcotics investigations was evident in 2001. According to law enforcement sources, lack of training, resources, and experience both among law enforcement and the judiciary are weaknesses that inhibit improvement in this area.
Law enforcement sources do not believe that major trafficking groups have moved into Vietnam, although this could potentially happen. Relatively small groups, perhaps five to 15 individuals who are often related to each other, do most trafficking.
Resource constraints among GVN counternarcotics police continued to be a major problem during 2001. While the Australian government provided major help with a program of computer equipment and training, provincial police continue to experience resource problems. A December 2001 embassy visit to Cao Bang Province (along the Vietnam-China border), where there is significant drug activity, revealed that the local counternarcotics police had no cars, no computers, and no working telecommunications equipment. MPS is continuing to appeal for foreign assistance to provide additional resources and training. Foreign law enforcement sources and the UNDCP stated that lack of training and resources are significant impediments to enhanced GVN law enforcement efforts.
Corruption. Vietnam does not, as a matter of government policy, 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. The USG has no information linking any senior official of the government of Vietnam 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. It is, however, not unreasonable to suspect that corruption plays a role in explaining some narcotics trafficking in Vietnam.
The GVN tried to demonstrate its commitment to fighting official corruption, both in general and specifically narcotics-related. GVN authorities, especially the VCP General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, made strong statements against corruption. In November, Manh announced a new anticorruption ordinance requiring party members, state officials, and state employees to declare real estate and business assets. At the first week of the National Assembly's 10th session in November 2001, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai recommended a number of anticorruption measures including administrative reforms, new regulations on financial and budget management, and reform in the state salary system. Both the GVN and the VCP have made combating corruption one of their top priorities, and 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. Wives, close relatives, and subordinates of officials sometimes misuse their connections for personal gain.
The GVN demonstrated continued willingness to pursue at least some low ranking law enforcement officials involved in drug activity. In February 2001, a police major was fired for helping an accused drug offender get released from custody in Ho Chi Minh City. In September 2001, Hanoi People's Court tried, convicted, and sentenced to death a Lai Chau police officer for heroin trafficking. Whether such tough measures could be applied against well-connected officials of government or party remains uncertain.
Agreements and Treaties. Vietnam is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Negotiations continued on a letter of agreement on counternarcotics assistance in 2001. Current negotiations are focused on specific project agreements instead. Vietnam is currently precluded by statute from extraditing Vietnamese nationals, but it is contemplating legislative changes. However, at the request of the USG (and in accordance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention), Vietnam did deport non-citizens to the United States during 2001 who were wanted for various white collar and money laundering crimes. Vietnam has signed the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
Cultivation/Production. USG sources 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 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 2001. (The 2001 USG estimate is the same as 2000 because no satellite survey was performed.) Concerning drug production, UNDCP 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, there have been unconfirmed reports of limited ATS production as well as some seizures of equipment (i.e., pill presses).
As part of its efforts to comply fully with the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the GVN continued to eradicate poppy, when found, and to implement crop substitution, whereby opium poppy cultivation is replaced by other crops such as mandarin oranges, tea, cinnamon, plums, herbs, hybrid corn, potatoes, and soybeans. Concerning eradication, GVN authorities reported in a December 2001 conference that "as much as 90 percent of opium poppy growing acreage in Vietnam has been destroyed over the past ten years." However, GVN, law enforcement sources, and UNDCP confirmed that there has been some re-cultivation in very remote areas in the north, especially where ethnic minorities face difficult living conditions. A June 2001 report from Lai Chau Province noted that the provincial government remains dedicated to "100 percent" eradication as one of its targets for the 2001-2005 Master Plan.
The GVN revealed plans for a 784 billion Vietnamese Dong (U.S. $52 million) eradication and crop substitution project in 186 mountain communes located in 10 provinces (including Cao Bang) where re-cultivation has been a problem.
Drug Flow/Transit. While law enforcement sources and UNDCP believe that significant amounts of drugs are transiting Vietnam, DEA has not identified a firm case of heroin entering the United States directly from Vietnam, though it appears some may be entering via Canada. More commonly, drugs, especially heroin and opium, enter Vietnam from the Golden Triangle of Thailand, Laos, and Burma, making their way to Hanoi and especially to Ho Chi Minh City, where they are transshipped by air or sea to the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and increasingly Australia. In October 2001, the GVN reported ATS shipments entering the country via Malaysia, Hong Kong, Laos, and Cambodia. Australian Federal Police (AFP) sources report concern over heroin and methamphetamine 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. In April 2001, AFP seized 9 kilograms of heroin from a courier who arrived in Australia from Vietnam, and there have been three other similar arrests (with smaller seizures) in the past three months. In November 2001, a Vietnamese-Australian woman carrying heroin was arrested at Ho Chi Minh City's airport just before boarding a plane for Sydney.
In June 2001, the GVN reported that the Vietnam-Lao border, particularly the northwestern provinces of Lai Chau and Son La and the northern central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and Thanh Hoa, are the main routes for illicit drugs entering Vietnam and account for over 60 percent of the country's confiscated heroin and other addictive drugs. According to the report, about 80 percent of confiscated ATS tablets entered Vietnam through the northern border provinces of Lao Cai, Quang Ninh, and Cao Bang. Marijuana, heroin, and some ATS tablets entered Vietnam via the Cambodian border. Not unexpectedly, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have the most significant drug-related activity; those two cities make up 51 percent of the drug cases and 56 percent of the drug-related offenders nationwide, according to the report. Drugs are also transiting Vietnam from Laos via Nghe An Province and onto Vinh, 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 report 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 and Malaysia.
Domestic Programs (Demand Reduction). The GVN views demand reduction as a significant objective in its fight against drugs as well as an integral part of its efforts to comply fully with the 1988 UN Drug Convention. In May 2001, NCADP reported in a national conference to review the 2001-2005 Counternarcotics Plan of Action that Vietnam has 101,036 registered addicts, down about four percent from 2000. These addicts spend over $133 million on illicit drugs. In addition, there are approximately 4,800 child addicts and 1,500 student addicts, according to GVN statistics. It should be noted that the UN believes all these numbers are understated.
On the awareness side, the Ministry of Culture and Information is in charge of coordinating the effort to increase awareness among students, and claims to have distributed drug information to every school in Vietnam. Recognizing the close link between drug use and HIV/AIDS (the GVN estimates 70 percent of the 40,000 confirmed cases of HIV/AIDS are thus linked), in 2001, advertisements began to regularly appear in newspapers providing contact information for people to learn more about the connection between drugs and HIV/AIDS. The GVN continued its long-standing campaign of putting up counternarcotics posters all around Vietnam, and Vietnamese television and radio have increased the pace of counternarcotics and HIV/AIDS warnings through a new series of advertisements featuring popular singers and actors.
Vietnam has a network of drug treatment centers, approximately one in each province. However, SODC has stated that they are often inadequate and the high recidivism rate (which SODC claims is about 80 percent but is more probably in the 90-95 percent range similar to other countries) is "unacceptable." Drug treatment in these centers is compulsory, based on a court order. Drug treatment outside of centers is often community based and counselors make visits to addicts being treated at home, providing advice and some medicines, if needed. Recognizing the importance of expanding drug treatment in the cities, Ho Chi Minh City's local government has constructed 14 drug rehabilitation centers over the past three years, bringing its total to 16. It also unveiled plans in November 2001 to expand drug treatment capacity from 5,000 to 11,800 addicts by the end of 2002. MOLISA and the Youth Volunteer Force (Youth Union) have joined forces to build new detoxification centers and other facilities to existing drug rehabilitation centers. The new facilities will cost about 12 billion Vietnamese Dong (U.S. $800,000).
On World AIDS Day 2001, Ho Chi Minh City's local government launched an "action month" to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in the city. In addition, the city began work on a center for orphans with HIV/AIDS, which will have a total capital investment of 7 billion Vietnamese Dong (U.S. $400,000), about one-third of which contributed by NGOs. The center will provide treatment and care for 100 affected children while advising and assisting other HIV/AIDS children in the community.
The GVN took another important step in 2001 concerning HIV/AIDS prevention by signing an agreement with the United States whereby the USG's Centers for Disease Control will assist the Ministry of Health with the first stage of a U.S. $10 million grant to expand the country's HIV/AIDS prevention and care program. The funds will be used to support a wide range of HIV/AIDS programs and activities, including peer education, voluntary counseling and testing, and prevention and treatment of other sexually transmitted infections.
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs
Vietnam and the United States continued negotiations to conclude a letter of agreement, under which the United States would grant counternarcotics assistance to Vietnam. If successfully concluded, this agreement will represent the first direct bilateral counternarcotics program assistance to Vietnam. The USG currently funds training for GVN law enforcement officials to participate in courses at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok. The USG also contributes to counternarcotics efforts through its contributions to UNDCP.
U.S. law enforcement authorities reported that the GVN provided useful and regular counternarcotics cooperation during 2001. The Ministry of Public Security assisted U.S. law enforcement authorities on several drug-related cases by providing information upon request. Also, on two occasions, the GVN deported non-citizens to the United States wanted on U.S. criminal warrants. In addition, the GVN also provided drug samples and cooperated on several joint investigations and in general have been helpful and cooperative with their U.S. counterparts.
The Road Ahead. The GVN is very much aware of the threat of drugs, and is especially concerned over the rising domestic problem. During 2001, as in previous years, the GVN pressed forward with ongoing and new initiatives aimed at coping with the law enforcement and social problems that stem from the illegal drug trade. Vietnam continued to cooperate on a bilateral, regional, and multilateral basis to fight against the drug trade despite many internal problems that make fighting drugs a challenge.
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